JAP FUTURE at The BIG 5 trade fair in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates, specifically Dubai, is positioning itself as an attractive tourist destination, and many visitors have already confirmed that it offers plenty of unique and exceptional experiences. However, Dubai is not just a paradise for vacationers; it is also a place where business is conducted and where The BIG 5, the largest construction fair in the GCC countries, Africa, and Asia, takes place. It is thus the most traditional trade fair in the region and covers all construction sectors comprehensively.

One of the few Czech companies that participated in the last edition is JAP FUTURE, a manufacturer of design interior and exterior elements for housing. We discussed the details of their participation in the fair and the company's further strategy in this region with the foreign markets manager Ing. Mgr. Petr Paksi jr.

Mr. Paksi, why did you choose Dubai for expansion and not other foreign markets?
In the Dubai region, we have already established interesting business contacts earlier, and our goal for participating in The Big 5 fair was to strengthen these ties and explore new opportunities, as it is clear that construction production in the region is staggering and is not declining; quite the opposite. We simply feel a great potential here. On the other hand, the Russian market is currently written off, Eastern Europe does not yet have a sufficiently strong purchasing demand, and in Western markets, some of our products are already occupied.

Construction in Dubai continues to thrive (photo: JAP FUTURE)

With which local entities is cooperation successful, and on which projects?
There are several companies to whom we supply our products, but I am most proud of the collaboration with one of the largest real estate companies in Dubai, AL HILAL HOMES, which manages properties mainly in the areas of Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and Bluewaters Island, which are bastions of premium housing.

How satisfied are you with the organization of the fair and its attendance?
It might be appropriate to share some remarks on each sub-question, but I am not sure I have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to avoid repetition. I truly have nothing to complain about; everything worked like a well-oiled machine. The attendance at our booth was amazing and exceeded my pre-fair estimates several times.

What strategy did you choose when designing the fair booth?
We wanted to show everything substantial from our portfolio that could interest and be appreciated by the local market. The basic concept of the booth was minimalist, but in my opinion, with an exceptional design. We showcased various door systems, including innovations, with the idea of inspiring local developers to create timeless interior solutions in new projects, of which there are countless being realized on the Arabian Peninsula.

The JAP FUTURE booth at The BIG5 fair in Dubai (photo: JAP FUTURE)

Which specific products from the JAP FUTURE portfolio did you prefer?
The priority was hidden frames and sliding systems. Inseparable from them are the doors MASTER and IDEA DOOR in both variants, i.e., swinging and sliding or the cladding system EFEKTA, which offers sophisticated solutions for wall cladding and, thanks to many furniture accessories, also unconventional concepts for wardrobes and other interior spaces. A hit with local customers became our news, the sliding doors IDEALINE WOOD.

Mr. Paksi, what was the local customers' reaction? How did you evaluate it in terms of new contacts' perspective?
The fair lasted four days, and during that time, we only encountered positive feedback. In comparison to the competition that appeared at the fair, we came out significantly ahead. After all, we scored points for design, quality, and detail. I must humbly admit that I have noted many meetings with interested parties, who are sourcing directly from the fair.

Cladding and furniture EFEKTA, implementation of a wardrobe in a residential project in Dubai Marina (photo: JAP FUTURE)

Doors MASTER, implementation in a residential project in Dubai Marina (photo: JAP FUTURE)

What are your plans in this region for the near future?
We plan to open a joint showroom with our partner development company AL HILAL HOMES in Dubai Marina and further develop the most extensive implementation of our products and designs into various projects in this region. The same applies to Saudi Arabia, where I am already communicating with a potential business partner who has considerable interest in our products. Furthermore, there are seeds of other projects worldwide, but I would not like to get ahead of myself. If everything goes well, we can speak about it next time.

Ing. Mgr. Petr Paksi, jr., DBA, expansion manager at JAP FUTURE, is responsible for developing cooperation with foreign markets within the company. He enjoys his work and puts maximum effort into it because he believes that without a professional approach, neither he nor the company will progress. He has been involved in sports essentially his whole life, whether at a professional level or at an amateur level with friends. He believes it is the best preparation for life. Sport teaches a person not only how to cope with victory or defeat but mainly how to deal with the people on your team and those who play against you, which is the most important thing to him.