LEBANON. Assaf & Kabbabé, the number one shopfitting company in Lebanon and one of the leading retail design companies in the Gulf region, is aiming to build on its presence in travel retail following the opening of several ground-breaking duty free projects.
In its home market, the company recently celebrated the opening of the first two phases of Beirut Duty Free’s refurbishment of its Departures area at Beirut Airport. And, further afield, it has worked on flagship duty free projects in Malta Airport (designed by Swiss-based Detail design) and Moldova Airport and borders.
Now, Assaf & Kabbabé is setting its sights on building its presence in the travel retail channel with the world’s top international brands. The company already has an impressive roll-call of clients in many product categories, such as Chanel, Clarins, L’Oréal Group (including Lancôme and Viktor & Rolf brands), Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky and Nestlé, among others. It provides services such as freestanding units, promotional stands and backwalls, as well as larger retail spaces.
“We provide high quality products and services, using the latest materials and technologies,” Assaf & Kabbabé’s Grégory Kabbabé told The Moodie Report in London, where he was in town to discuss a project with Jimmy Choo. “We know that high-end brands are searching for quality before price and that quality comes first, but we can be competitive on price and give the same quality. Our clients can get the quality they need with us, the same or better than in Europe.”
With a staff of more than 120 people, the company has established in-house departments in a number of areas: design; metal, aluminium and stainless steel; woodwork and carpentry; paint; electrical; packing; and installation. Employing in-house personnel has given the company an edge, says Kabbabé, as it can keep its rates competitive while keeping full control of its schedules.
The company’s designers and planners pride themselves on creating their work from scratch, but they can also adapt to any planned project. The latter is frequently the case with such demanding clients, says Kabbabé.
Turning to potential business opportunities, Kabbabé says he is keen to expand business in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries and Eastern Europe.
One of Assaf & Kabbabé’s flagship projects has been the ongoing transformation of Beirut Duty Free’s operation at Beirut Airport – a project that will take the company several months to complete. Assaf & Kabbabé is helping to change the face of this facility with new wines and spirits areas, a cigar shop and humidor, revamped fashion and fragrance sections, and a state-of-the-art electronics shop.
New technology is one area where the firm is at the cutting edge. Among its latest ventures is a partnership with a ‘gesture technology’ company called VIRTEK, an agent of Gesturetek in the region, which provides interactive virtual reality technology for interactive display, presentation, and entertainment systems.
“This technology is expensive, but it is a very exciting development,” enthuses Kabbabé.
About Assaf & Kabbabé
Established in 1974, Assaf & Kabbabé is one of the leading shopfitting companies in the Gulf region, supplying high quality products and services across the Gulf, Asian, African and Eastern European countries.
The company has shifted its strategy from being a supplier of European display units to a Lebanese design and manufacturing firm.
With more than 40,000 projects undertaken, it has grown fast and now has more than 120 employees in different manufacturing departments such as woodworking, metal and stainless steel, painting, electrical and packaging. Exports, including travel retail projects, accounted for 80% of its business in 2007.
For details, contact Grégory Kabbabé, Assaf & Kabbabé, Centre Mkalles 2001, Mkalles, Lebanon, tel: +961 1 687591/2/3, fax: +961 1 687594, e-mail askaintt@dm.net.lb or Visit www.assaf-kabbabe.com
