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Welcome to a behind-the-scenes look at the Special Piping Materials (SPM) Dubai office, where our dedicated MENA & India team operates under the experienced leadership of General Manager Zishan Ali Khan. Located in a 10,000 sq ft warehouse in the UAE, this office has become a hub for exotic alloy piping, strategic client relationships, and growing regional influence.
Morning: Strategic Start and Global Coordination
Zishan usually begins his day early. As GM, his first priority is coordinating with SPM’s global network. From Manchester to Singapore to Houston, he checks in with colleagues to align on project updates, incoming orders, and inventory across SPM’s global warehouses. Thanks to SPM’s established presence in the UK, USA, Australia, Brazil, Singapore, and of course Dubai. This coordination ensures a seamless flow of materials and information.
During the morning, Zishan usually leads a team meeting in the Dubai office. He encourages collaboration and open discussion, ensuring that sales, operations, and technical staff stay aligned. Here, he emphasises SPM’s core values: integrity, customer focus, and high-performance piping supply in the Middle East. Under his leadership, the team is not just fulfilling orders — they’re building long-term relationships across the MENA region.
Client Engagement and Market Development
One of Zishan’s favourite parts of the day is meeting clients. Whether at our warehouse or on-site, he engages with clients, developing projects in oil & gas, desalination, or newer areas like green infrastructure. He draws on his deep sector knowledge, forged over twelve-plus years with SPM, to recommend the right materials, such as duplex, super-duplex, nickel alloys, or 6% moly.
These conversations often involve technical input: Zishan helps clients understand the benefits of exotic alloys, their resistance to corrosion, longevity, and suitability for demanding environments. He also collaborates closely with our regional agents (e.g., in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) to ensure seamless procurement and delivery.
Afternoon: Warehouse Operations and Stock Management
After client meetings, Zishan oversees warehouse inspections. The Dubai office’s 10,000 sq ft facility receives and stores large inventories of piping materials, including seamless and welded pipes, fittings, flanges, and spectacle blinds in exotic and high-spec grades.
He makes it a point to walk through the warehouse, checking stock levels, verifying quality documentation, and confirming that materials are stored correctly. This hands-on management ensures that when clients need urgent deliveries, the SPM Dubai team is ready. Zishan’s attention to detail here reflects his commitment to service excellence and quick, efficient supply.
Late Afternoon: Team Empowerment & Process Consolidation
Later in the day, Zishan focuses on developing his team. He holds training sessions on new grades of exotic alloys, process improvements, and compliance with international standards. Under his guidance, team members learn not just to sell, but to become technical advisors for clients. This investment in people helps SPM Dubai remain a trusted supplier of high-specification piping in the UAE and wider MENA region.
Zishan also works on process consolidation. Since transforming the office into a fully-fledged SPM division in 2012, he has continuously driven efforts to streamline operations, documentation, and client communication. He leads initiatives to adopt digital tools, improve lead-time tracking, and ensure that quality systems meet the rigorous requirements of exotic piping.
Strategic Vision and Regional Growth
During the afternoon, Zishan is often deep in strategic planning. He reviews pipeline opportunities in the Middle East, including desalination, marine, oil & gas expansion, and emerging hydrogen infrastructure, and assesses how SPM Dubai can support them with its expertise in duplex, super-duplex, and nickel-alloy piping.
He also liaises with the head office in the UK to align on inventory needs, share market intelligence, and coordinate global logistics. The goal: to expand SPM’s footprint in the region while maintaining fast, reliable delivery and a reputation for technical excellence.
The Dubai office is a vital part of SPM’s global stockholding network. Through Zishan’s leadership, it not only meets regional demand but also helps coordinate global supply flows. The office works closely with SPM’s other hubs — in the UK, the USA, Singapore, Australia and Brazil — to ensure customers get the right specialist piping materials when and where they need them.
Zishan’s longstanding relationship with SPM also means he deeply understands the company’s mission and values. His experience from sales engineer to GM reflects SPM’s commitment to nurturing talent and building leadership from within.