Interview conducted by Alex SmithJun 13 2022Reviewed by Bethan DaviesIn this interview, AZoM talks to Jeanette Madigan from Mai Dubai about their water analysis, services and how Metrohm instruments impact their work.
Please could you provide a brief overview of Mai Dubai and the work you do within the company?
Mai Dubai, a region-leading, sustainable and innovative bottled water provider was established in December 2012. Early on, we realized that our brand represents Dubai, a city that is a brand. One that stands for high quality, high standards, and a great user experience. Due to this, we set out to make sure that there was no cost spared and no compromise when it came to building a best-in-class company.
As far as our name goes, ‘mai’ is a spoken way of saying water in Arabic, so we thought it’d be clever if people heard Mai Dubai and thought “My Dubai”. As an entity, we are registered as an LLC and owned entirely by DEWA, which only goes to make absolutely certain that our standards are at the top of their game both locally and globally.
In just four short years since our launch, we became one of the leading bottled drinking water companies in the UAE, and we have even worked our way into becoming a household name in both the UAE and several markets around the world.
Our journey has been a challenging one and has led to us exporting to over a dozen countries around the world, picking up world-class awards, certifications and accolades along the way. To date, we have exported to countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the GCC, and since 2015 we’ve been the proud water partner of Emirates Airline.
Mai Dubai factory runs 100% on Solar Energy and has successfully marked two consecutive years of net-zero energy consumption, causing a reduction of the company’s overall carbon footprint. The rooftop solar power panels have been powering the Mai Dubai factory and onsite offices with clean energy since 2019.
As the Head of Quality for Mai Dubai, I must verify compliance with all food safety regulations and ensure customer needs are satisfied in terms of quality products and exceptional service. It is vital the laboratory team have the correct resources in terms of equipment and skills to effectively screen every product before release.
Image credit: Mai Dubai
Within the Food & Beverage industry, what would you say are your key products or main areas of focus?
We are consistently focused on the delivery of safe and quality bottled water. It is important for us to regularly review the changing needs of our consumers to ensure we offer a diverse packaging format through various delivery channels.
How important, and difficult can it be to maintain the quality of Mai Dubai’s offerings?
Mai Dubai began its operation in 2014 with the leadership of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) placing a strong emphasis on quality as one of the company’s core values. Since then, Mai Dubai has adopted globally recognized best practices and the highest levels of quality control across various operational aspects as mandated by local and international laws.
With “Dubai” part of our brand name, there is a responsibility to be the best.
The company’s commitment to compliance has been recognized by many certifications, including ISO 9001:2015, ISO 22000:2018, and Dubai Quality Award in Smart Manufacturing. Our plant is also currently listed as a Gold A grade manufacturing facility by Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department.
How does Mai Dubai achieve this high level of quality, and how has Metrohm helped?
Mai Dubai’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities run 24/7, reflecting our unwavering commitment to bringing bottled water products of the highest quality to the market. Our Quality Control team operates around the clock to make sure each product meets the required standards before it reaches the market. We also ensure that the team is using the latest technology with the best instruments in the world.
Metrohm has an excellent technical team based in Sharjah, UAE. This ensured the team's quick response and a budding rapport with Mai Dubai from the initial pre-sales discussion. The service and support team are professional and knowledgeable which enables quick diagnosis followed by remedial action.
In addition, the Metrohm team is available online within just a couple of hours if necessary to troubleshoot any issues faced, thereby enabling us >95% uptime of IC and analysis of samples. Most importantly, the installation and in-depth training of the Mai Dubai laboratory team was the key to our aforementioned success.
Image credit: Mai Dubai
Why did you select Metrohm as the provider of your Ion chromatograph systems?
Metrohm is a brand recognized worldwide for its innovative and reliable products. The speed and accuracy of results were our primary selection criteria. Since Metrohm has its own set-up in the SAIF zone, direct accessibility to after-sales service and a 10-year warranty were great advantages.
We were also able to rapidly prepare eluents in lab from high purity salts, which reduced consumable costs. The auto sampler features, such as inline ultrafiltration and inline dilution, remove any human error associated, thereby ensuring consistency and accuracy of results.
Where do you see this partnership with Metrohm going in the future?
We feel the experience gained in a short span of just over a year has justified our decision to procure the Metrohm Ion Chromatograph. I have no doubt that this partnership will strengthen as we expand on our in-house lab testing capabilities.
Where can you find more information?
About Jeanette Madigan
Jeanette Madigan is currently designated as the Head of Quality for Mai Dubai. Having completed a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science & Technology specializing in product development in Ireland, she has over 10 years of experience within the European food manufacturing industry. Since relocating to the UAE, she has gained more than 12 years of experience in beverage manufacturing. As part of Mai Dubai's continual training academy, she has been recently certified as a lean six sigma yellow belt and an IRCA-certified lead auditor.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Metrohm Middle East FZC .
For more information on this source, please visit Metrohm Middle East FZC .
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