“We sell emotion,” says Tigran Arzumanyan, the Russian entrepreneur who has introduced a new technology that is set to revolutionise Kenya’s high-end real estate sector. Known as “stretch ceiling” or “smart ceiling,” the technology combines a new form of material — which is installed using heat — and, combined with a hi-tech “smart light” system that can be controlled from a remote, wall switches or a mobile phone.
“This is not a new technology in the world,” Tigran, whose first business venture in Kenya was LED screens for outdoor advertising, told Nairobi Business Monthly in an interview. The technology is available in Europe, Russia and Dubai, where it is mostly used in hospitals and hotels because of ease to clean, and can be replaced frequently and affordably for as many times as a client desires.
An early version of the ceiling technology was used in Armenia 30 to 40 years ago, according to the investor who was born in Armenia but lived in Russia until he made business forays into Africa… starting with Nairobi. According to him, the current version of the technology uses Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) as a substitute for gypsum, which has in recent years become a popular way for decorating ceilings, particularly in private homes and entertainment spots.
“This is a very strong material,” says Tigran of the technology first introduced into Kenya through his company, Mr Ceiling, which set up shop in Nairobi last year (2023). There will be something new to learn from a unique innovation, and this is how this one works: A customer visits the company’s show- room at Riverside, either with the images, or designs they want for their ceilings or to select from the firm’s wide range of designs.
The firm then sends a team of experts to the site to collect data on what design will be used where and what lighting options best compliment that the design and the property. They then work on the ceiling at the company’s premises, after which they return to the site for installation.
“Our experts can install a ceiling in about 40 minutes,” says Tigran, although he acknowledges that this will largely depend on the size of the property and scope of work, with the more complex tasks taking about two hours. The turn-around time between when a customer places an order by paying a deposit to the time of installation is about one month.
The smart ceiling takes shorter times to install because, unlike gypsum, which requires metal rails to be screwed on ceilings, a labourious process that can take days, the smart ceilings use the PVC materials prepared off-site and which are then stretched using a special heater to fit into the allocated space. These also come with the option of integrated lights, which means the process of doing the ceiling and lighting is combined.
“We saw an opportunity,” says the business- man, explaining why he diversified his business from outdoor advertising screens to smart ceilings. “And this ceiling is something more progressive. The ceilings come in diverse vibrant colours and designs, giving clients a wide range of choices to pick from depending on their fancy.
And a property can have unique ceilings in every room, thus eliminating the uniformity that gypsum technology imposes on interior design. And because of the PVC material, the ceilings do not crack in the event of an accident, unlike gypsum. It is also easy to clean. All one needs is a wet piece of cloth to get rid of stains. “So you can pop champagne indoors,” Tigran says with a light touch.
In the unlikely event of a leaking roof letting in water, the smart ceiling can be removed, the water drained out, and the ceiling replaced in a matter of hours, thus safeguarding the integrity of the design and the longevity of the installation.
The beauty of the product is that it can be combined with various designs and colours of lighting systems, which can be customised for home or commercial use. For instance, the firm offers 3D lights that are ideal for entertainment spots or offices, including business premises.
Some of the lights are moveable — sliding on rails — meaning that their location and intensity they can be changed at will to create the appropriate ambience, or simply to mesmerise. The technology is easier to install at the construction stage, but it can still be done after the construction is completed. “Once you use it, you will want it,” Tigran says.
“Now we are doing ceilings and lights, but design is our strongest point.” To Arzumanyan, however, the technology is much more than a new product in the property market. He says: “What we propose, and what we bring here is emotion.” His aim is to make homeowners enjoy the ambience of their choice and replace it when- ever their tastes change.
“You can have any colour you want, and the installation is very quick.” The one-year-old company took the first six months of its presence in Nairobi to conduct market research and popularise its product, including through expos, and only started installations in the second half of the year, reaching out to developers, contractors, designers and other key players in the property market.
In the beginning, the experts to install the ceilings had to be flown in from Russia or Armenia in every time there was a job to be done. With time, however, Mr Ceiling has embarked on training local professionals. “We have 10 professionals already,” Tigran says.
The firm has also embarked on producing or sourcing the materials it needs locally, only importing those that are not available in Kenya. This has reduced the turn-around time from order to installation to about one week, depending on number of orders received at a particular period. “This is a very big market,” Tigran told NBM on the challenges that the new entrant has been facing as it seeks to grow its reach.
“We understand we have a lot of work.” Even as the company seeks to grow its market in the ceiling business, it is still innovating. “In the next one month, we will show you something new,” Tigran says and declines to reveal more details, only promising; “This is something new in the world and that our company has created.” From where he sits, the idea was born in Kenya, developed locally and now they are working on samples. “Customers who have seen the product are happy with it,” he says and ends the matter there. His closing word to professionals in the property market? “We are open to co-operation.”
This story was first published in the April 2024 edition of Nairobi Business Monthly.
