Al-Farooq Corporation’s Jalal Farooq Selected for Miami Herald CEO Roundtable

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Twice a year, the Miami Herald goes on the hunt for new members for its CEO Roundtable. As chief executives at small businesses, large corporations and nonprofits in a range of industries, the Roundtable business leaders are intimately familiar with the local economy and the topics that affect companies and their workforce.  

Principal and Senior Project Engineer, Jalal Farooq was selected among twelve other executives to be featured in the Herald’s weekly discussion regarding the gender gap in management, hurricane season preparation in South Florida, tariffs, work-life balance, and more.  

Jalal Farooq is a principal and leader of Al-Farooq Corporation’s team of engineers who specialize in engineering, product development, and product consulting for building envelopes and impact-resistant windows and doors. He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Florida International University and has a master’s degree in structural engineering and geomechanics from Stanford University.

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John Benz is the president and CEO of Community Care Plan. Benz has more than 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry, working to strengthen the community by focusing on accelerated performance in service, quality, finance, people, and growth. He has a proven track record of developing and implementing transformational strategies and fostering collaboration by establishing clinical alliances and securing strategic partnerships in order to create highly integrated models of care.

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Armando Caceres is CEO and founder of All Florida Paper. The company, based in Medley, has about 100 employees and distributes throughout Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America. The company also celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

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Ralph De La Rosa, who was born and raised in Miami, is building upon his late father’s pioneering legacy in international trade. Under De La Rosa’s direction for the past 20 years, Imperial Freight has grown into a full-service logistics firm with a global reach. Imperial Freight Brokers, founded in 1971, is based in Doral.

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Kelly-Ann Cartwright represents corporate clients in general civil and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on business torts and labor and employment law. She is the executive partner of Holland & Knight’s Miami office and chair of the firm’s Directors Committee. Cartwright was born in Guyana and came to the U.S. with her parents at age 11. She is a graduate of the University of Florida and University of Florida Levin College of Law.

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Michael A. “Mike” Finney is president and CEO of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council. He was previously senior adviser for economic growth and president & CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Finney also has been president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK; president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, Rochester, N.Y.; vice president, Emerging Business Sectors, MEDC; senior vice president and general manager, Thomson Saginaw Ball Screw Company; and assistant city manager, Saginaw, Michigan.

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Dr. Julio Frenk became president of the University of Miami in 2015. He was previously dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and minister of health of Mexico. He is the founding director-general of the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico and has held top positions at the World Health Organization and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. He holds an M.D. from the National University of Mexico, and a master of public health and joint Ph.D. in medical care organization and sociology from the University of Michigan.

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Kaizad Hansotia has almost 30 years experience in the cigar business since launching the premium luxury cigar brand Gurkha Cigars. In launching Gurkha, Hansotia created what is known today as the ultra-premium cigar category and has set industry standards in the packaging of cigars. Gurkha Cigars produces millions of cigars per year that are sold in more than 70 countries worldwide.

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Javier Holtz was named chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Marquis Bank in 2010. Holtz has more than 30 years of banking experience with state and nationally chartered banks. Under his leadership, Marquis Bank has seen consecutive profitable quarters that include assets reaching over $580 million and recently earned its 21st consecutive five-star Bauer Financial Rating. Holtz is vice mayor of Indian Creek Village, where he has been a council member since March 2008.

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Camilo Miguel Jr. founded Mast Capital in 2006 and is its chief executive officer. He has ultimate responsibility for Mast Capital’s investment strategy, risk management, and operations. Mast Capital is an investor and developer of high-end for-sale residential, hospitality, office and retail projects, with a particular focus on high barriers-to-entry markets. Before founding Mast, Miguel was founder and president of Vertica Group, a land investment, and repositioning company, where he oversaw all aspects of the businesses, including acquisitions, entitlements, operations and asset management.

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Noreen Sablotsky is founder and chief executive officer of Imalac, a technology company focused on increasing the efficiency and practicality of breast pumping for lactating women by coupling breast massage either in conjunction with the use of an electric pump or as a stand-alone milk-expression system. She is also a limited partner in NGT3 (Nazareth, Israel). NGT3 is the second-generation fund of NGT (Next Generation Technology). NGT was founded in Nazareth in 2002 following a government resolution to establish a technological incubator in the Arab sector and encourage Arab and Jewish collaborative entrepreneurship.

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Deborah Spiegelman is the CEO of the Miami Children’s Museum. She is a nonprofit specialist with over 35 years of experience. Under her leadership, the museum has seen over 5 million visitors since opening in 2003 on Watson Island. The institution includes an onsite preschool and charter school serving 400 children a day, after-school programming in Liberty City for 200 students, and programs for children with autism and special needs.

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Steve Upshaw was appointed CEO of Cross Country Home Services in June 2015. He is a veteran in business transformation, with an emphasis on advancements in human capital, revenue diversification, company culture transformation, innovation, and technology. Upshaw is also experienced in developing and delivering consumer solutions through direct affinity partnerships and direct-to-consumer applications using multichannel marketing techniques.

Porcelanosa’s KRION® Ventilated Facade System

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We’ve recently been working with Porcelanosa, a global leader in the innovation, design, manufacture, and distribution of tile, kitchen and bath products, to engineer an updated ventilated façade system, and the product is now available in the Florida market.

The unique KRION® ventilated façade system is a new generation solid surface material that is warm to touch and similar to natural stone. Made of two-thirds natural minerals including aluminum trihydrate and a low percentage of high-resistance resins, the unique composition makes the “super panel” easy to clean and hard-wearing. It is also highly resistant, easy to repair, and requires minimum maintenance. The external cladding system allows for seamless sections to be created and prevents liquids from being absorbed – making it perfect for rainy climates.

Our engineers worked directly with Porcelanosa USA’s national director as we worked to get the product approved and made available for the Florida region.

“Working with Al-Farooq Corporation has not only been an excellent experience but an educational one as well,” said Ignacio Vidal, architect and national director at Porcelanosa USA. “They were always available to walk me through the process and what I learned from them about how to educate clients regarding the product has proven to be invaluable.”

Al-Farooq Corporation also engineering the KRION® façade system at Porcelanosa’s new headquarters located in Doral, FL.

A Valued Resource for The University of Miami

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For more than 20 years, Al-Farooq Corporation has been a valued engineering source for the University of Miami. Throughout the years, we have worked closely with the University, manufacturers, architects, and glazing contractors to provide engineering services for several of the University’s buildings on and off campus including The Frost School of Music, The Lennar Foundation Medical Center, The Newman Alumni Center, and The Richter Library.

Most recently, we worked to test the UM School of Architecture’s curtainwall design and have provided a one-time approval for the CS1325 Curtainwall system. From the project’s inception, we have worked closely with the manufacturer, ESWindows and the project’s glazing contractor, Ready Windows. The brand-new School of Architecture designed by Arquitectonica features 17 feet of single span framing with Casement window inserts and glass. The project was completed in the first quarter of this year, and we look forward to many more projects with the University of Miami in the years to come.

 

Aventura Slide Tower Features Hurricane-Rated Glass

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Most people remember the feeling of going down a childhood slide with fondness, and the engineers behind the Aventura Slide Tower are hoping to elevate that experience for visitors of the Aventura Mall outside of Miami.

The nearly 100-foot tall slide was designed by Belgian artist Carsten Höller. It is a replica of the Vitra Slide Tower in Weil am Rhein, Germany. However, the Aventura Slide Tower has two slides instead of one, and the glass is made to withstand hurricane-force winds.

“To our knowledge, this is the only glass slide dome designed to meet high-velocity hurricane zone requirements,” says Hammad Muzaffar, senior project manager at Al-Farooq Corporation, which engineered the slide’s glass viewing tower.

In 2017, Al-Farooq was contracted for the project by German-based Wiegand Sports GmbH, a manufacturer of Alpine Coasters.

“We were hired to guide them through the permitting process and offer our services as their glazing expert for the slide’s glass dome,” says Muzaffar. “Since these stairs were designed using European computations and standards, the main engineering challenge was having to recheck the frame models and optimize them to meet ASCE 7-10 and FBC-2014 standards in a timely and efficient manner. Our team worked closely with Optimus Engineering (engineer of record), City of Aventura and Wiegand Sports GmbH to facilitate the optimization of testing mockups and permitting. In order to meet the project’s timeline, we also performed special inspection services for the glass installation.”

SAF-GLAS provided the glass for the Aventura Slide Tower. The glass was installed by both SAF-GLAS and Wiegand Sports. The project required glass with hurricane-resistant and impact-resistant properties given the application and location.

From the ground, the top of the time clock is elevated at just over 94 feet. The top of glass enclosure is more than 64 feet tall while the slide platform is just over 55 feet.

“The glass used in the dome is 9/16-inch heat strengthened and laminated by using 0.070 polycarbonate,” explains Muzaffar. “The glass installed was tested to tornado pressures (250 PSF/ 50 cycles per minute) and also meets GSA blast Level D requirements.”

According to Curbed Miami, it takes 15 seconds to go down the slide at speeds up to 15 miles per hour.

Jalal Farooq – Featured Speaker at 2017 Glass+Metal Symposium

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Al-Farooq Corporation’s Senior Project Engineer, Jalal Farooq was selected as a featured speaker at the 2017 Glass+Metal Symposium where he joined other industry professionals involved with the design, construction, and maintenance of the building envelope.

Since 2012, the Glass+Metal Symposium has been Florida’s premier educational and networking event where architects, general contractors, developers and industry professionals learn the latest on design trends, construction methods, and new product technologies.

During his presentation, “Product Approvals for Windows & Doors – How it Affects Design and Construction Methods,” Jalal focused on the three areas relating to product approvals: what they are, how to get one, and how to use them. He shared in-depth insight with the audience that related to:

  • A variety of product approvals
  • Which products require a product approvals
  • The differences between product approvals and the necessary requirements and final recognition of an approval

These are all areas that Al-Farooq Corporation specializes in, and has provided services to its clients for 35 years.

If you’d like more information on the Glass+Metal Symposium, visit www.glassmetalsymposium.com.

 

Al-Farooq Corporation Assists Kuraray With Product Overhaul

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Al-Farooq Corporation is proud to announce the completion of product rebranding and overhaul for Kuraray PVB.

Kuraray American Inc. is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, resin, and film production. With top-of-the-line research and production facilities, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products.

Al-Farooq Corporation assisted Kuraray on the rebranding and overhaul for Kuraray PVB interlayer to become ³Kuraray Trosifol® Ultraclear, Clear, and Colors Glass interlayers², which offers the following key features:

  • The new product branding is backward compatible with previous versions of Kuraray PVB so no new testing will be required for manufacturers to use this product
  • Comes in a variety of new colors as well as Clear and UltraClear to increase the visual clarity when laminating with premium low-iron UltraClear glass such as Starphire
  • This revision does not trigger a required update to manufacturers existing product approvals; however, manufacturers are required to update their glass builds to show the new name upon their next regularly scheduled update to their existing product approvals
  • The UltraClear films exhibit the lowest Yellowness Index in the industry

To learn more, visit: https://www.trosifol.com.

 

Al-Farooq Corporation Gets Florida Up to Code

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Updated every three years, the new 2017 Florida Building Code goes into effect January 1, 2018. With so little time, product manufacturers are scrambling to meet the deadline in order to avoid approval issues and project delays.

Manufacturers who fail to update their products to meet the new code run the risk of not being able to sell them. Similarly, contractors who fail to follow the new guidelines may purchase a product they can’t get a permit for, or they may not be able to install, thus delaying the project’s timeline.

With 35 years of experience, Al-Farooq Corporation is a well-respected source for manufacturers, contractors, and architects who need product approvals for windows, doors, or cladding to comply with the latest FBC guidelines.

In addition to being a vital player in assisting businesses with FBC updates, we help architects and contractors coordinate with manufacturers and write letters on our clients’ behalf to cities in order to obtain conditional permits if product approval updates are either in process of close to completion.

In 2016, we performed over 2,000 glazing-related projects in South Florida. Additionally, we handle over 50 percent of all Miami-Dade County product approvals (NOAs) for windows and doors, and nearly 20 percent of product approvals for the state of Florida have an Al-Farooq engineer as the engineer of record.

 

Al-Farooq Helps Bring Schüco Products to Market

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Al-Farooq Corporation is excited to announce it is now working with Schüco to bring several of its innovative products to the South Florida market for the first time. Schüco is well-known worldwide for developing and selling system solutions for windows, doors, facades, sliding systems, and sun shading.  

 In 2003, Schüco expanded its business into the U.S. with a headquarter located in Newington, Connecticut. Just last year, Schüco USA extended its wholesale business with a contracting division, offering a new range of estimating and engineering services.  

Al-Farooq most recently worked with Schüco to test and get approval for its AWS Terrace Door with ADA Threshold. The unique product is expected to make waves in the South Florida market as it is both ADA compliant and water rated.  

The outward-opening terrace door, known as the Schüco AWS 75.SI+ terrace door consists of an easy-access threshold option, which meets the ADA ½” threshold height limitation while maintaining 15 PSF of water resistance test performance. The series will soon be available in a single vent and double vent option. Using the new Group V vent profile increases the maximum vent size to 46 ½” x 97 5/16″ and the maximum vent weight to 286 pounds with a 90-degree opening.  

In addition to providing a high-thermal performance terrace door, these systems allow insulated glass units of a total of 1-11/32″ IGU thickness using 0.09″ SentryGlas interlayer, thus meeting today’s rigorous energy saving demands. By burying the threshold 13/16″ into the floor, smooth and easy access that is ADA compliant is provided for the exterior.  

 

Paramount Fort Lauderdale Opens

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The newly-opened Paramount Fort Lauderdale condominium located at 701 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard is the first ground-up condo project Fort Lauderdale Beach has seen in about a decade.  

Al-Farooq was hired as the glazing consultant for the 18-story tower’s exterior façade’s one-time approval process. Our team of experienced engineers provided onsite consultation, met with Broward County officials to optimize product performance, and engineered testing specifications for mockups required to meet South Florida’s rigorous hurricane-force winds. We provided one-time approvals for all doors, storefronts, curtain walls, windows, and railings. 

The 95-unit luxury project is expected to set price records for the city. 

Al-Farooq Engineers Glass for Aventura Slide Tower

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This month Aventura Mall celebrated the installation of the Aventura Slide Tower, a nearly 100-foot tall slide designed by Belgian artist and former scientist, Carsten Höller. The permanent installation, located near the mall’s new expansion wing, features a spiral staircase that leads up to two titanium steel tubes designed for visitors to slide down.  

Al-Farooq Corporation engineered the glass at the top of the nine-story structure that allows guests to oversee sweeping views of the city. Guiding the architect and contractor through the design review, engineering, testing, permitting, installation, and inspection phases of the project to meet safeguards and hurricane resistance, Al-Farooq Corp. ensured the project was completed smoothly and on time. 

Make sure to experience the Aventura Slide Tower for yourself next time you’re in the area!