Raghunath

Raghunath.S, hailing from Vanchiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram is the Chief Executive Officer of Universal International FZCO, a universally accredited free zone company in Dubai that deals with door hardware industries. It has also a complete range of Architectural Door Hardware solutions and a production facility to make Master Key cylinders products for all our building needs in Dubai. Being a hardworking and visionary entrepreneur, Raghunath is highly active in the business hallways of Gulf countries for the past 33 years. After finishing his graduation in Commerce,Raghunath came to Saudi Arabia in 1985.

Universal International FZCO

Universal International is a Dubai based free zone Company that deals with Door Hardware Industries. The company has a high reputed track record and customer support level all over KSA and UAE. With this backing as a reserve, it has now started a branch in Netherlands

Universal International FZCO was established

• To guide businesses into growth through smart management practices & solutions.
• To develop and produce a diversified portfolio of Door & Mechanical products
• To establish and manage a solid distribution network across the GCC
• To offer engineering services for all related products serving all countries in the region
• To establish a centralized master keyed cylinders manufacturing facilities
• To centralize key functions of engineering, procurement and information systems that would enable provision of a standardized quality added services to all customers in the region

Vision

The Universal International is to provide visionary leadership and management expertise to global companies operating in the building materials industry, by finding ways and means to grow their business and their assets smartly. The company does its best to exceed the expectations of varied target segments by sourcing, offering and serving their specific needs and wants, with the world’s finest brands, products and solutions in the business sectors they represent,thereby leading to total customer satisfaction.

The UIFZCO has laid its foundation upon the following values

• VISIONARY
• INTEGRITY
• PASSION
• RECOGNITION
• ASTUTENESS
• COMMITMENT

Mission

The company has a mission to become a total solutions provider in door hardware and mechanical product categories, by deploying a process of transformation,aided by the strengthening of its intellectual capital which, in turn, will enable it to move up the value chain and provide a comprehensive offering,from engineering design to delivery of products, services and manufacturing.

The Universal International offer a wide range of architectural hardware manufactured with the highest standards of quality, safety design and functionality. The company intervene in the market with three phases,namely,manufacturing, marketing and servicing.It also provides extensive Master key design solutions which often go hand in hand with its products. The UI Master Key Systems are manufactured with the standard designs of master key suites. It provides high security and accessibility to the user and offers various restricted key systems along with non restricted, if required.Reghunath is currently the chairman of advisory board of Universal Building Materials Merchant Company Ltd.(UBM), Saudi Arabia. UBM has retail showrooms throughout Saudi Arabia and supplies a wide range of specialized building materials from stock as well as direct importing materials for specific requirements.

The retail division of Universal Building Materials Merchants Co., Ltd (UBM) was established in 1979 with just one showroom in Riyadh. Since then UBM has grown to become one of Saudi Arabia’s leading suppliers of quality building materials offering clients an extensive range of products to satisfy their total projects and residential requirements.

The Universal Building Materials Merchants Co. Ltd. (UBM) at KSA recently signed a ‘Strategic Alliance Agreement’ with ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions Middle East (ASSA ABLOY), a leading manufacturer of door opening solutions across the globe. The agreement was signed by Raghunath Sadasivam, chairman of UBM’s advisory board and ASSA ABLOY CEO Nassim Abu Yousef at UBM’s head office in the presence of UBM’s finance head Farakh Farid and ASSA ABLOY’s country manager Basheer M.Al-Jabasini. In the Middle East, ASSA ABLOY with its manufacturing facilities in the UAE and in Egypt, is currently on an expansion course with new acquisitions.

ASSA ABLOY is the world leader in total door opening solutions with presence in over 70 countries and has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology,entrance automation and hotel security.Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLOY has grown from a regional company into an international group with around 47,000 employees and sales of more than $8 billion.

The CEO in Focus

Raghunath.S With his Family

Mr. Raghunath is born to Sadashivan Nair, a businessman in structural engineering and Late. Smt. K J Sarojini Bai, a social worker by profession. She was a Regional Women Welfare Officer and UNICEF director at the time of her early death. Mr. Raghunath, after reaching Saudi Arabia in 1985, worked as Europe car Fleet coordinator till 1993 and in 1993 he joined the Universal Building Materials Merchants Co. Ltd. (previously known as Saudi Pan Gulf-UMBO) in Saudi Arabia as a Junior Sales Executive. Then he stepped up to the higher designations in UBM by becoming Product Manager (Hardware), Regional Sales Manager, National Sales Manager,General Manager, Chief Executive Officer and The Chairman of the company’s advisory board. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Lawrence Hardware Inetrnationa In Dubai.

Mr. Raghunath was also active in sports during his College days at M.G. College, Thiruvananthapuram. He was the then captain of the college cricket team and later he became a member of the Kerala schools hockey team. He is married to Binu Raghunath, a graduate in Home Science, now turned to be home maker. The duo has a daughter Saroj Raghunath, currently working as an Associate – Indirect Taxation in Morison Menon KSi in Dubai, after having ACCA – Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.