Expanding in the Middle East

Al Magzal Art Est., a Saudi Arabian-based decorative paint and hand-tufted carpet corporation, is passionate about decor, interior design, furnishings, luxury carpets, faux finishing and construction solutions. Over the years, Al Magzal has grown to be the leading decorative paint and renovation corporation in the Middle East. Within Al Magzal, carpeting is a historic tradition, building materials represent new technology, and glass work and faux finishing are new dimensions for demanding customers. Al Magzal aims to create functional and elegant interiors, decorative and faux painting, handmade custom luxury carpets, window treatments and reconstruction of building defects. It has a firmly established team of over 50 highly qualified professional individuals within the decorative finishing and carpet fields. The corporation can create any faux finish conceived and has the ability to manufacture carpets according to any design, shape, and color.

Al Magzal was founded by Nick Nibal Mehrez and Khalid A. Hashim. Nick Nibal Mehrez was born in Lebanon, and as a young man, he traveled to Australia seeking prosperity, adventure and a future. He lived there for 20 years working as a contractor specializing in electronics and security systems. Nick then traveled to Saudi Arabia where he met his future wife, Mira, a Saudi Arabian national, and settled in the country where he continues to work and raise a family with three children: A son, Emad Mehrez, age 10, and two daughters, Samera Myer Mehrez, age 12, and Lilwa Mehrez, age 7. Khalid A. Hashim is a Saudi national, a graduate of the University of Southern California, and director of multiple corporations in Saudi Arabia including Honda. His wife is a native of Santa Barbara, California. Although Mr. Hashim’s family foundations and corporations hold him to daily activities as an executive, his hidden passion was to always be involved in interior design and wood working.

In 2005 both Mr. Mehrez and Mr. Hashim were skimming through the American magazine “Florida Design” and ran across a full-page advertisement for Faux Effects International. Looking at the FEI ad, both were very intrigued, and Khalid encouraged Nick “to give this company a telephone call.” Throughout that year, FEI’s Distributor Relations Manager, Richie Conforti, had business discussions with Nick. Five weeks later, he arrived at

Faux Effects® headquarters for a week-long meeting. Nick toured FEI’s facility and was shown true American hospitality. The remainder of the week, he was introduced to the Faux Effects® product line and was personally able to make many samples in the Faux Effects® Studio. “Faux Effects is my supermarket—you have everything, you are my one-stop shopping!” said Nick. He was over-whelmed with the vastness of Faux Effects’® products, technology, and innovation created by FEI’s president and founder, Raymond Sandor, and the friendliness of the entire FE personnel. Within a short period of months, both FEI and Al Magzal finalized an agreement, and a Faux Effects® exclusive distributor in Saudi Arabia and the entire region of the Middle East was established.

Later that same year in November, Faux Effects® joined Al Magzal in Dubai, the gateway to the East, to assist in the world’s largest decorative trade show, “The Dubai Index.” This massive show included over 300,000 square feet of vendors and displays. Broadcasted on regional television, The Dubai Index officially opened with a royal ribbon cutting ceremony by General Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the UAE Defense. Faux Effects® and Al Magzal were instant attractions and were overwhelmed by buyers, designers, and individuals at their hands-on and display area. Attendees marveled at the possibilities that were offered by the duo. Both Al Magzal and FEI realize that Dubai and Saudi Arabia represent an unprecedented global business opportunity on a grand scale. This is due to prosperity, new construction, and the clamor for decoration that the Arabian Peninsula desires. During the Dubai visit, Faux Effects® also toured other entities of Al Magzal, including their custom carpet retail location in Sharjai. UIC manufactures luxury carpets, with looms up to 20-feet high and 50-feet long. All the carpets are customand hand woven.

Al Magzal’s clientele include royalty, palaces, hotels, restaurants, banks, major corporations, embassies, mosques, aircraft, cruise ships, yachts, clubs, and private facilities. Some of their commissions include LusterStone®, Sandstone™, and Venetian Gem® product finishes that adorn a 600,000 square foot, royal palace with 40-foot ceilings. In commercial settings, Al Magzal features many Faux Effects® products including RsCrete®, LusterStone®, SandStone™, SetCoat® Metallics and MetalGlow® to name a few.

In 2011 Al Magzal extended its operations into Beirut, Lebanon and in 2013 plans to expand into the Algerian market and also enter into the UAE. In addition, future logistics and executive plans call for Al Magzal to launch its presence into Russia with more locations to come.

DECORATIVE ART BY: AL MAGZAL ART

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: NICK NIBAL MEHREZ

WRITTEN BY: NATALIE WOODWARD

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