Arabesque Wooden WorksAbdulla Yousif Abdul Rahman Saleh Al-Saadi / founder

Funded 2005 / Staff 10 USP Arabesque Wooden Works is a title of excellence and innovation.

Arabesque Wooden Works was established in 2005 with a simple motto: «Your design, our creation». The company undertakes wooden-related works including furniture, doors, cupboard, and much more. In addition to its two workshops, the company also has a plush showroom.

Abu Dhabi +971 55 980 0800

KHALIFA FUND SUCCESS STORIES 002

CARVING A NICHE

Abdulla Yousif Abdul Rahman Saleh Al-Saadi reflects on his exciting entrepreneurial journey, and shares its peaks and pitfalls…

QUESTIONS

Growing up, Abdulla would often visit his father’s workshop and observe the work he did with wood. The patterns and designs fascinated him, it was surreal to see something being built from scratch. His father used manual tools with fine workmanship to

create unique wooden boats and ships. Abdulla believed he had inherited this skill from his father and family. So, when he wanted to launch a business of his own, he didn’t have to look too far away from home. This is how his company

Arabesque Wooden Works was born. What started as a small entrepreneurial dream in 2005 has now become an established company with a showroom, factory and workshop. What’s next? We find out as we sit down with the self-made entrepreneur.

Why did you choose this line of work? What was the inspiration behind the idea?Q1

My company specialises in wood decoration and carpentry as well as woodwork such as furniture, doors, cabinets, wooden fences and umbrellas. This line of work is something

that I’ve inherited from my family. Having prior experience with wood decoration, I decided it was best to do something within the same space. I also felt that most companies in the

market were making the same patterns and designs. It was all very repetitive and required a breath of fresh air.

How did you fund your business? How has your partnership with Khalifa Fund helped your business?Q2

Initially, I bootstrapped the money to kick-start my business. Shortly after, I approached Khalifa Fund and have been working with them for about

ten years. They gave me a fund of AED 870,000 to expand my business and I put in the rest from my savings. Naturally, they have become an extension of my

business; their support has been monumental. They’ve helped me in hiring skilled labour, expanding my workshops and purchasing latest equipment.

What are some of the major challenges you’ve faced throughout your journey? How did you solve them?

In your line of work, health and safety is critical. Is that a major concern?

Q3

Q4

Challenging global market conditions affected us to a certain extent, and it was difficult to sustain our business during this difficult time. Moreover, competition has also intensified over the last decade and there are new, younger companies with fresh ideas. All of this puts pressure on business owners to find better ways to improve

their business. I think the way we overcame these roadblocks was by diversifying our product offering. We don’t limit ourselves to what our original offer was. So for instance, if there’s a customer that wants us to customise something for them, we happily oblige. We are always looking for creative ideas to stand out from our competition – whether it’s in

terms of design, craftsmanship or overall quality. Finding good talent has also been a major hurdle, we’ve had to hire skilled labourers from outside the country to meet our requirements. After hiring, training is another challenge. We ask senior members of our team to guide the new employees and provide them on-job training.

Yes, absolutely! The health and safety of our workers is of paramount importance to us. It is something that we’ve embedded within the culture of the

company, and strongly believe in. In addition to being ethical, it’s also more logical because any employee that feels safe will be more productive. One example

of a safety measure is that our workshops are equipped with fire extinguishers that meet the international standards.

KHALIFA FUND SUCCESS STORIES 004

How do you set yourself apart from competition and stay ahead of the curve?

How is technology reshaping your business?

Q5

Q6

It’s simple: by maintaining quality and offering competitive prices! We don’t compromise on the quality of our products and this has helped us build a loyal clientele. In fact, we comply to all safety standards and best

practices set by the Civil Defence authorities. My pillars for growth are excellence and innovation. For instance, I try to convert inanimate objects into movable ones by attaching to them

mechanical elements! So, an ironing table or ladder can be also doubled up as a chair. Such multi-functionality is one way of being different and staying ahead of competition.

Technology has been useful in organising the administrative side of our business. Basic tools let us speed up daily tasks, manage people and boost efficiency. The design

process has also benefitted by the use of advanced software. Most of the machines we use are Italian. These machines save time and effort as well as increase productivity. We have

also deployed a machine that applies pre-set engraving on the wood using the AutoCAD design software. Finally, digital platforms are a great way to promote ourselves and our products.

What are your plans for the future? Are you looking at expansion?Q7

We are currently developing a new range in the realm of sports tools. In terms of expansion, we aim to enter the Arab Gulf countries in 2018. We want to

start exporting, in addition to our current retail offer. I truly believe that I have not yet fulfilled my entrepreneurial ambition; I want to expand my

offering to a bigger showroom and include a wide range of wooden items from sports to furniture.