PROGRESSIVE PARTNERSHIPS

Meur recognises the importance of leveraging expertise from external suppliers and partners. “One of the keys to building strong and lasting relationships with contractors and suppliers is to remain humble, realise that one does not and cannot know everything,” he says. “We have very healthy working relationships with many players in the industry and continually learn from each other. In some cases, we even team up to run research projects or to help improve local regulations. This is the case with Technoform, for instance, with whom we have long been engaged in discussions with local authorities to improve the thermal performance of façades.” Meur goes on to highlight several other key partnerships which have borne fruit for DP Façade in recent times. “For the past few years, I have been involved in the design of the building envelope of a new super-tall residential tower in Mumbai. This type of project raises a number of unique challenges, in particular the very high wind loads, and the increased level of water-tightness required to tackle heavy monsoon rains. Reynaers Aluminium took on the challenge for the tallest tower, over 300 metres in height, designing and supplying the sliding doors and curtain wall. “Working with Seele, an Austrian company specialised in complex façades, we have completed several outstanding and unique projects, such as the Apple Store on Orchard Road in Singapore, which features exceptionally large, free-standing glass panes. “Saint-gobain was founded almost 500 years ago, and survived throughout this period through continuous innovation, as epitomised by its subsidiary company Vetrotech, with which I have worked on many projects in various countries over the years. Vetrotech covers virtually every kind a glazing project imaginable.”