The best in housekeeping and guest room suppliers

From mattresses and amenities to linen and laundry products

DUBAI FURNITURE Mfg. Co. LLC

Dubai Furniture Manufacturing Company has supplied bedding products to a number of hotels in the Middle East including Sofitel The Palm, Dusit Thani Dubai, Novotel Al Barsha, and Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa, Dubai among others. A supplier of well-known US mattress manufacturer King Koil, the company has recently opened two new King Koil showrooms. One of these opened in Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi in March 2014 and more recently, the second opened in Bawadi Mall, Al Ain. There are plans to open a third King Koil showroom at the end of August in Abu Dhabi.

Recently, DFMC introduced the I-Mattress Silk collection series from King Koil, which comprises four products, all of them manufactured using the latest iFusion and quilting technology, with visco gel foam and latex.

The iFusion technology involves visco gel memory foam being infused with a gel that provides a cooling effect on the skin at first touch, which then adapts to the user’s body temperature. The combination of the open cell memory foam and the cooling gel offers optimum sleeping comfort.

The natural silk fabric each mattress is made from is strong with natural protein structures. It is hypoallergenic, and fire, dust mite, mildew and fungus-resistant. In addition to thermo-regulatory properties, the silk fabric reduces the likelihood of body impressions forming on the mattress.

The Dubai-based company currently has the capacity to manufacture between 800 and 1000 mattresses per day and is continually seeking the latest in mattress technology.

DFMC prides itself in working closely with clients to develop bespoke products, and also provides training programmes for housekeeping staff to ensure the maintenance of products. Regularly visiting properties where mattresses are installed, the company helps staff maintain the quality of products and advises on measures to be taken to lengthen the lifespan of mattresses and ease housekeeping processes.

DIRECT HOTEL SUPPLIES

Direct Hotel Supplies has recently introduced its Beyond Menus range, a collection of custom-designed room directories and presentation folders. Materials used for the range vary from wood, natural weaves, and metal to faux leather and cut outs. The company is also working on introducing Aura, its own range of products for the rooms division. The line comprises custom-made bath and bed linen and will be available from October 2014 onwards.

Since its inception in 2002, Direct Hotel Supplies has developed a footprint in the UAE and neighbouring gulf states Qatar and Oman as well as several counties in Africa. The company has a warehouse in Al Barsha, Dubai, providing a base for customers to visit and peruse its hospitality supplies.

On-demand items such as bed and bath linen, glassware, and chinaware and cutlery are displayed and stocked at the warehouse and customers also have the option of ordering products to be delivered to their doors. The warehouse is currently being revamped to stock and showcase more products so Direct Hotel Supplies can continue to meet the growing requirements of hotel, restaurant and horeca clients. The new and improved warehouse will open in September 2014.

IASMO

Dubai-based linen supplier Iasmo is currently working on a manufacturing process that reduces wrinkling and shrinkage in linen products, while maintaining the quality and feel of the material. The process is aimed at extending the durability of sheets. The company also partners with hotel groups that supply their linen to sell products to guests, providing hotels with an additional means of generating revenue. Currently Iasmo works with Fairmont and Anantara properties in Dubai and Doha and is an approved supplier for Millennium & Copthorne. The company has also partnered with another factory to manufacture 100% linen bedsets for high-end customers, as well as linen that uses a no-chemical dye for sensitive skin, and those hotels that prefer to use sustainable practices.

Iasmo is currently organising a housekeeping and laundry seminar to drive home the benefits of the cotton items it supplies and discuss various aspects of textile engineering. The company is also in the process of opening a new warehouse in Dubai.

Gulf Protek LLC

Commercial laundry equipment specialist Gulf Protek has recently introduced Le Protek laundry freshener as well as Le Protek dry-cleaning freshener concentrated perfumes to provide long-lasting floral fragrances for processed garments. The fragrance endures, even after days of storage.

Protek has also added to its collection laundry guide tapes and flatwork ironer belts with hooks and pins, which help staff to place sheets, table linens, and other flatworks in the correct position for smooth feeding and quality finishes. Gulf Protek was established in 2008 and is a distributor of Cissell commercial laundry equipment, Allliance Laundry Systems, as well as UniMac equipment, which is distributed throughout Saudi Arabia.The company has recently worked with Waldorf Astoria The Palm, Sheraton Jumeirah Beach, Sheraton Dubai Creek, Conrad Dubai, Fairmont Dubai, and Fairmont The Palm.

MAGNARAB

Dubai- based laundry equipment supplier and consultant Magnarab provides a range of on-premise laundry solutions to meet quality, space constraints, and time demands of hotels. Magnarab offers a wide range of services, from concept design to sizing, configuration and engineering assistance through to installation and commissioning. The company also offers bespoke solutions for hotels in the region.
This year, the company introduced the Tolon, a heavy duty, fully-programmable soft mount high spin washer extractor, which is available in 20kg and 40kg models. Recently, at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai, Magnarab has installed the Tolon towel folder, which folds 800 towels per hour.

INTERCOIL

Earlier this year, bedding supplier Intercoil launched All Seasons, a climate control luxury mattress. Designed and manufactured by Intercoil, the new Climate Control mattress combines the latest design in mattress comfort with patented temperature control technology provided by Gentherm’s Climate Control Sleep System to deliver a good night’s sleep.

With a range of temperature options between 15°C and 40°C, and three settings — heat, cool and ventilate — the new mattress creates a personalised microclimate with independent temperature control for both sides of the bed.

rior to this launch, Intercoil brought out the Beautyrest Black, a luxury, premium range of mattresses from US bed manufacturer, Simmons, designed with comfort and rejuvenation in mind, featuring luxurious fabrics and stylish details as well as Beautyrest Recharge Technology. More product launches are being planned for the second half of the year.

Following a recent agreement between Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Simmons to create a fully customisable hotel bed, Intercoil will supply a new type of mattress and base to Four Seasons hotels in the Middle East. The mattress will allow the hotel to personalise the bed to their guest’s unique preference in minutes. A choice of three different levels of firmness will be offered, along with a variety of pillows and bedside amenities for bespoke comfort.

In the past 18 months, Intercoil has invested over AED 30mn (US $8.1mn) in enhancing production capacity, opening a new factory in Ras Al Khaimah, and celebrating, this year, its 40th anniversary. This milestone also marked the launch of a new corporate identity, which reflects the future vision of the brand to become a key global player in beds, bedding and bedroom furniture. The rebranding exercise has seen an overhaul of the corporate logo and a new name and visual identity for retail stores across the region: ‘The Bedroom by Intercoil’.

Additinally, as a result of strong business growth and a successful partnership, Intercoil has announced the renewal of its exclusive Middle East licensing agreement with Simmons.

Following the company’s corporate rebranding project in August, it will undergo a complete renovation of its showroom in Al Barsha, next to Mall of the Emirates and will be opening two new showrooms in Saudi Arabia, in Al-Ihsaa and Jubail.

PACIFIC COAST FEATHER

In 2014, Seattle-based Pacific Coast Feather (PCF) has introduced a range of new products in the USA, using new fibres for pillows and comforters, coupled with modern construction designs. As a global company, PCF is an approved vendor for many of the international hotel groups including Marriott, Hilton, FRHI, Accor and Hyatt. The company also works closely with some local hotel groups in the MEA region.

“We started international expansion in 2007. Now we have manufacturing and sales offices spread across USA,Canada,Europe and Asia Pacific regions,” said Dhirendra Sharma, PCF business manager, India & MEA. “Currently we have 200 management staff in USA, Europe and Asia, and about 1200 workers in the US as well as 3000 more workers in China. We are growing fast in both hospitality and retail segments.”

PCF also puts a lot of emphasis on learning and development. The company offers knowledge-sharing workshops to all major hotel groups, providing them with the latest product information, and speaks at housekeeping and international forums to update customers on global trends. Clients can be provided with access codes to the company’s online training platform on request.Internally there is continual training for employees through the online Pacific Coast University (PCU) programme.

The company is currently considering opening an MEA showroom. Sharma commented: “We are open to discussing opportunitiesfor launching a PCF showroom in MEA region with the right retail partners. We are also thinking of presenting our products through our online services.”

RESTONIC

Bed and bedding supplier Restonic introduced the TempaGel and Vitaminic mattresses in 2014. TempaGel Mattresses are made with gel-infused memory foam and Outlast technology, reducing overheating and providing thermal compatibility for a sound sleep. Vitaminic is high memory effect pneumatic foam with the addition of orange essence for an invigorating rest.

Having recently taken on the Palazzo Versace Dubai project, Restonic has also signed contracts with JA Hotels, Millennium Hotels, and Seven Tides, in addition to projects with Warwick Dubai and Holiday Inn Seeb, Muscat in Oman.

Restonic has expanded its infrastructure, adding more machinery and staff to cater to a growing demand from the hotel industry. The company recently initiated an after-sales service follow-up programme to ensure customer satisfaction. Recently, Restonic also opened a new showroom in Doha to cater to growing demand.