A South Wales entrepreneur, which has created the world's first interactive prayer mat, is eyeing global expansion after his product went viral in the Middle East.
Kamal Ali invented My Salah Mat, designed to help children and adults learn how to perform Salah - the daily prayer practiced by Muslims.
Mr Ali, from Newport, started the business four years ago and the My Salah Mat has since become a Muslim household brand name. His products are now sold in over 25 countries across four continents with exports accounting for 40% of its business.
In the last three years, the firm has seen sales rise by 15% in the Middle East after the children's mat went viral across social media in the region. The exposure led to My Salah Mat securing deals with major international retailers including Virgin Megastores in the UAE and Dabdoob, one of the largest kids’ retailers in Kuwait.
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My Salah Mat is now looking to increase global exports by 15% over the next three years, expanding its distributor networks in other parts of the world. It is particularly focused on driving sales in two target markets for the company - Australia and India.
"Exporting is a significant part of our business and has played a key role in our growth over the last few years," said Mr Ali.
"Global demand for our products has been huge, with Muslim parents all over the world looking for help teaching their children the right techniques to pray, which opens up a lot of opportunities for us to increase our international sales."
He added: "Australia and India are key target markets for us as our international presence continues to grow with increasing Muslim populations in both countries, alongside more children and adults looking to learn the correct praying technique.
"Having spoken with potential new customers and retailers in both areas, we know there is demand for our products, so finding routes to entry is a main focus for us right now."
A dad of two, Mr Ali had the idea for an interactive prayer mat after he noticed his son struggling with his praying technique. With a background in product design, he created the touch-activated prayer mat which teaches children the different positions in Salah including where to place their feet, knees, hands and head, as well as what to say during different positions.
Mr Ali launched his first product in 2018 after two years of developing prototypes. He created an adult version of the mat after receiving thousands of requests from people who had seen the product on social media.
Since then the company has over 75 distributors and retailers worldwide with the mat available in 20 languages.
It also has a subsidiary in Germany called My Salah Mat Deutschland, which was established to keep up with increased demand for the mats in the country after attending at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair - one of Europe's largest toy trade exhibitions.
The Newport company has worked with the Welsh Government to research consumer trends within potential new markets.
As part of its marketing strategy, the firm creates videos on TikTok which generate millions of views and engagement. It also works with influencers from all over the world to build a strong international brand.
"Having a better understanding of how our target markets operate and how to effectively enter them has played a large role in our export growth," said Mr Ali.
"We have attended virtual trade trips funded by the Welsh Government in Qatar, the UAE and Malaysia, which have helped us determine the best routes of entry into these territories.
"These trips have also allowed us to reinforce our credibility and build relationships with prospective customers and clients, helping us to get a better idea of what they are looking for while enabling us to establish new business opportunities."
Aside from its viral social media presence, the firm has also signed a royalty contract with one of the largest Malaysian animated cartoon studios, Omar and Hana, to grow its presence in Southeast Asia.
As part of the deal, My Salah Mat has partnered with the animation on product design with select children's products featuring the voices of characters from the Omar and Hana programme. The mat has also appeared in recent episodes.
The company is now in the process of developing even more educational products and adaptions to continue to keep up with consumer trends and demand.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: "The Welsh Government’s message to business is clear – grow in Wales and sell to the world. We’re working hard to support businesses to do just that. My Salah Mat is a wonderful innovation and a perfect example of inventive thinking that can be used to deliver for so many people across the world.
"I’m proud to see Muslim children right across the globe enjoying the benefits of the designed-in-Wales My Salah Mat, something that helps to teach and gives them an opportunity to learn about their religion and how to pray their Salah. These are exactly the kinds of innovative products that showcase the very best of Welsh entrepreneurship, business and enterprise.
"The Welsh Government is proud to have been able to support the company, helping it achieve great success, as part of the comprehensive support available to businesses through the Welsh Government’s Export Action Plan. I wish My Salah Mat all the very best for the future."
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