Middle Eastern ‘aura’ for Lakeland as it completes high-profile Dubai hotel project

A Preston-headquarters premium decking specialist is targeting a £1m Middle East opportunity having earned rave reviews at one of Dubai’s most iconic locations.

 Lakeland Verandahs, which employs 40 people across its operations in Preston and Scotland, has successfully installed 800m2 of its ‘Solidek’ product at Aura Skypool, the world's highest 360° infinity pool that regularly attracts the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 A team of UK fitters - led by father and son Russell and Sam Milburn - worked with the hospitality team to overcome disruption and logistical issues to complete the job in just three months – often working through the night to accommodate the venue’s full events calendar.

 The company even developed a unique ‘Aura’ colour to complement the existing furnishings and surroundings.

Russell Milburn, who founded Lakeland Verandahs in 2008, said “Hollow wood composite deck boards don’t doesn’t usually fare well in a Middle Eastern climate, typically only lasting 12 months.

"This is why we believe there is such a big opportunity for our Solidek offer, which is a premium, solid capped composite and a lot more robust

 “What we really needed was a high-profile installation and they don’t come much bigger than the Aura Skypool, one of Dubai’s most visited locations and 48 storeys from the ground.”

 He continued: “We undertook an amazing amount of due diligence together to showcase our product and why it would work and last better than the previous installation - agreeing to fit-out a dedicated area to provide a free taster of what they could expect.”

 It was a wise approach with the quality of the aesthetics and the ease of installation proving an immediate hit and sign-off was given to complete the rest of the pool area.

 A team of five UK fitters were joined by a local installation team that were trained to the highest possible standards and are now able to complete projects on their own.

 Sam Milburn, who oversaw the project, said: “The timings had to be just right to fit in with Aura’s extremely tight events calendar and we even had to overcome some major issues with sea freight, instead switching to transporting 24 tonnes of decking by air.

 “The hours of planning and the late nights were all worth it and we are justifiably proud to have our Solidek product fitted and performing very well at one the most ‘instagrammable’ locations in the world. We’re so confident in the quality and robustness of the product that we have given a 25-year warranty.”

 Dean Stuart Jarvis, general manager at Aura Skypool, said: “Being 200 metres above sea level, we have our own microclimate, and we had to make sure that any decking product we chose could withstand the sun, the salt and the chemicals we use in our pool.

 “Solidek exceeded our expectations, and we were delighted when Lakeland Verandahs agreed to customise our own colour – we knew then that they would go above and beyond to make it a successful installation.

 “We are incredibly happy with the product and our guests have definitely noticed the difference.”

 Lakeland Verandahs is on course to complete 12 projects in its first year in the Middle East, with over £1m set to be generated by the middle of 2025 following ongoing negotiations with hotels, commercial architects and luxury villa owners.

 It is the company’s only export market, with the rest of its work completed in the North West and in Scotland where it supplies a mix of domestic and commercial clients with decking, fencing, balustrades and pergolas.

 Last year the Preston headquartered business saw sales rise to £6m, one of the best performances in its 17-year history.