Construction Business News, September 2017
Page 1
www.cbnme.com
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE REGION'S CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
ASGC chief, Bishoy Azmy,
highlights the importance
of selecting the right
projects for success
SEPTEMBER 2017
We design.. we construct.. we build..
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
PO Box 65697 Riyadh 11566
Tel: +966 11 293 1193
Fax: +966 11 293 1170
www.albawani.net
Classified Class 1 ISO 9001
CBNME takes a tour of the $4bn
Sobha Hartland project, being
developed by Sobha Group
Deadlines for nominations
extended for Construction
Innovation Awards 2017
A monthly round-up of
the global and regional
construction equipment market
Page 2
8 DOZER MODELS FROM 78 TO 536 HP
ENGINEERED FOR YOUR BUSINESS
TD-8
TD-20
TD-25
TD-9
TD-10
TD-14
TD-15
TD-40
MAXIMIZE
YOUR PRODUCTIVITY
info@dressta.com
www.dressta.com
ENGINEERED FOR
Mining | Road & Highway | Construction | Forestry | Landfill
Page 3
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
3
Ed Note
News
Comment
Portacool talks about
negative effects of heat
on productivity
Comment
Bentley Systems’ Andy
Smith discusses BIM
to redefine modern
structures
Cover Story
The Recipe for success
is right selection, says
ASGC’s Bishoy Azmy
Site Visit
A tour of the $4bn Sobha
Hartland project by
Sobha Group
8
10
24
26
28
34
// contents
September 2017 // Issue #31
Keep up to date with
all the latest news,
features and much
more on our website.
www.cbnme.com
On the web
Page 4
Page 5
www.cbnme.com
Page 6
// construction business news me // September 2017
6
S U B S C R I B E
subscriptions@bncpublishing.net
CEO
Wissam Younane
wissam@bncpublishing.net
Managing Director
Walid Zok
walid@bncpublishing.net
Director
Rabih Najm
rabih@bncpublishing.net
Group Publishing Director
Diarmuid O'Malley
dom@bncpublishing.net
Group Sales Director
Joaquim D'Costa
jo@bncpublishing.net
+971 50 440 2706
Business Development Director
Rabih Naderi
rabih.naderi@bncpublishing.net
+966 50 328 9818
Editor
Paromita Dey
paromita@bncpublishing.net
Photography
Dhananjay Shekar Poojari
Art Director
Aaron Sutton
aaron@bncpublishing.net
Marketing Executive
Mark Anthony Monzon
mark@bncpublishing.net
PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196
For all commercial enquiries related to
Construction Business News ME contact
sales@bncpublishing.net T +971 55 339 5097
All rights reserved © 2015.
Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors.
Construction Business News ME and all subsidiary
publications in the MENA region are officially licensed
exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region by
Construction Business News ME.
No part of this magazine may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means without
written permission of the publisher.
Images used in Construction Business News ME
are credited when necessary. Attributed use of
copyrighted images with permission. All images not
credited courtesy Shutterstock.
Printed by International Printing Press www.ippuae.com
Case Study
The UAE’s first 3D printing facility by Immensa Technology
Facilities Management
The FM industry experts re-adjust to suit the current
economic climate
CIA 2017
Deadlines extended for Construction Innovation Awards 2017
Supplier News
Editor’s Pick
44
48
54
82
84
Page 7
Leaders in Project Management
Inspiring Innovative Leadership
www.hillintl.com
Page 8
// construction business news me // September 2017
8
// Editor's note
Optimism in the air
O
ne of the region’s premier real es-
tate events, Cityscape Global, is
just around the corner and like
the previous years, there is a sense
of optimism in the air. Developers have started
chalking out their plans for showcasing their
latest offerings to the investors and the end-us-
ers. Last month, Invest Group Overseas (IGO)
launched a new tower in Jumeirah Lakes Tow-
ers (JLT) – one of the last plots of land to be
developed in that area.
According to the latest records from the
Dubai Land Department (DLD), the first
six months of 2017 indicates that Dubai real
estate transactions totalled about $36bn, an
increase of 16.8% from the corresponding
period of 2016. This was achieved through
35,571 sales, mortgages, and other transac-
tions, an increase of 25.9% from the first half
of 2016. The DLD report showed that land
sales generated as much as $24.8bn from ap-
proximately 8,000 transactions, while build-
ing sales involving 3,887 transactions brought
in $2.7bn. Unit sales crossed the $8.4bn mark.
Not to forget, the Expo 2020 deadline is
inching closer. The UAE is in the process of
injecting lumpsum funds in the development
of infrastructure, commercial, retail, and de-
velopmental projects. The information on the
current status of Dubai’s real estate underlines
the ambitious steps of the country towards
diversification in the face of current subdued
economic conditions. In the recent scenario,
real estate activity has developed and branched
out into varied activities that complemented
overall growth in the sector, and broadened
the choices and requirements of the end-users.
People have pinned their hopes on City-
scape Global to infuse the much-needed en-
thusiasm in the real estate sector, so do we! It’s
a wait and watch game to exactly gauge the
situation in the coming months.
editor’s note
Paromita Dey
Editor
paromita@bncpublishing.net
@paromitadey1
linkedin.com/in/paromita-dey
Page 9
Page 10
// construction business news me // September 2017
10
For News, features and more, Visit www.CBNme.com
Follow us on twitter for breaking news: @cbn_ME
Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute breaking news
An update from around the region
Construction
Update
Vice President and Prime
Minister of the UAE and Ruler
of Dubai, HH Sheikh Moham-
med bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
paid a visit to the Expo 2020
site office, along with HH
Sheikh Maktoum bin Moham-
med bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
Upon arrival, HH Sheikh
Mohammed was received by
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed
Al Maktoum, chairman of
the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher
Committee, president of Dubai
Civil Aviation Authority, chair-
man of Dubai Airports, chair-
man and chief executive of
Emirates Airline and Group;
and Reem Al Hashimy, the
UAE Minister of State for In-
ternational Cooperation and
Dubai Expo 2020 bureau di-
rector general, reported WAM.
HH
Sheikh
Mohammed
conducted a helicopter tour
of the site to see its progress.
He was briefed by depart-
ment heads and directors on
the considerable advance-
ments made by the expo team
in the areas of real estate and
development,
international
participants, legacy, business
development and integration,
and youth connect.
He also underlined the im-
portance of youth being inte-
grated into the Expo journey
and the key work being car-
ried out involving them in
planning both for Expo 2020
itself and the social, econom-
ic, physical, and reputational
legacy that will follow.
HH
Sheikh
Mohammed
added that he was pleased
to see the progress made by
Roads and Transport Author-
ity (RTA) in the construction
of the metro link to a new sta-
tion on the expo site, Route
2020, which will be one stop
from the Al Maktoum Interna-
tional Airport, which is pre-
dicted to become the biggest
and busiest in the world, fol-
lowing completion of expan-
sion in 2025.
He concluded by empha-
sising the role of thousands
of volunteers who will be
recruited to ensure that the
culture and values of the UAE
will be reflected throughout
Expo, which is expected to
be visited by 25 million, in-
cluding 70% from overseas.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al
Maktoum commented: “HH
Sheikh Mohammed was a
driving force behind our suc-
cessful campaign to win the
right to stage the next edition
of the World Expo in 2020. He
has continued to be extreme-
ly supportive of our mission
on our journey since then
towards October 2020 and is
always interested in our prog-
ress. We have had private and
public commitments for par-
ticipation from more than 120
countries and have recently
announced our seventh com-
mercial premier partner.
“His Highness’s visit and
continuing guidance is a
source of great encourage-
ment and inspiration as
we work towards a World
Expo that will have a long
and meaningful impact on
both the UAE and the wid-
er region.”
Expo opens on October 20,
2020, and closes six months
later, on April 10, 2021. More
than 200 participants, includ-
ing nations, multilateral or-
ganisations, corporations, and
educational institutions are
expected to take part. It will
be the first World Expo to be
held in the Middle East, Africa
and South Asia (MEASA) re-
gion and the Arab World.
His highness Sheikh Mohammed
visits Expo 2020 Dubai site
Page 11
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
11
Construction
Master developer, Nakheel,
has awarded four contracts,
collectively worth more than
AED430mn, for Deira Is-
lands, its new 15.3 sqkm wa-
terfront city, currently under
construction in Dubai.
The contracts, covering is-
lands A and B of the four-
island development, are for
a sewage treatment plant, a
district cooling plant, a sub-
station, and piling work for
an 800-room resort. Nakheel
has now invested nearly
AED7.5bn in infrastructure
and construction contracts
for Deira Islands so far. More
contracts are due soon.
The latest contracts awards
are AED228.3mn to VWS
Emirates/Butec SAL (Dubai
Branch) under a joint ven-
ture for the design, construc-
tion, and 10 years’ operation
and maintenance of a sew-
Nakheel awards AED430mn contracts for
Deira Islands
age treatment plant; nearly
AED100mn to Emirates Dis-
trict Cooling (Emicool) to
build a district cooling plant
for Nakheel’s Deira Islands
Night Souk and nearby Na-
kheel buildings, with 10
years’ operation and main-
tenance;
AED90.5mn
for
a 132/11kV substation to
AG Power, covering the
south island (Island A); and
AED14.5mn to Delta Foun-
dations (Dubai branch) for
piling works for the 800-
room RIU beach front resort,
Nakheel’s joint venture hos-
pitality project with Spain’s
RIU Hotels and Resorts. A
construction tender for the
resort was issued in May,
and is due to be awarded by
the end of this year.
With a diverse range of
retail projects, resorts, ho-
tels and residential devel-
opments, Deira Islands will
transform Dubai’s Deira dis-
trict into a hub for tourism,
retail
and
entertainment.
The waterfront city will add
40 km, including 21 km of
beach, to Dubai’s coastline
and pave the way for the
development of hundreds
of hotels, residences and
attractions. Deira Islands is
expected to have a popula-
tion of 250,000 and to create
80,000 jobs.
In April, Nakheel award-
ed a construction contract
worth AED4.2bn for Deira
Mall, the centrepiece of Dei-
ra Islands and Dubai’s big-
gest shopping mall in terms
of retail space. Meanwhile
Deira Islands Night Souk,
with more than 5,300 water-
side shops and restaurants,
is under construction and
due to open in 2018.
Results
Dubai-based contractor, Arabtec,
reported a net profit of AED-
42mn in the first six months of
2017, as compared to a net loss
of AED243mn in the same pe-
riod in 2016.
Revenue for the period
ending June 30, 2017, was
reported at AED4.2bn, a 2%
increase from AED4.1bn in
the same period last year.
Net profit attributable to the
parent company was AED-
57mn compared to a net loss
of AED233mn in H1 2016.
Group chief executive of-
ficer, Hamish Tyrwhitt, said:
“We continue to align our
business with our strategic
Arabtec reports AED42mn net profit in H1 2017
and sustainable future for all
our stakeholders.”
The key deliverable in
H1 2017 was the comple-
tion of the recapitalisation
programme in June which
has stabilised the busi-
ness enabling the group to
look to the future. Arabtec
has made good progress
implementing robust risk
management, refocusing on
core competencies and key
geographies, creating clear
accountability,
managing
and tracking performance,
and streamlining business
processes which will contin-
ue to improve productivity.
roadmap which has been re-
flected in the performance of
the group. The recapitalisa-
tion programme was the key
deliverable for us in Phase
1 of our strategic roadmap,
which we successfully con-
cluded in June, leaving us to
focus on risk management
and
business
transforma-
tion. We will also remain on
track to optimise the delivery
of our AED17.4bn backlog
and continue to work on
turning risks into opportu-
nities through the resolu-
tion of legacy claims and
collecting receivables.
“Having begun the imple-
mentation of the 4-Gate
Work Winning Process, we
are already seeing an im-
provement in our work
winning rate, adding to our
backlog of quality projects
and are optimistic about the
pipeline of future tenders.
“We are now concentrat-
ing on aligning the syner-
gies of our operating entities
to become more productive
and cost effective and have
begun positioning the busi-
ness to deliver Phase 2 of
our strategic roadmap. We
continue to look to improve-
ments in the future that will
contribute to the successful
Page 12
// NEWS
// construction business news me // September 2017
12
Retail
UAE-based
conglomerate,
Majid Al Futtaim, is set to
invest OMR45mn in Oman
with City Centre Sohar, due
to open in late 2018.
Ghaith Shocair, chief ex-
ecutive officer – shopping
malls, Majid Al Futtaim Prop-
erties, said: “As part of Majid
Al Futtaim’s growth strategy,
we aim to be at the forefront
of Oman’s rapid develop-
ment in the retail industry
and bring the best shopping,
food and beverage (F&B),
and entertainment experi-
ences to Sohar with this con-
temporary urban project.
“By introducing our City
Centre brand to Sohar, we
will be enhancing the city’s
retail landscape with more
than 130 diverse stores, an
8,400 sqm Carrefour Hyper-
market, a nine-screen VOX
Majid Al Futtaim to develop OMR45mn
City Centre Sohar
Cinemas, in addition to an
array of dining and enter-
tainment options. Majid Al
Futtaim’s investment in the
city of Sohar underscores
our commitment to creating
great moments for everyone
every day.”
City Centre Sohar, conve-
niently located on Batinah
Highway, will add 40,000 sqm
of gross leasable area to the
Sultanate’s booming retail sec-
tor. The construction contract
for City Centre Sohar has been
awarded to the Oman-based
company, Al Turki Enterprise,
and the work will commence
in November 2017.
City Centre Sohar has set a
target to achieve LEED Gold
status – an energy-efficient
design certification – within
three months of opening.
Contract
Arabtec Holding’s wholly-
owned subsidiary, Arabtec
Construction,
has
been
awarded an AED363mn con-
tract for the construction of
the Dubai South Mall.
The contractor has been
awarded this project by the
joint venture between Emaar
Properties and Dubai World
Trade Centre. The mall will
have a built up area of ap-
proximately
83,000
sqm,
comprising a ground level
consisting of a grade level
parking and a hypermar-
ket, the next two levels will
include food and beverage
(F&B), cinema, family enter-
Arabtec bags AED363mn Dubai South mall contract
trust with our shareholders,
in our ability as management,
to then deliver on those proj-
ects. We continue to adopt
a selective risk management
approach in order to capture
jobs within our core compe-
tencies and strategic focus.”
South Mall and look forward
to delivering another project
at the Expo 2020 site. Our
recent project wins demon-
strate the trust we are de-
veloping with our clients to
deliver projects.
“We are also building that
tainment facility, food court,
and retail shops.
With the project work to com-
mence this month, the mall will
be located in Dubai South, a 145
sqkm city on Dubai’s southern
border that encompasses the Al
Maktoum International Airport,
the Expo 2020 site, and a major
logistics district.
Group chief executive of-
ficer, Hamish Tyrwhitt, said
in a statement to Dubai Fi-
nancial Market (DFM): “We
continue to build strong re-
lationships with our clients
and are pleased to announce
the award from the JV for the
construction of the Dubai
This will include implement-
ing
sustainable
building
best practice with enhanced
insulation, LED lighting, and
solar panels that will con-
tribute to the centre’s en-
ergy requirements. Further-
more, condensation from
air-conditioning and venti-
lation systems will be used
for irrigation.
In addition to City Centre
Sohar, Majid Al Futtaim Prop-
erties owns and operates the
newly upgraded City Centre
Qurum, as well as City Cen-
tre Muscat, which recently
underwent an OMR27mn ex-
pansion. Community-centred
mall, My City Centre Sur,
is also in the pipeline, as is
Mall of Oman, set to be the
Sultanate’s biggest shopping
centre and representing an
investment of OMR275mn.
Page 13
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
13
Results
Aldar Properties’ first half net
profits decrease 3.8%
Abu Dhabi-based real estate
developer, Aldar Proper-
ties, reported a 3.8% drop
in its net profits for the
first six months of 2017, to
AED1.26bn from AED1.31bn
in the same period last year.
The company reported H1
2017 revenue of AED2.93bn
supported by revenue rec-
ognition on developments
under construction. In addi-
tion, Aldar posted Q2 2017
net profit as AED620mn as
against AED654mn in the
same period last year.
Commenting on the re-
sults, HE Mohamed Khalifa
Al Mubarak, CEO of Aldar
Properties, said: “Aldar has
delivered a solid set of re-
sults for the first half of the
year.
Robust
occupancy
across our portfolio of in-
vestments
demonstrates
our resilience as an asset
manager and the success of
our most recent residential
development, The Bridg-
es, clearly shows there is
strength in the Abu Dhabi
property market. The un-
precedented response to
The Bridges, which sold
out in a matter of weeks,
showcases the opportuni-
ties presented by the mid-
market and supports our
strategy to continue to fo-
cus on this segment.
“The Abu Dhabi govern-
ment’s unveiling of an AE-
D12bn development plan
for Yas Island will acceler-
ate its transformation into a
global urban, entertainment,
and business hub. Aldar is
pleased to have been cho-
sen to develop the AED1bn
media and entertainment
zone in the project, set to
become home to thousands
of working professionals,
who will further enrich the
Yas Island destination.”
In April, Aldar launched
its
1,272-unit,
AED1.3bn
mid-market residential de-
velopment, The Bridges, on
Reem Island. The launch
The Egyptian Electricity Transmission
Company (EETC) has awarded Siemens
a contract for the construction of two
new substations.
These will transmit electricity from the
Burullus power plant, set to become the
world’s largest combined cycle station
located at Kaft El Sheikh Governorate, to
supply up to 15 million Egyptians with
reliable electricity.
The two new substations at Samanoud
and Aboul Matameer will enable power de-
livery to Egyptian homes as well as different
industries located in the Delta region. They
will also help increase the capacity of the
national grid, which is a key requirement to
foster economic growth as defined by the
goals of Egypt’s vision 2030, Siemens said.
Gamal Abdel Rahim, chairman of EETC,
said: “To enable more resilient, efficient,
and reliable power systems, Egypt needs
to enhance the country’s transmission
lines to accommodate the increase in
power generation capacity. This is why the
EETC has been redefining the conventional
approaches to upgrade the grid infrastruc-
ture across the country.”
As part of the agreement, Siemens will
be responsible for the design, engineering,
construction, supply, installation, and com-
missioning of the two new 500/220kV
substations that will be delivered on a
turnkey basis. This includes gas-insulated
switchgear (GIS); power transformers;
control systems; as well as protection and
telecommunication equipment.
Emad Ghaly, CEO of Siemens Egypt, said:
“An efficient and robust electricity network
is an essential part of Egypt’s vision to
drive long-term economic growth. We are
pleased to build on a trusting relationship
with EETC to boost grid infrastructure.”
The fasttrack project is being executed in
consortium with El Sewedy Electric for the
construction work of the substations. Com-
pletion is scheduled within 15 months from
signing the contracts. Once constructed, the
substations are set to become one of the
largest turnkey substations ever supplied to
the national grid, Siemens said.
Siemens wins
substation
deals in Egypt
met with a very positive re-
sponse with all three towers
released to the market sold
out in weeks. This contrib-
uted to Aldar’s AED1.8bn
of development sales value
during the first six months
of 2017.
During the second quar-
ter, twofour54 appointed
Aldar as the strategic real
estate partner of the Abu
Dhabi Media Zone Author-
ity, to develop a new, per-
manent home as part of an
AED12bn development on
Yas Island. In addition, it is
set to attract 5,000 working
professionals from the me-
dia sector, further building
the Yas Island community.
Three key developments,
Ansam, Al Hadeel, and
Nareel Island, are set for
handover from Q4 2017,
with
construction
enter-
ing final stages. Al Merief,
Meera, Mayan, Yas Acres,
and West Yas are all pro-
gressing well and on track
for their respective comple-
tion dates.
Aldar achieved stable oc-
cupancy above 90% across
its residential and office
portfolio as well as Yas Mall.
The hospitality portfolio re-
corded occupancy of 78%,
against the Abu Dhabi mar-
ket of 70%. During the quar-
ter, Aldar’s flagship retail
asset, Yas Mall, launched a
24-hour mega sale over Eid
Al Fitr, which was the first
of its kind in the emirate.
Four
new
investments
were committed during the
first six months of 2017,
completing Aldar’s AED3bn
investment programme.
Page 14
// NEWS
// construction business news me // September 2017
14
Results
Damac posts AED1.6bn net profit in H1 2017
Dubai-based
developer,
Damac Properties, reported
a net profit of AED1.6bn and
a total revenue of AED3.5bn
in the first half of 2017.
Damac’s
booked
sales
for H1 stood at AED4bn,
and delivered 1,071 units
in Damac Hills. Total cash
and bank balances stood
at AED8.6bn, while earn-
ings per share for H1 came
to AED0.26.
Hussain Sajwani, chairman
of Damac Properties, said:
“The property market in
Dubai continues to demon-
strate further stabilisation,
and our medium- to long-
term outlook remains posi-
tive as Damac continues to
develop innovative prod-
ucts that appeal to both end
users and investors. Dam-
ac’s strong H1 sales per-
formance can be attributed
to continued demand for a
Dubai-based developer,
Meraas, announced that it has
launched the sale of Nikki Beach
Residences, 63 exclusively
branded units, making it the first
freehold property in Jumeirah 1
// Snapshot
sizes surrounding an 18-hole
championship golf course,
along with an organic pro-
duce market, hydroponic
café, luxury wellness centre,
outdoor yoga enclave, and
retail outlets featuring well-
known brands.
Construction
is
almost
complete on the Damac
Towers by Paramount Ho-
tels & Resorts, a four-tower,
250m
high
development
consisting over 2,000 units,
and includes a luxury hotel
and serviced branded resi-
dences in Business Bay.
Progress on the Damac
Heights, an 86-floor tower
with views of the sea and
Palm Jumeirah, is also
nearing completion. Sa-
jwani added: “Thanks to
Dubai’s visionary leader-
ship and the government’s
successful efforts in attract-
ing investors and visitors,
number of our projects in-
cluding Aykon City, Damac
Hills, and Akoya Oxygen.”
An additional 1,071 units
were delivered at its Damac
Hills master development
in H1 2017, bringing the
total number of delivered
units there to over 3,100. In
February 2017, Damac cel-
ebrated its flagship golf de-
velopment with the opening
of the Trump International
Golf Club Dubai, offering
world-class golfing on an 18-
hole championship course
and leisure, dining, and
entertainment experiences.
Construction continues on
the 5,000 villas at its Akoya
Oxygen master community
in Dubailand, with a further
1,300 villas, scheduled to
begin construction in Sep-
tember 2017. Akoya Oxygen
includes contemporary resi-
dential properties of various
Dubai continues to show
economic growth in spite
of the turbulence seen in
2016 with the drop in oil
prices and sluggish global
trade. GDP growth contin-
ues to remain positive at
2.85% in 2016 and Dubai
remains one of the most
popular destinations for
global travellers, attracting
over eight million visitors
in H1 2017, compared to
7.3 million for the same
period last year.
“This growth also reflects
on Dubai’s real estate sec-
tor which, according to the
Dubai Land Department,
saw property transactions
in H1 2017 of AED132bn,
a sizeable gain over AED-
113bn during H1 2016. We
are optimistic that the sector
will continue to sustain this
growth through the remain-
der of the year.”
Page 15
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
15
Hospitality
The hospitality and lei-
sure subsidiary of Emaar
Properties, Emaar Hospital-
ity Group, announced Vida
Dubai Mall, a new hotel
project linked directly to
The Dubai Mall.
Vida Hotels and Resorts
already has two operation-
al hotels in Dubai – Vida
Downtown
and
Manzil
Downtown.
Additionally,
the brand has seven upcom-
ing projects, including Vida
Dubai Mall, in the UAE and
three in international mar-
kets including Saudi Arabia,
Bahrain, and Egypt.
Opening to direct views
of Burj Khalifa, the project
is a two-tower develop-
ment with the 195-room
Vida Dubai Mall hotel and
614 serviced residences un-
der Vida Residences Dubai
Mall. The hotel and 380 ser-
viced residences form part
of a 55-storey tower, while
the rest of the serviced resi-
dences are located in a sec-
ond tower, 38 storeys high.
The two towers are linked
Emaar Hospitality unveils hotel
project in Downtown Dubai
by a seven-storey podium
with a wide range of ame-
nities including restaurants,
retail, and leisure attractions.
The podium-level amenities
include an outdoor swim-
ming
pool,
sunbathing
deck, kids club, yoga deck,
and events spaces.
Olivier Harnisch, CEO of
Emaar Hospitality Group,
said: “Vida Hotels and Re-
sorts has set a distinctive
identity in the hospitality
sector of Dubai as stimu-
lating environments where
convenience meets interac-
tivity, reflecting the aspira-
tions of the new generation
of travellers. With its focus
on serving as lively and vi-
brant hubs where inspiring
minds can create, connect,
and come alive, Vida ho-
tels are fast expanding their
footprint with 10 upcoming
projects in the UAE and in-
ternational markets.
“Vida Dubai Mall in Down-
town Dubai, linked directly
to the most visited destination
in the world, underlines the
growth of this home-grown
brand that offers exceptional
ambience and service stan-
dards. The hotel project cel-
ebrates the brand value of
Vida, which means ‘life’ in
Spanish, highlighting warmth,
simplicity and creativity in
uniquely design-led spaces.
Highlighting our competen-
cies in mixed-use project
management, Vida Dubai Mall
will be a sought-after destina-
tion for the young and trendy,
and offer seamless service for
guests and residents in a spec-
tacular location in the heart of
the city.”
Vida Dubai Mall will fea-
ture a suite of facilities for
guests and visitors including
signature restaurants, meet-
ing rooms, salons, events
venues, and other amenities
that will be unveiled in due
course. It will also have a di-
rect link to the retail podium
of the upcoming Address
Fountain Views residential
and hotel project in Down-
town Dubai, adding to the
choice of residents.
// Bitesize news
Armani Hotel Dubai has been
awarded the prestigious
Green Globe certification for
their efforts to promote a
sustainable environment
and community.
JCDecaux won with its
Emirati partner, DXB
Media Advertising, a new
street furniture contract
in Dubai for 10 years,
following a competitive
tender by RTA.
De Boer Middle East
has won the contract to
build a high-specification
semi-permanent
exhibition hall at King
Abdullah Economic City,
in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Dubai-based property
developer, Emaar, has
launched an exclusive
collection of elegantly
designed villas, Golf Links,
located along an 18-hole
championship golf course in
Dubai South.
Page 16
// NEWS
// construction business news me // September 2017
16
International contractor specialising
in dredging, marine engineering,
and offshore projects (oil, gas, and
wind), Van Oord, has successfully
secured the contract for Dubai Har-
bour marine works.
To be developed by master devel-
oper, Meraas, the project is situated
on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al
Saud Street, in the area between
Jumeirah Beach Residence and
Palm Jumeirah, also known as Mina
Al Seyahi.
The 186ha project is headlined by
Dubai Lighthouse, a 135m-high tow-
er comprising a luxury hotel and an
observation deck. It will also boast a
13,935 sqm cruise liner terminal ca-
pable of handling 6,000 passengers,
as well as entertainment and retail
space, a yacht club, shopping mall,
hotels, and residences.
The project, which Van Oord car-
ries out for Projects Link Contracting
Company, is the next step in achiev-
ing ‘Dubai Tourism Vision 2020’,
Dubai’s strategy to attract 20 million
visitors per year by 2020.
Jan Willem Elleswijk, the area
manager at Van Oord, said: “Our
responsibilities will include dredg-
ing the 12km navigation channel,
reclaiming land and executing vibro
compaction. We will be deploying a
large trailing suction hopper dredg-
er, and one of our high tech self-
propelled cutter suction dredgers.
We are looking forward to contribut-
ing to yet another Dubai landmark.
Van Oord will work on the same
strategy to which it has contributed
since 2001 by building amongst
others Palm Jumeirah, The World,
and many other artificial islands.”
Dubai Harbour awards Van Oord
marine works contract
Facilities management
Deyaar unveils new FM initiative
Dubai-based developer, Deyaar De-
velopment, has launched Deyaar Al
Khair, an initiative that will provide
free maintenance services to under-
privileged families across the country
through its subsidiary, Deyaar Facili-
ties Management (DFM).
As part of its initiative, Deyaar has
signed memorandums of understanding
(MoUs) with the Beit Al Khair and Dar Al
Ber Societies, to identify a list of houses
across the country that need immediate
intervention. During the first phase of the
initiative, which will last until the end of
2017, Deyaar will carry out AED500,000
worth of essential maintenance.
Saeed Al Qatami, CEO, Deyaar, said:
“Deyaar Development is pleased to
launch this initiative, which is in line
with the Year of Giving strategies an-
nounced by HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Za-
yed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
Deyaar Al Khair stems from the com-
pany’s awareness of importance of
providing assistance to all segments of
the local community through its exper-
tise and services, away from focusing
on achieving financial profit only.
“Such initiatives play an important
role in enhancing the sense of coop-
eration for both individuals by giving
them the opportunity to volunteer and
organisations to provide comprehen-
sive services to the community.”
DFM will manage maintenance ser-
vices provided to houses in number
of cities across the country. Special-
ised teams from the company will be
involved in the operations along with
volunteers from Deyaar Development’s
different departments.
Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, ex-
ecutive director, Dar Al Ber Society,
said: “Our participation in Deyaar Al
Khair initiative comes in response to
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Na-
hyan’s initiative to name 2017 as the
Year of Giving. I would like to express
our sincere appreciation to Deyaar for
considering partnering with Dar Al Ber
for this initiative, which reflects the
commitment of the UAE’s organisa-
tions to corporate responsibility prin-
ciples, to the benefit of hundreds of
unprivileged families.”
Abdeen Taher Al Awadhi, general
manager, Beit Al Khair Society, said:
“It’s our pleasure to be part of the
Deyaar Al Khair initiative, which rep-
resents our commitment to developing
the Emirati community. Our participa-
tion in this initiative comes in response
to the UAE Government marking 2017
as The Year of Giving.”
Page 17
www.cbnme.com
Page 18
// construction business news me // September 2017
18
// EVENT
Organisers confirm highest number of submissions received for the upcoming Cityscape
Awards for Emerging Markets
Shortlist revealed for Cityscape
Awards for emerging markets
T
he shortlist for the Cityscape
Awards for Emerging Markets
has been revealed, announcing
the real estate and architec-
ture innovators behind some of the
world’s renowned new projects.
With more than 300 submissions
received, a total of 45 projects have
been selected by an independent
panel of experts. Representing 13
countries including the UAE, USA,
Brazil, Egypt, India, Turkey, and
Hong Kong, the projects will com-
pete in 11 categories at the upcoming
award ceremony on September 11,
2017, at Conrad Hotel, Dubai.
The panel comprised 18 experts
from prominent organisations includ-
ing the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors, Mace Macro International,
and HLM Architects.
Christopher Seymour, regional devel-
opment director and head of markets
MESA, at Mott MacDonald and one
of the judges of the Cityscape Awards
for Emerging Markets 2017, said: “The
quality of entrants continues to im-
prove and this year we saw a welcome
return of some of the big names in
regional property development under-
lining the prominence of the awards in
our industry.
“Sustainability as a theme is as
strong as ever but we are also seeing a
much-needed increase in the planning
and application of facilities manage-
ment – this is something that the judg-
ing panel has been expecting to see
emerge over a number of years and
demonstrates continuing maturity in
the clients’ portfolios where cost of op-
eration is becoming just as important
as the cost of build.”
Covering categories across sectors
such as commercial, leisure and hospi-
Muhammad BinGhatti, CEO and
head of architecture at Binghatti Devel-
opers, who are shortlisted in two cat-
egories with its UAE projects, Binghatti
Pearls and Binghatti Stars, said: “We
are absolutely thrilled to be selected as
finalists for the 2017 Cityscape Global
Awards for Emerging Markets. It is an
incredible honour to be recognised for
our efforts on an international level
by such a prominent and reputable
organisation like Cityscape.”
The Cityscape Awards for Emerg-
ing Markets are sponsored by VitrA as
Platinum Awards Sponsor and Crystal
Gallery for the Official Crystal Trophy
Supplier, while the Cityscape Global
exhibition is supported by Founda-
tion Partners like Dubai Properties,
Nakheel; Platinum Sponsors like Al
Marjan Island, Binghatti Develop-
ers, Union Properties; Gold Sponsor
like Tamleek Real Estate Registra-
tion Trustee; and Silver Sponsor like
Maryapi Real Estate Development;
Project Marketing Sponsor like Aqua
Properties and Strategic Partner like
Dubai Land Department.
tality, community, culture and tourism,
residential, retail, and sustainability,
the Cityscape Awards for Emerging
Markets offer international architects
and leading real estate developers a
platform to communicate a shared
vision for the future, from culturally
integrated city skylines to sustainable
urban communities.
Carlos Arnaiz, principal at CAZA,
shortlisted for the Commercial Project
Award – Future with the BCDA Iconic
Building in Taguig City in the Philip-
pines believes that there are enormous
opportunities in the socio-economic
milieu of emergence.
He said: “People are hungry for
new ideas, the market is searching
for different ways to cope with chal-
lenges and, as a result, architecture
has the potential to produce qualita-
tive change in how people will live in
countries in the emerging world. Our
design research has been focused on
this unique phenomenon and our goal
is to transform it into an architectural
trend. It is an honour to be recognised
for our efforts.”
Page 19
With its simple, clear-cut, yet modern lines, Ceraflex® is designed to complement any bathroom or kitchen,
although the big difference is what‘s inside. At the heart of Ceraflex® is our brand new ceramic cartridge,
Firmaflow®. Our best cartridge ever, it delivers substantial cost savings because it saves water and lasts almost
twice as long as the industry standard, giving you 10 to 15 years of regular daily use.
CERAFLEX®
The smart choice for
reliable fittings
Hot Water
Limiter
Easy Fix
BAHRAIN:
MARMARA TRADING Co.
Bahrain +973 1773 7735
www.marmaratrading.com
IRAQ:
AL TAIBOON GROUP
Baghdad +964 7 901 364026
www.altaiboon.com
JORDAN:
AL MUNA Co.
Amman +962 6 554 8851
www.al-munaco.com
KUWAIT:
ALSHAYA ENTERPRISES™
Kuwait +965 2 224 2299
www.alshayaenterprises.com
LEBANON:
ETS. ABDULRAHIM DIAB S.A.L.
Beirut-Unesco +961 0 186 8146/7
Beirut-Jdeideh +961 0 125 4294/5/6
www.abdulrahimdiab.com
OMAN:
MAIN DISTRIBUTOR
BAHWAN BUILDING MATERIALS LLC
Muscat +968 2 465 0000
www.suhailbahwangroup.com
DISTRIBUTOR
ALSHAYA ENTERPRISES™
Muscat +968 2 461 9681/3
www.alshayaenterprises.com
QATAR:
MOHAMMED YOUSUF
KAFOOD & SONS
Doha +974 4 463 7777
www.kafood.com
SAUDI:
AL-GHAMDI CO. FOR SANITARY WARES
Riyadh +966 11 4646279
Jeddah +966 12 6696263
Dammam +966 13 8340248
www.amghamdi.com
UAE:
SULTACO
Dubai +971 4 338 5929
Abu Dhabi +971 2 633 4425
Al Ain +971 3 763 1609
Sharjah +971 6 575 9878
www.sultaco.com
Join us:
IDEAL STANDARD GULF FZCO
Jebel Ali, Dubai, P.O. Box 261559, United Arab Emirates, Tel. +971 4 804 2400, www.idealstandardgulf.com
IDEAL STANDARD DESIGN BATHROOM CENTRE
Flash Star Sanitary Ware Trading LLC, Jabal Ali Bldg., Al Quoz 3, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai, P.O. Box 38430, United Arab Emirates, Tel. +971 4 309 6000
SALAMEH CERAMICA
Beirut +961 1 852 285 / +961 1 851 385
www.salamehceramica.com
Page 20
// construction business news me // September 2017
20
// Talking point
After only two and half years of construction, parts of Istanbul's new airport will open
next year. For rapid progress on this build, the contractor is relying on the formwork
solution from Doka.
Doka forms new
airport in Istanbul
A
new airport is in the mak-
ing, located 35 km north
of Istanbul, on the Euro-
pean side of the Bosphorus.
Covering 76.5 km2, it will be one of
the largest in the world. In terms of
passenger capacity, it will be one of
the biggest: when fully operational
on completion in 2028, it will be
able to handle more than 150 million
passengers a year. The new airport
is set to become a hub in the region.
Several airlines intend having their
headquarters there. In close proxim-
ity to the Black Sea, it will have its
own port access.
It is Istanbul's third airport. The two
now in operation – Ataturk Interna-
tional on the European and Sabiha
Gokcen International on the Asian
side of the straits – are too small for
the increasing numbers of passengers.
the first construction phase are sup-
plied by Austrian experts for formwork
solutions, Doka. In order to put the
best formwork solution in place, a
team of engineers from Doka Turkey
is hard at work, both in the planning
offices and on the ground, provid-
ing services on site. On this build,
the Doka team are combining timber
formwork beams H20 eco and H20 top
and load-bearing towers, plus framed
formwork Framax Xlife and Frami Xlife
and large-area formwork Top 50. The
formwork systems from Doka are in
use in many areas, including the run-
ways, terminals, multi-level car-parking
facilities, and hotels, and the wastewa-
ter treatment plant.
The load-bearing tower frames are
steel, eminently suitable for high clear-
ances and high loads. On the Istanbul
airport build, these circumstances apply
Ataturk International Airport is too
close to the metropolitan sprawl to be
extended, and current planning envis-
ages its closure at some time in the near
future. So building the new airport is
a matter of some urgency. By no later
than February 2018, only two and a half
years into construction, the first of four
construction phases is due for comple-
tion so that a large part of the airport
complex can go operational. By that
time, three runways and one terminal
will be available. These facilities will
provide sufficient capacity to handle up
to 90 million passengers a year.
Efficient, fast and saving on
materials
In all, the construction area on this
mega-size project is 2,000,000m2. At
times as many as 80 cranes will be in
use. Two thirds of the formwork for
In terms of both sheer size and
passenger numbers, Istanbul's
new international airport will be
one of the biggest in the world.
Photo: Garabet Milosyan
About Doka
Doka is a world leader in
developing, manufacturing, and
distributing formwork technology for
use in all fields of the construction
sector. With more than 160 sales
and logistics facilities in over 70
countries, the Doka Group has a
highly efficient distribution network
which ensures that equipment and
technical support are provided
swiftly and professionally. An
enterprise forming part of the
Umdasch Group, the Doka Group
employs a worldwide workforce of
more than 6,200.
Page 21
Delivering National Pride
The United Arab Emirates Pavilion at EXPO 2015 in Milan, designed by the
world-famous architecture studio Foster +Partners, takes its inspiration
from the desert landscape and the highly innovative and futuristic
����������������������������������������������������������������������������
be relocated to the UAE.
After a successful delivery in Milan, the Pavilion has been distmantled and
relocated to Masdar City. Now, we are working on the ultimate
reconstruction of the Pavilion, to showcase sustainability projects
embracing UAE’s National Pride.
We are very proud to be a part of this ambitious mission.
www.cimolairimond.me | info@cimolairimond.me
For the past decade, we’ve provided integrated turnkey construction services for highly challeging and complex
projects to make our Clients‘ vision a reality.
Page 22
// construction business news me // September 2017
22
for the big downstand beams, which are
12m above ground level and on which
the precast slab is laid. Because they are
so strong and because of the wide frame
span, moreover, the load-bearing towers
are very safe. They also help speed up
progress overall on the build, because
vertical stacking is easy and assembly is a
no-tools operation.
In all, 30,000 load-bearing tower
frames and 100,000 running metres
of timber formwork beams H20 eco
and H20 top are in use on this proj-
ect. Large as the numbers are, they
represent the optimised formwork
solution on a construction project of
this magnitude. Because the Doka
load-bearing towers are designed for
materials-saving use - the frames are
oversized, so all in all few are needed
to prop the structure.
Framed formwork and timber-beam
formwork systems are used for the
walls and columns. First choice for
the walls are the lightweight and eas-
ily handled framed formwork Frami
Xlife with strong, hot-dip galvanised
steel frames and the Framax Xlife steel
framed formwork, which is used for
crane-lift forming of large areas. Large-
area formwork Top 50 is used for
the columns. It is pre-assembled and
meets customer-specific requirements.
A total of 5,000 sqm of framed form-
work is in use. Forming and rebar-
placement operations are assisted and
facilitated by reinforcement platforms
from Doka.
Faster and safer
Doka also compellingly demonstrates
the high level of safety designed into
the systems. The stair towers enable
the site-crew members to reach their
workspaces quickly and in safety.
Essential safety is provided by more
than 4km of guardrail in the form of
the Edge protection system XP. Safety
starts with correct set-up and opera-
tion of the formwork. That's why the
site crew on the new Istanbul Airport
build has the onsite support of Doka
Formwork instructors. Their job is
explaining how to use the formwork
effectively and safely.
A team of experts from Doka Turkey
is tasked with implementing the best
formwork solution
Photo: Garabet Milosyan
The Doka load-bearing towers have
steel frames, so they are ideal for
high clearances and high loads.
Photo: Garabet Milosyan
Project:
Istanbul New Airport IGA
Location:
Istanbul, Turkey
Construction company Cengiz-MAPA-Limak-Kolin-Kalyon consortium
Start of construction:
2015
Scheduled completion:
2028, four phases; partial opening: February 2018
Type of structure:
Airport
Passenger capacity:
150 million per year (after full completion), 90 million after 2018
In short
// Talking point
Page 23
Page 24
// construction business news me // September 2017
24
// Op-Ed
Thomas Morrison, marketing director, Portacool, talks about the negative effects of heat on
productivity and health of the construction workers
Beat the heat
A
ccording to a recent report by
BMI Research, governments
are pouring investment into in-
frastructure across the Middle
East and North Africa. This massive
growth means private and govern-
ment organisations need to ensure
productivity remains high throughout
the summer months to reach develop-
ment demands and goals.
In today’s business climate, pro-
ductivity is crucial. Moving faster and
more efficiently often contributes to a
company’s success or failure. Out-
doors, or in large, open facilities that
lack air conditioning, excessive heat,
and heat-related stress can dramati-
cally slow workers down.
In fact, American scientific studies
in plants have shown that as tem-
peratures rise over 85oF, output drops
by 18% and accuracy suffers due to
a 40% increase in errors. Therefore,
cool working environments should be
a necessity to combat the toll taken
on the worker and the company’s
bottom line.
From a health perspective, it is
important to understand how the
body handles heat and hot condi-
tions when evaluating the potential
for employee heat-related illnesses.
As temperatures rise, the body re-
leases heat more slowly. As humidity
increases, sweat evaporation de-
creases and stagnant air makes sweat
evaporation even more difficult.
When these three factors are com-
bined, you have a higher potential
for health and safety concerns. The
chances for accidents due to sweaty
hands, dizziness, and decreased men-
tal alertness increase considerably.
Additionally, higher body tempera-
ture and discomfort can lead to irrita-
bility and frustration that could lend
to more careless behaviour. Workers
who are not properly prepared for
the heat put themselves, their col-
leagues, and workplaces at risk.
Dubai’s updated strategic plan
for the period of 2016-2021 states
that the government’s top priorities
include sustainability of the city’s en-
vironment, providing world-class and
high-quality services, and efficient
urban planning, as well as ensuring
excellent infrastructure is available
to achieve these goals. The region’s
construction pipeline remains robust
– and that is unlikely to change in
the near future. Mega projects contin-
ue to create immense opportunities,
not only for the construction sector,
but also for the economy of the UAE
as a whole. That being said, it also
means organisations in the region
will have to increase the labour force
to provide the manpower necessary
to help build these high-rises and
roads. The groups must share the
responsibility of ensuring that every
individual involved is protected. For-
tunately, there has been an awaking
of consciousness when it comes to
how companies deal with worker's
health and safety in the UAE and the
wider region.
Portacool has been taking steps to
educate business owners and man-
agers about the need for keeping
work environments cool to limit the
strain on productivity when tempera-
tures outside are uncomfortably hot.
Fortunately,
there has been
an awaking of
consciousness when
it comes to how
companies deal with
worker's health and
safety in the UAE and
the wider region.”
Page 25
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
25
Fans simply circulate stale air. Por-
tacool evaporative coolers come in
a variety of sizes to cool any space
where traditional air conditioning is
impractical or cost-prohibitive.
• Take it easy. Your body will tell you
when it’s time for a break. Don’t
ignore it. Take a rest period in a
cooling station to reduce core body
temperature and refresh yourself be-
fore continuing with your activities.
These represent precautionary
measures that is suggested for those
working outside to follow in order to
avoid heat stress. Of course, educat-
ing employees to recognise the symp-
toms of heat illness, the steps to take
to reduce their risk and first aid in the
event of a co-worker suffering from
heat exposure are also be essential.
As record-breaking temperatures
continue to make an impact this
summer, Portacool portable evapora-
tive coolers provide a cost-effective,
mobile option for cooling spaces of
up to 511 sqm, helping firms achieve
rapid cooling when and where it’s
needed the most.
Portacool stresses the importance of
interventions to ensure employees
operating during the extreme heat are
considered and well looked after. The
company is working with contractors
in the region to raise awareness about
the dangers of heat stress.
Portacool will be a fundamental
supplier for the development of
cooling stations for labourers on
various construction sites. These
cooling stations are designed spe-
cifically for workers to withstand the
soaring temperatures keeping them
safe and productive.
As temperatures continue to soar in
this region, here are key factors that
can help mitigate the effects of heat
stress or heatstroke and cut work-
related accidents and ill-health:
• To prevent dehydration, take
a fluid break at least every 15
minutes and avoid diuretics such
as coffee, tea, alcohol, or soda, as
these can deplete body fluid. Take
breaks in cooler, shaded areas and
rest regularly.
• Avoid rapid exposure to tempera-
ture extremes. Allow your body to
adjust naturally by incremental ex-
posure to extreme temperature ver-
sus heating up and cooling down
and then repeating this process.
• Use cooling pads that can be in-
serted into hard hats or around the
neck to keep the head and neck
cool. Vented hard hats or neck-
bands soaked in cold water also
can be used to minimise prolonged
heat exposure and prevent the
body from overheating.
• Wear light clothing that allows your
body to cool itself using natural
evaporative cooling produced from
sweat and circulated air.
• Wear sunscreen. When you are
active outdoors for long periods,
sunscreen needs to be
applied regularly.
• Watch for symptoms. Symptoms of
heat stress include excessive sweat-
ing or no sweating at all, nausea,
goosebumps, weakness, tightening
muscles, or dizziness.
• Consider energy-efficient cooling
methods, such as evaporative cool-
ing, to cool large, open air spaces.
Page 26
// construction business news me // September 2017
26
Andy Smith, director product management - building design modeling at Bentley Systems,
talks about how BIM continues to redefine the modern skyline
A Better Way
B
uilding information modeling
(BIM), the digital representation
of the physical and functional
traits of buildings, continues
to exert a major influence on the way
facilities are planned, designed, con-
structed, and maintained. This impact
is reflected in how digitalisation has
revolutionised the modern skyline.
A single application is simply not
enough for executing a project, despite
the development of various software
and systems that optimise the facility
lifecycle. Rather, it takes a diverse team
of people, organisations, and applica-
tions to ensure success. As a result,
emphasis should focus on collaboration
and data interoperability to minimise
disruptions in production workflows. It
is also critical to support industry stan-
dard exchange formats to permit users
to re-purpose models for construction
management and facilities operations.
At Bentley Systems, we incorpo-
rate the latest BIM advancements in
design modelling and project delivery
to support workflow processes, data
standards, and cultural changes to
maximise project results and business
performance. The CONNECT Edition
of our AECOsim Building Designer,
multi-discipline building design appli-
cation, for example, enables designers
to explore design alternatives, ef-
ficiently produce construction docu-
ments, and create compelling visual
communications. This solution pro-
vides a connected data environment to
improve data sharing, team collabora-
tion, and personal productivity.
The directive of the UK govern-
ment last year to offer construction
projects only to companies using Level
2 BIM software (managed computer
aided design in 2D or 3D) has further
intensified discussion regarding the
// Op-Ed
BIM technology
is a constant work
in progress and
managing issues will
remain.”
Page 27
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
27
connectivity between projects and
teams through capabilities such as
data aggregation for a single go-to
source for design representation,
cloud services for scalable engineering
and simulation, and hosted managed
services for supplementing or even
outsourcing IT services.
BIM technology is a constant work
in progress and managing issues will
remain. For instance, the engineer-
ing, architecture, construction, and
operations sector will have difficulty
achieving effective information reuse
and data interoperability, and the
sector will face problems, efficiently
capturing “existing” conditions to
manage the expanding inventory of
brownfield projects and decommis-
sioned buildings.
Our industry must work closer
with its users to develop appli-
cations, services, projects, and
resources to improve design
excellence and asset performance
through BIM advancement.
importance of BIM technology, pres-
ently and in the future. As practitioners
come to terms with the repercussions
of this mandate, adeptness at data
quality management will become
necessary. On the other hand, facility
owners will need to specify what data
is needed for what intended purpose.
The future of using BIM applications
looks promising; contractors are using
data-rich models for construction man-
agement and owners are beginning
to repurpose as-constructed data for
facility operations.
Bentley users constantly voice
their appreciation over how BIM
technology allows them to consider
more design alternatives and evalu-
ate engineering performance, leading
to improved project performance
and significant cost reductions. Our
project information management and
collaboration cloud services continue
to increase co-operation across teams
through data sharing and project de-
liverables management.
For instance, China Aerospace Con-
struction Group Co integrated a BIM
methodology with Bentley’s AECOsim
Building Designer for its Inner Mon-
golia Ethnic Minorities Cultural Sports
Center project. The use of the BIM
strategy from design through construc-
tion helped reduce earthwork from
370,000 to 70,000 cbm – resulting in
savings of nearly AED11mn.
The adoption of BIM advancements
for project delivery will continue to
grow as the technology becomes the
architecture, engineering, construc-
tion, and owner-operated standard for
benchmarking professional practice
and the accepted natural progression
from CAD to digital design and simula-
tion. We can expect major industry
changes over the next 12 months, es-
pecially in places such as the UK and
Singapore where governments have
introduced legislation associated with
BIM technology.
Looking ahead, we see great value
in BIM advancements that improve
Page 28
// Cover Story
Lead
Born to
Bishoy Azmy, chief executive officer (CEO) of ASGC, talks about the importance of selecting
the right clients and projects for the company’s success
T
he man behind the home-grown
contracting company, Al Shafar
General Contracting (ASGC),
Bishoy Azmy, believes in two factors –
selecting the right clients and provide
quality service to them. Present in the
market for 30 years, the contractor
has worked on numerous prestigious
projects across various sectors including
residential, commercial, retail, indus-
trial, hospitality, and healthcare.
The past two years have been quite
fruitful for the company, according to
Azmy. “In 2016, we have witnessed
double-digit growth as compared to
2015. We did not have any issues with
our profitability as well; it was a posi-
tive year in all measures. The kind of
projects we have delivered and the
ones we have been working on are
also an upgrade from what we have
been doing previously. It’s a positive
step in terms of maintaining revenue
growth and the profit margins.”
One of the projects under its kitty
is the Mohammed bin Rashid Library,
located in Dubai Culture Village, and
expected to be complete in 2018. The
main building comprises basement, a
ground floor, and seven storeys, includ-
ing a central warehouse for books and
a preservation lab. The project will also
include specialised libraries such the
information centre, an Arabic library, a
popular library, a children's library, a
family library, an international library,
and a media library.
In addition to it, ASGC is also
working on the much-awaited ex-
pansion of the Dubai Mall to cater
for its 100mn annual visitors. The
construction of the expansion will be
approximately 275,308 sqm and will
extend the existing Fashion Avenue,
enhancing the city’s high-end retail
offerings and further catering to
the international demographics of
Dubai’s tourists.
// construction business news me // September 2017
28
Page 29
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
29
We do not depend
on our contract
conditions; we mostly
focus on the positive
relations with our
clients. ”
Bishoy Azmy, ASGC
Page 30
// construction business news me // September 2017
30
// Cover Story
Along with these, some of its other
projects include the refurbishment of
Dubai International Terminal 1, Waldorf
Astoria on Palm Jumeirah, Damac’s
Oceanscape on Reem Island in Abu
Dhabi, and the Business Central Towers
on Sheikh Zayed Road to name a few.
Azmy says: “We are very selective
about who we work with; we have a
huge checklist of criteria and we go
through each one of them very care-
fully before we accept any project. We
decline more projects than the ones we
accept. I think they are a big part of
our positive financial position.
“Once the project starts, we try to
remain focussed on the requirements
of the clients to ensure that they are
satisfied. We do not depend on our
contract conditions; we mostly focus on
the positive relations with our clients.
It comes from not only being nice with
them but from trying to see what makes
the client happy and try to accommo-
date as much as we can. Hence, we
have never faced any cashflow issues
with our clients since 2009.”
Challenges on the way
Despite the sombre state of the current
regional economy, Azmy says that the
company’s last two years have seen
positive upwards growth. “Of course,
we are aware of the tremors in the
market in terms of the financial chal-
lenges. We know that the price of oil is
low and we can see that affecting the
government spending and the projects.
“But we have been lucky that the few
projects that we have been working on
continues to be of utmost importance
to our clients. Hence, they have been
prioritised over others, and as a result,
we have insulated from the financial
challenges. We do worry about the
general environment but so far we have
had not seen any adverse effects.”
Other than the UAE, which is the
company’s predominant market, ASGC
has a presence in Egypt, Saudi Arabia,
and Kuwait. Azmy believes that there
are considerable risks associated with
being present in the UAE only, hence
they are now looking towards Africa as
well. “We recognise that we are only
present in the UAE and there are risks
associated with that. We first looked at
the GCC for expansion but we believe
this is not the ideal time for penetration
in the market. Hence we are looking in
Africa for our need to grow.”
All the efforts put in to make a
project successful depends on the team
Dubai International Airport
Concourse - D
Page 31
The Formwork Experts.
Real-time measuring of
concrete strength
Concremote® – Redefine your program. Push progress.
Easy to handle
Measuring sensors are quick to install and position
as they are simply placed on fresh concrete.
State-of-the-art measurement
Concremote® stands out for its field-proven process
reliability and for being very user-friendly.
Process optimisation
Cut down labour and equipment costs by reducing
striking time to a maximum of 2-3 days.
Technology | Bridges | Tunnel | Highrise | Residential | Energy
www.doka-me.com
More Information:
www.doka.com/concremote
EXCLUSIVE
BY DOKA
Page 32
// construction business news me // September 2017
32
and the client, Azmy mentions. He
says: “The client decisions come at the
beginning of the job mostly. The clients
we work with are mostly develop-
ers; they know what they are doing.
We don’t work with clients who are
not aware of their interests. With our
clients, important decisions are mostly
taken early at the job and no major
changes are incorporated at the end.
From the beginning itself, we select the
right clients and projects, so that the job
doesn’t get delayed.”
Azmy also points out that the
UAE-based contractor believes in
working with local suppliers be-
cause Dubai has a pool of talented
and successful enterprises.
Future outlook
Azmy doesn’t claim that the company
does amazing things for its workers but
“we are doing a lot.” He adds: “The first
and the most important thing we do is
that the labourers are paid properly. We
pay salaries that are either in line with
the market or slightly better. We look at
how we can be efficient and continue
to pay our workforce properly.
“Secondly, our camps are in very
good condition; they are clean and we
try to maintain as much as humane
conditions possible in the accommoda-
tion. This is to achieve better productiv-
ity. We regularly organise cricket and
rugby tournaments for our workers.
Recently we had a collaboration with
the Dubai Municipality to ‘Clean up Al
Quoz’ campaign.”
For the remainder of 2017, the
contractor will be focussing on
winning a couple of projects in the
UAE and also on digital transfor-
mation of the company processes.
Azmy says: “We have appointed a
new chief information officer (CIO)
to focus on changing the processes.
Everything is online and on the
cloud. We are currently looking for-
ward to challenging ourselves; re-
working on all our processes and
trying to become more efficient. It
was something we have thought of
doing gradually.”
The company doesn’t plan to be-
come a regional or a global player any-
time soon. Azmy concludes: “We are
very thankful for the positive growth
that we have witnessed in the UAE. We
believe that the country will remain to
be the most vibrant market for con-
struction and real estate, and for us as
well in the future.”
Etihad Museum
// Cover Story
Page 33
Page 34
// construction business news me // September 2017
34
In the lap of
// Site visit
Construction Business News takes a tour of Sobha Hartland, a $4bn mixed-use project
spread across 74ha and surrounded by 22ha of green spaces
G
reen and open spaces coupled
with luxury living in the heart
of Dubai – sounds a bit un-
realistic. But one of the most eminent
developers in the country, Sobha
Group, is making it possible with its
flagship project, Sobha Hartland. The
$4bn project is spread across 74ha area
and comprises freehold studios, one-,
two-, and three-bedroom apartments,
duplexes, townhouses, and four-, five-,
and six-bedroom villas.
The entire community is surrounded
by 22ha of greenery, which constitutes
30% of the entire project. Its location
within the Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum City and the three kilometre
proximity to Dubai’s attractions makes
Sobha Hartland the most-sought after
plots in the emirate. The development
also boasts a selection of amenities
such as international schools, nurser-
ies, healthcare facilities, swimming
pools, tennis courts, yoga centres,
Nature
Page 35
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
35
gyms, playgrounds, and parks.
Francis Alfred, chief executive offi-
cer, Sobha, tells Construction Business
News: “Sobha Hartland is a self-con-
tained city. It’s a mixed-use develop-
ment and consists of a lot of open
spaces – you don’t get so much of
open space in any city. The develop-
ment has everything, starting from resi-
dential, hospitality, and educational.”
In April 2016, the developer
launched Sobha Hartland Greens
within its project, which includes
eight floors of residential apartments
comprising studios, one-, two-, and
three-bedrooms. Overlooking the
Dubai Water Canal, the luxury apart-
ments begin at a price of AED804,000
with handover of the units scheduled
from December 2017. 90% of the units
in building one and four as part of
Hartland Greens have been completely
sold out with few limited options
left. In addition to it, Sobha also an-
nounced the Hartland Estates, com-
prising 48 luxury villas and 27 quad
homes as part of phase one, all due to
be completed in December 2018.
Alfred says: “Phase one of construc-
tion includes two apartment blocks
comprising approximately 161 units,
48 four- and five-bedroom villas, and
27 quad homes. We will start handing
over units in building one and four
in December this year, which is few
months ahead of program. Most of
the structural works are completed for
the villas and the quad homes, which
are also due to be handed over in
December 2018.
“Also, we have two schools as part
of phase one of the development.
The Hartland International School was
launched in 2013 and commenced op-
erations in September 2015. The other
school will be opening in the next
few weeks. We want to create a lively
colony for our residents, where they
can feel the essence of community liv-
ing right from the beginning.”
Construction timeline
Currently, there are around 874
construction workers present onsite
working on the phase one of the proj-
ect. Alfred claims that the developer
always believed in taking entire con-
trol of the process, hence there are no
third-party contractors and subcontrac-
tors involved in the process. He says:
“We give a lot of emphasis on ensur-
ing that the quality we promised to
our customers is delivered. If we take
the conventional route of subletting
the work to the third-party contractors
and subcontractors, there lies a huge
We give a
lot of emphasis on
ensuring that the
quality we promised
to our customers is
delivered.”
Francis Alfred,
Sobha Group
Page 36
// construction business news me // September 2017
36
challenge, where it is not possible to
take full control of the process. So, we
believe that it is much better to man-
age the construction process inhouse.
“This has been a successful jour-
ney for us like a backward integrated
real estate model. We start our work
from the concept drawings which is
prepared by our own design studio.
They design the masterplan, the ar-
chitecture, the structural designs, the
mechanical, electrical, and plumb-
ing (MEP) designs, interior designs,
and the landscape designs. Once the
design aspects are taken care of, we
have our own construction division,
which takes care of the construction.
We have our own glazing company to
do the glassworks, our own interior
division to do the designs, and so on.”
In the last 40 years, the in-house
construction division has delivered
close to 836ha of built-up space,
helped by a 2,000-strong team. Alfred
points out: “The prime objective is to
ensure the quality control is in place.
As an integrated real estate operation,
we have a quality control team, mainly
consisting of Germans. This is because
our chairman, PNC Menon feels that
when it comes to quality assurance,
Germans are non-compromising, and
it has been proven in the last 15 years
in our company. This model is started
back in India, where we employed
around 20 German master craftsmen;
// Site visit
Page 37
EXPERTS FOR THE REAL WORLD
SINCE 1842
www.casece.com
B-SERIES MOTOR GRADERS
Variable Horse Power: the
right amount of torque for
any application, optimizing
fuel consumption.
A multiradius blade for a
perfect mixing effect and
a lowered traction effort.
2. EFFORTLESS
PRODUCTIVITY
1. THE RIGHT
POWER FOR
EVERY JOB
The rear mounted cab grants
best in class comfort as the
operator is always aligned with
travel direction when working
with offset frame.
3. ALIGNED WITH
PERFORMANCES
POWER AND PRECISION
Page 38
// construction business news me // September 2017
38
we have the similar model here. They
audit every aspect of the project, right
from the design, construction, manu-
facturing, to fabrication.”
Having all the processes in-house
gives an edge to the developer over
others, according to Alfred. He points
out that in this process, the company
is not controlled by market condi-
tions and can dictate its own delivery
timelines. Alfred continues: “There are
advantages and disadvantages associ-
ated with every aspect. But for us, the
advantage of having all the processes
under one roof lies in the fact that we
are not controlled by market condi-
tions and are able to dictate our own
delivery times. We control it and there
is a lot more certainty in our delivery
and quality because we can cater to our
customers according to their needs.”
Alfred also mentions that the compa-
ny has been sourcing its raw materials,
both locally and internationally.
Future path
In November last year, Sobha Group
announced phase two of its Hartland
Greens project, comprising two additional
eight-storey apartment buildings. In addi-
tion to that, the developer also launched
Hartland Estates Forest Villas, a selection
of four- and five-bedroom L-shaped units,
available in eight floor plans.
As a part of phase three of Hart-
land Greens, Sobha unveiled Hartland
Aflux, a twin-tower residential com-
plex, featuring one-, two-, and three-
bedroom apartments spread across
two L-shaped buildings.
Alfred says: “We are coming out
with more apartments and villas as
a part of phase three. Designs are in
progress currently. We have to plan
the design almost a year ahead, be-
cause that’s where the approvals are
taken care.”
He also asserts that the response
to all the products, so far, have
been quite positive with the mar-
ket. He concludes: “The positive
response encourages us to come up
with more projects catering to the
requirements of the market. We are
known for our quality and possess
one of the best standards in the
international market.”
// Site visit
Page 39
The SDLG operational service network covers more area than
any other value brand manufacturer. Which means that, with our
teams of highly trained technicians, you can rely on SDLG to
keep your machines working and earning.
When it’s time to think about buying a new machine,
remember this name: SDLG.
Go online to find your local SDLG dealer: www.sdlgme.com
More service network.
More dedicated technicians.
Trust SDLG.
Page 40
// construction business news me // September 2017
40
A Breath of
Fresh Air
Zaal Mohamed Zaal, chairman and founder of Al Barari, talks to Dhairya Negandhi about
why he chose to move forward with such an ambitious project in Dubai
// Interview
A
l Barari, often described as a
property that was meticulously
designed to emulate a desert
oasis, is one of Dubai’s most attrac-
tive, luxurious, and elegant real estate
developments. What makes Al Barari so
unique is the copious amount of nature
assimilated into the community. As we
enter the property, we are immediately
taken aback by the striking greenery
on display, the profuseness of which is
truly a sight for sore eyes in a hostile,
desert environment like Dubai.
Can you describe your philosophy
and objective when developing a
property with the scale and vast
magnitude of Al Barari?
Al Barari’s ethos is to give residents
boundless living – a continuous space
between outside and inside, a place
for contemplation and relaxation –
and is the product of my passion to
create something never before seen
in the region. Guided by my passion,
Al Barari’s vision of an exceptional
botanic haven, unrivalled in its eco-
logical sensitivity, has been realised. It
is this vision that continues to propel
Al Barari to keep discovering and
become the benchmark for sustainable
luxury in the region. The idea was to
create a community where residents
Page 41
Page 42
// construction business news me // September 2017
42
// Interview
tion of the landscape and waterways is
recycled water that is then cleaned and
polished in the on-site polishing plant.
The landscape’s high-density plant-
ing keeps the ground cooler and re-
duces evaporation, enabling the use
of less water; irrigation is controlled
by computerised central control sys-
tem, which constantly communicates
with controllers and weather stations
installed in the field. This ensures
application of precise quantity of
water with no wastage for healthy
plant growth. In fact, the level of
plant density has resulted in the cre-
ation of Al Barari’s own microclimate
which is about 2oC cooler than other
areas in Dubai.
Six elegantly themed gardens al-
ready completed under Phase 1 within
the villa precinct and with more to
come in Phase 2. The completed gar-
dens cover over 14ha include balinese,
contemporary, mediterranean, renais-
sance, water, and woodland gardens,
in addition to the showcase gardens.
Our team of over 175 trained garden-
ers tend to the maintenance of the
gardens and open areas, with all green
waste being sent to the plant nursery
for recycling.
The Reserve is a new development
within Al Barari. What does
The Reserve have that makes it
different from the other properties
within the same?
The Reserve at Al Barari is a collection
of freehold parcels of land designed
to accommodate large bespoke vil-
las with six or more bedrooms. The
opportunity to create own bespoke
dream home in a beautiful, secure and
private location is now available in
The Reserve. It is an exclusive com-
munity within Al Barari with its own
private entrance.
Tell us about some upcoming
projects that are slated for the
coming years.
We are currently building apartments.
Seventh Heaven is now 77% com-
pleted. Seventh Heaven homes will be
among the most spacious available in
Dubai, starting from 154 to 551 sqm.
Ashjar has reached 71% completion.
This collection of residences is sur-
rounded by a dense forest landscape
and unparalleled refinement. The
homes are low-rise and low-density,
with very few apartments per cluster.
Each is set into the natural tree canopy
with landscaped gardens and beautiful
skyline views.
The Nest, a collection of 55 four-
bedroom villas, will be ready by Octo-
ber 2017. Al Barari’s Phase 2 will see
the creation of a resort hotel, business
school, medical and assisted living
facilities, retail offerings, and further
residential development.
feel home and welcome, where they
can spend time outside and let their
kids play in the gardens, as well as
interact with their neighbours.
What factors do, in your opinion,
render a property a success? Do you
believe that Al Barari has
been successful?
Al Barari has been a success; it was a
dream and now it is a reality. In the
current competitive real estate environ-
ment, and with new projects starting
every week across Dubai, develop-
ers have to focus on key aspects that
end-users are looking at when buying
a property nowadays. The location,
sustainability, quality, concept, vision,
deliverables, and deadlines are the
main factors. Al Barari has succeeded
in its vision to create one of the most
desirable, environmentally-conscious
developments in the UAE.
What efforts have you made to
make Al Barari a sustainable
property?
The villas employ an acute awareness
of natural light and shade, and have
been grouped in leaf-shaped clusters
to minimise the impact of infrastruc-
ture on the land. Each residence
supports its own energy-efficient home
system and residents are encouraged
to recycle domestic waste through the
underground waste system that sepa-
rates organic from inorganic waste,
while being invisible and odourless.
All the water that is used for the irriga-
Zaal Mohamed Zaal,
chairman of Al Barari
Al Barari’s
Phase 2 will see the
creation of a resort
hotel, business
school, medical and
assisted living facili-
ties, retail offerings,
and further residen-
tial development.”
Zaal Mohamed Zaal,
Al Barari
Page 43
www.cbnme.com
Envision a truck that could do more with every minute, hour and day. A truck
so reliable, you’ll spend more time on the road thanks to longer servicing intervals.
A truck with a cab designed to offer more comfort and driveability, as well as
on-board fuel coaching systems. A truck with the power to move further, and the
efficiency to keep your business running like clockwork. With the all new Croner,
we’ve turned that vision into a cutting-edge reality.
Keep Your Business Running On Time, Every Time.
Page 44
// construction business news me // September 2017
44
// Case Study
The future is
Fahmi Al Shawwa from Immensa Technology Labs talks to CBNME and highlights 3D
printing as the next important step for contractors in the region
A
n intriguing concept like 3D
printing has always attracted
the attention of the masses
in the recent times; and
Dubai has always been in the forefront
in adopting such innovative ideas.
In April 2016, His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Vice President and Prime Minister of
UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the
‘Dubai 3D Printing Strategy’, a unique
global initiative that aims to exploit
technology for the service of human-
ity and promote the status of the UAE,
especially Dubai, as a leading hub of
3D printing technology by 2030.
The Dubai 3D printing Strategy will
make Dubai the world’s 3D printing
hub. The strategy adopts an emerging
technology that will help cut costs in
many sectors, especially the medical
and construction sector in the emir-
ate. The technology will restructure
economies and labour markets, and
redefine productivity.
It is estimated that the market in the
UAE for 3D printing would be over
$300bn by 2025. According to this 3D
printing strategy, Dubai forecasts for a
graded 70%, 80%, and 90% reduction in
labour, time, and cost respectively. The
emirate ambitiously also wants 25% of
every new building to be 3D printed
by 2025.
In line with the strategy, the UAE-
based additive manufacturing (AM)
company, Immensa Technology Labs,
launched the first 3D printing facility in
Dubai, which comprises eight 3D print-
ing systems and more than 30 materi-
als for production. The new facility is
equipped to build and manufacture the
Page 45
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
45
ticated moulds, which hopefully will be
ready by end of September 2017. So, we
understand the technology very well. We
are active in the medical sector, where
we’ve worked on 3D printed medical
guides. We are a completely private and
independent company.”
He also mentions that Immensa works
very closely with German companies for
the supply of raw materials. The onsite
team mainly comprises 13 people, out
of which six are engineers from different
disciplines in engineering.
Most of the machines in the lab
have been imported from Germany.
Al Shawwa points out: “One of our
machines is from Germany-based EOS
Electro Optical Systems (EOS), one of
the high-end companies for industrial
3D printing processes. There are four of
them in the UAE, out of which three of
them are with the New York University
in Abu Dhabi. We are the only private
company to possess the machine.
“Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is
an AM technology commonly used for
production quality parts, components,
and one-off prototypes for the custom-
ers across a variety of industries.
The opening of the new 3D printing
facility is expected to increase the use of
3D printing in Dubai. It also aims to ben-
efit the country’s other projects, including
the plan to create a 3D printed skyscraper
and 3D printed research laboratory.
Talking to CBNME, Fahmi Al Shaw-
wa, the chief executive of Immensa
Technology Labs, explains: “There has
been more of a hype surrounding 3D
printing in the last couple of years.
With regards to the construction sector,
the industry generally tends to be one
of the last sectors to adopt technology.
But it is changing fast - now construc-
tion is leaning towards 3D printing.
And Dubai has been one of the leading
cities in trying to advocate 3D printing
in construction.
“The government strategy for 3D
printing has been pushing a lot of
construction and technology companies
to look and invest into it. And this is
where we come in. We have set up to
bridge the gap between the technology
and practicality across different sectors.”
The company has been working with
leading regional contractors, one of
them being Consolidated Contractors
Company (CCC). Al Shawwa says: “We
are jointly working with CCC on sophis-
The government
strategy for 3D
printing has been
pushing a lot of
construction and
technology companies
to look and invest
into it.”
Fahmi Al Shawwa,
Immensa
Page 46
// construction business news me // September 2017
46
modelling, prototyping, and produc-
tion applications. We have five FDM
machines, which are commonly used
for making customised moulds.”
The company is currently in the pro-
cess of copyrighting a lot of its designs.
Al Shawwa asserts that there have
been a lot of companies that have an-
nounced 3D printed structures, but are
Road to glory
Immensa Technology Labs was
recently awarded the ISO 9001:2015
certification in the field of ‘Design
and Additive Manufacturing
Services.’ The certification makes
Immensa the first 3D printing
company in the Middle East and
one of only a few in the world to be
recognised with the ISO 9001:2015
quality standard.
In a statement, Al-Shawwa says:
“Following months of challenging
work and external audits, we are
delighted to have been awarded
this ISO certification, which is a
testament to the exceptional quality
and global competitiveness of
our services. While the region has
lagged behind the rest of the world
in the adoption and integration of
3D printing technology, Immensa
has forged ahead and bridged
the gap by offering cutting-edge
services that are on par with the top
international providers out there.
We are proud to be one of a few 3D
printing companies internationally
with this certification.”
To be granted the ISO 9001:2015
certification, organisations
are required to implement
a comprehensive Quality
Management System (QMS) that
encompasses all facilities, services,
equipment, and employees, as
well as regular inspections and
audits. Immensa’s ISO certification
marks a turning point for the AM
industry, further cementing its
position as a viable, effective, and
high-quality alternative to traditional
manufacturing methods.
no longer around. He concludes: “The
technology needs a lot of testing; it is
actually more viable than traditional
construction methods. We don’t keep
off-the-shelf products and only produce
customised goods for the clients. We
have been present in the market for
less than a year now, but already envi-
sion a big opportunity for us.”
// Case Study
Page 47
Page 48
// construction business news me // September 2017
48
// Facilities Management
Time for Change
The facilities management sector, dominated by non-profit organisations and industry
leaders, finds itself adapting to the reorganised economic habitat. Dhairya Negandhi writes
T
he facilities management
(FM) industry has always
been vital to the construction
sector of the Middle East. As
the oil-dependent region attempts to
diversify itself away from the energy
sector, other industries have found that
they need to adapt to the changing
economic climate or be swallowed up
in the tide of firms going out of busi-
ness. The FM industry has displayed
a progressive attitude and introduced
modern, cutting-edge technology that
heavily impacts its performance and
allows firms to stay afloat.
When asked about the utilisation of
this technology to aid the performance
of Middle East, Facility Management
Association (MEFMA) president, Jamal
Lootah, says: “We are constantly on
the lookout for new technological in-
novations with transformative impact
on the entire FM industry and integrate
the same into the regional com-
munity’s processes and procedures.
This ensures that we are in sync with
the latest developments in terms of
industry modernisation and automa-
tion through the aid of next-generation
tools and devices. Technology also
plays a key role in MEFMA’s goal of
facilitating standardisation at an op-
erational level across the Middle East.
As such, we help provide an interac-
tive platform where stakeholders can
discuss and implement measures for
harnessing the power of technologies
and their full potentials to guarantee
industry acceleration.”
In recent years, sustainability and
environmentally friendly measures
have steadily become an issue that
has sprung to the forefront of industry
leader’s minds when considering,
planning, and taking on a new proj-
ect. Yet, many fail to realise the all-
encompassing nature of sustainability,
and that it does not end merely with
environmentally friendly implications.
FM firms have strived to substantially
change the way in which they pro-
Page 49
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
49
savings. An EPC implemented at
Dubai Marina Towers with estimated
projected savings of 25% is currently
exceeding expectations by delivering
up to 30% savings.”
Another significant aspect of the
perennially changing FM industry is
its customer engagement. Firms of
large and small scales alike endeavour
to improve their customer engage-
ment and create a loyal customer base
through various practices. Customer
satisfaction, as with any other industry,
is an integral factor in running a busi-
ness and companies aim to escalate
these figures to improve sales and
attract clients.
vide services and, as greater pressure
is put on them to pursue sustainable
practices in all projects.
Alex Davies, managing director of
Emrill Facilities Management, says: “For
myself personally, sustainability reaches
far wider than the simple environmental
credentials. This also stretches to how
we treat our people, how we manage
the finances of the business, and how
we approach partnerships with our cus-
tomers. Testament to this area of sustain-
able business is that existing customers
contributed to 77% of new work wins
and our high retention rates of contracts.
On subject of environmental impact,
this year, we have seen our fleet of fully
electric customised club cars increase, a
solution that reduces the petrol driven
vehicles operating on Emrill sites. We
encourage recycling and that starts
within our staff accommodation and our
own office as well as reaching out with
solutions to our customers.
“Furthermore, Emrill Energy is a core
part of our business deploying retrofit
solutions to existing buildings to
achieve demonstrable energy savings.
This is achieved through so-called
Energy Performance Contracts (EPC).
Emrill Energy designs, funds, installs,
and manages the EPC scheme as a
unique turnkey solution and offers the
building owner guaranteed minimum
We encourage
recycling and that
starts within our staff
accommodation and
our own office as well as
reaching out with solutions
to our customers.”
Alex Davies, Emrill
Page 50
// construction business news me // September 2017
50
www.cbnme.com
Davies adds: “Emrill runs a customer
experience programme called ‘ServEx-
cel’. This measures the views of Emrill
customers on our various services
through an informed client survey.
This survey collects the necessary
data that can then be internationally
benchmarked. The ‘ServExcel’ suite of
tools includes the ability to develop
end user surveys to understand how
users of a certain place feel about their
experience. As a final measure, we
pay significant attention to our contract
retention rates. Whilst this is a reactive
measure, it is also a key statistic to
ensure that Emrill is truly delivering
the service customers want at a value
they can afford.”
In this harsh economic climate, it
has become increasingly apparent
that companies must combine their
efforts and collaborate frequently if
they are to survive. A joint venture is
more profitable than working alone.
undergone an integration, spearhead-
ed by MEFMA.
MEFMA took the initiative to unite
the industry and, perhaps, helped it
flourish and not stagnate. When asked
about why MEFMA decided to become
the unifying factor of the sector, Loo-
tah says: “As a non-profit professional
organisation formed under the Dubai
Association Centre (DAC), MEFMA
seeks to support, represent, and ad-
vance the region’s steadily growing FM
industry. Our philosophy of building
an integrated regional FM market is
fundamental to achieving this objective
and is at the core of our mission. We
need a cohesive and unified FM com-
munity that maximises all resources to
respond as one to impactful and trans-
formative global changes and trends.
“The association facilitates con-
tinuous industry enhancements and
improvements in line with relevant
regional and global developments.
// Facilities Management
We have
already lined up
several activities and
initiatives to bring
the FM community
to new heights of
development.”
Jamal Lootah,
MEFMA
As a result of the rigid economic situ-
ation that a plethora of firms found
themselves in, they discovered that
it was easier to work in tandem and
complement each other rather than
compete directly. The FM industry has
Page 51
Page 52
// construction business news me // September 2017
52
We start by focussing on the people.
A number of FM professionals have
been empowered through our training
and knowledge sharing initiatives and
efforts to build a sustainable, safe, and
resilient work environment.
“In addition, the association con-
ducts research, gives assistance to FM
organisations, and helps establish a
standardised framework for FM profes-
sionals and stakeholders to ensure sus-
tainable FM strategies that will benefit
not only the community but the whole
international industry as well.”
Finally, the future of FM remains in-
tact. Firms such as Emrill and MEFMA
display an uninterrupted stream in
business, in part due to their tireless
efforts in promoting the use of more
FM-based services. The advance-
ment of technology used in the field
allows firms to innovate and develop
themselves into pioneers, guiding their
peers towards a different era.
Lootah, when asked about upcom-
ing projects for MEFMA, responds: “We
have already lined up several activities
and initiatives to bring the FM com-
munity to new heights of development.
These include educational workshops,
awareness campaigns, and focus
groups and conferences that will attract
major players and stakeholders, not
only in the Middle East, but the rest of
the international community as well.”
When Davies was asked about the
future of Emrill, he says: “Our vision for
the future is to redefine service experi-
ence to create great places to work,
live, and visit across the UAE. We will
deliver a quality service through valued
partnerships, delivered by excellent
people who constantly innovate to im-
prove customer experience. By 2020,
Emrill plans to have a fully developed
‘Asset Care’ package reliant on IoT
sensors, highly productive mecha-
nised techniques, delivering predictive,
energy efficient, and business centred
services that meet the individual needs
of each site and its users.
“Our focus remains on growing
our current key sectors of aviation,
residential, master community, retail,
corporate, and healthcare. These are
absolutely aligned with our long-term
strategy and goals. We are focusing on
some of the mega projects, currently
under planning or construction in the
UAE as core targets moving forward.”
Davies concludes: “We will continue
to bring international best practices
and accreditation to everything we do.
Looking further into the future, we are
developing our skills and competen-
cies further in areas such as workplace
planning, allowing us to be ready for
agile working practices that digital
disruption is likely to create.”
// Facilities Management
Page 53
The Middle East’s premier Exhibition, Conference &
Awards for Lighting Design and Technology
17 – 19 October, 2017
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Experience innovative products
and solutions along with
enlightening insights shaping
the lighting industry right now.
Pre-register to visit www.lightME.net/Register10
Page 54
It’s time
For the second year running, the Construction Innovation Awards 2017 is one of the
leading events applauding the achievements of the region’s construction professionals. The
awards strive to recognise individual excellence, corporate strengths, and project success.
Companies are invited to nominate the people, projects, and initiatives of which they are
most proud of, across 19 categories. Entries will be judged by an eminent jury of industry
experts. Nominate yourselves now to stand a chance to win at the much-awaited
construction industry awards event of 2017.
// Awards preview
// construction business news me // July 2017
54
Page 55
construction business news me // July 2017 //
55
Company Awards
•
Contractor of the year
•
MEP Contractor of the year
•
Consultant of the year
•
Real estate developer of the year
•
FM Company of the year
•
HSE Initiative of the year
•
Sustainability Initiative of the year
•
CSR Initiative of the year
•
Supplier of the year
Project Awards
•
Infrastructure project of the year
•
Commercial project of the year
•
Retail project of the year
•
Hospitality project of the year
•
Residential project of the year
•
Sustainable project of the year
Individual Awards
•
Project manager of the year
•
Engineer of the year
•
Construction Executive of the year
•
Lifetime Achievement Award
Wall of fame
• Lifetime Achievement Award: HE Hesham Abdulla Al
Qassim, CEO, Wasl Asset Management Group
• Master Developer of the Year: Dubai South
• Contractor of the year: Trojan General Contracting
• Developer of the year: Azizi Developments
• Commercial Project of the year: Citywalk by Meraas
• Project Management firm of the year: Parsons
• MEP Contractor of the year: ALEMCO
• Leisure Project of the year: Dubai Parks and Resorts
• Consulting firm of the year: Hill International
• Fastest growing company: KBW Investments
• Hospitality project of the year: The Palm Tower by
Nakheel
• Residential project of the year: Gardenia Residency by
Shaikhani Group
• Engineer of the year: May Faraj, Arcadis
• Infrastructure initiative of the year: China State
Construction Engineering Corporation
• FM Company of the year: EFS Facilities Services
• Project of the year: The Residences at Marina Gate by
Select Group
• Sustainable project of the year: Ted Jacob
Engineering Group
• HSE initiative of the year: Arcadis
• Engineering solution of the year: Kirby Building
Systems
• Formwork company of the year: Doka Gulf
• Innovation of the year: KIMMCO
Key facts
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: St Regis, Dubai
Social media
Twitter - @cbn_me (#cbnmeawards17)
Facebook – cbnme
Linkedin – construction business news
Instagram – @cbn_me
www.cbnme.com
Page 56
// construction business news me // September 2017
56
The 9th edition of the International Exhibition for
Intralogistics, Warehousing, Supply Chain, Ports,
Port Equipment – Products & Services
www.materialshandlingME.com
11 – 13 September 2017
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Visit and meet leading suppliers providing smart
solutions for supply chain and warehousing.
From logistics and robotics to automation and
innovation, connect with game changers that
are transforming the materials handling industry.
Register online to visit at
www.materialshandlingME.com/AD6
Page 57
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
57
// Machinery & Vehicles
Our monthly review of the workhorses of the construction industry
Muscle & Might
Muscle & Might
A round-up of the important updates from the
global construction equipment market
JLG throws light on its decade-long journey to
success regionally and globally
Euro Auctions highlights the auctioneer’s first big
event in the Middle East
58
66
76
Page 58
// NEWS
// construction business news me // September 2017
58
Technology
Trukkin brings cloud-based
B2B transportation to GCC
Trukkin Middle East has
launched its new cloud-based
B2B platform and app that
unites customers with ship-
pers and truckers in the Mid-
dle East region with the aim
of creating new business op-
portunities while streamlining
logistics solutions.
The start-up is the brain-
child of entrepreneurs from
Saudi Arabia and the UAE,
and co-founded by Ahmed Al
Nafie and Janardan Dalmia.
Trukkin is headquartered in
Dubai with offices in Saudi
Arabia and India. Its logistics
platform enables on-demand
services for clients, who can
request bids through the app
or on the web portal after reg-
istering. For clients, Trukkin
provides transparent sourcing
of new suppliers, services on
demand, and promises lower
transport overheads. For fleet
owners and individual driv-
ers, the Trukkin platform
offers a new channel for
business development.
“We’ve launched Trukkin
with the mission of making it
the preferred logistics enabler
region-wide by providing a
state-of-the-art
mechanism
to connect suppliers and cli-
ents,” said Trukkin CEO and
co-founder, Janardan Dalmia.
“Trukkin answers a genu-
ine industry need for greater
transparency, choice of pro-
viders, and the ability to re-
quest transport services from
available fleets. The team has
developed the product after
extensive on-the-ground mar-
ket research, working very
closely with partners from
Saudi Arabia.
“We have honed the user
journey to make registration,
placing
orders,
accepting
bids, and making payments
very simple, leading to an ex-
cellent user experience from
start to finish. I am extremely
confident that Trukkin will
enhance and simplify logistics
across industries in the whole
GCC region.”
The
Trukkin
ecosystem
comprises a multi-lingual cus-
tomer app on iOS, Android,
and a web portal. Fleet own-
ers and individual drivers can
also take advantage of the
multi-lingual online portal and
apps. Customers, fleet own-
ers, and independent drivers,
all register on the Trukkin
platform after going through a
verification process. Custom-
ers can then request services
to transport their goods/load
and provide order details via
the app and web platforms.
Customers choose a pre-
ferred supplier and give the
go-ahead. Drivers from the
logistics firm or fleet opera-
tor then arrive to pick up the
goods and start the provi-
sion of services. Once the
driver has reached the drop-
off point and off-loaded the
goods, proof of delivery is
uploaded to the app, and
the service is officially con-
cluded. Customers then have
a variety of in-app methods to
offer payment.
Customers and fleet own-
ers can also track their ship-
ments in real-time through
Trukkin’s
tracking
system.
The Trukkin team also pro-
vides clients with operation-
al support throughout the
transaction experience.
“Cloud based app solutions
are revolutionising the provi-
sion of services – from rent-
ing holiday homes to hailing
cabs. We’ve brought a similar
model to the logistics, driving
and trucking industries, put-
ting technology at our core
to unlock efficiencies,” added
Dalmia. “Trukkin’s potential
is very exciting and is already
garnering strong support and
we are in advanced discus-
sions, regarding investment
from key captains of industry
region wide. We are working
very closely with our backers
and partners to make Trukkin
the industry’s de facto enabler
across the GCC region.”
Page 59
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
59
Expansion
Raimondi Cranes, the Italian
crane specialist owned by
Dubai-based KBW Invest-
ments, said it is expanding
its presence in the Austral-
asian region with the ap-
pointment of Heavy Lift
Designs (HLD) as its official
agent for New Zealand.
Raimondi Cranes has been
scoring success in the Austra-
lia and HLD recently complet-
ed the erection of a Raimondi
MRT48 in the Sydney suburb
of Cremorne, executing the
crane’s placement and base
design engineering on behalf
of Strictly Cranes.
HLD was founded in 2014
by its managing director, Eng
Blake Hammon, and its new-
ly-established New Zealand
headquarters situated in Wel-
lington, will serve both the
North and South Islands. HLD
will immediately commence
representing Raimondi Cranes
across the country, including
all Raimondi installations and
dismantling procedures.
According
to
Hamman,
HLD will endeavour to pro-
vide specialist engineering
solutions to New Zealand’s
heavy lifting machinery seg-
ment, building on its previ-
ous successes in New South
Wales, Australia. “New Zea-
land is my home, so I’ve al-
ways had a keen interest in
the country’s construction
market and economic pros-
pects. I see New Zealand as
the opportune place for HLD
to launch new technologies;
there is substantial activity
in the construction and en-
gineering sectors with room
for a successful entrepre-
neurial-driven market entry.
“I’ve noticed a trickle down
of machinery and technologies
from similar projects in Austra-
lia into New Zealand’s market,
and I believe our Wellington
office is well-positioned to
capitalise on this increasing
level of interest.”
HLD
end-to-end
crane
engineering solutions, in-
cluding technical lift plan-
ning,
erection,
dismantle
and site planning, together
with feasibility assessments,
third-party verification, and
equipment sourcing.
Hammon continued: “HLD’s
entire value proposition is
based on bringing modern en-
gineering solutions, developed
and drafted with precision and
care, to the construction indus-
try. Raimondi Cranes is a fan-
tastic, forward-thinking crane
manufacturer; for this reason,
we actively pursued the Rai-
mondi agency appointment,
and we’re looking forward to
bringing the company’s high-
ly-reputable,
solution-based
products to market.”
Under the agency of HLD,
Raimondi’s ranges of topless
tower and luffing jib cranes
will now be made available
to clients in New Zealand,
together with after sales care
and technical support. Spear-
headed by Raimondi Cranes
commercial director, Mauro
Masetti, the crane manufac-
turer’s goal is to increase
market share in global con-
struction hubs has recently
appointed agents in South
Germany and the UK.
KBW’s Raimondi enhances
New Zealand presence
Page 60
// NEWS
// construction business news me // September 2017
60
Technology
Trimble and Komatsu in
3D data deal
Trimble and Komatsu have
revealed that they are collab-
orating to improve their cus-
tomers’ ability to exchange
3D construction site data be-
tween the companies’ con-
struction software to make
managing mixed earthworks
fleets easier and allowing
for a more holistic view of
site operations.
As part of the collaboration,
Trimble and Komatsu are
working together to devel-
op an Application Program
Interface (API) to enable
compatibility between their
software platforms. Trimble
Connect software, a cloud-
based collaboration ecosys-
tem, will support Komatsu’s
KomConnect platform for
sharing digital construction
data that can significantly
benefit contractors and proj-
ect managers.
The collaboration is in re-
sponse to customer demand
for mixed-fleet interoper-
ability as well as support
for Japan’s i-Construction
initiative, a plan to drive in-
novation and revolutionise
productivity on construc-
tion sites through the use
of information and commu-
nications technology (ICT),
promoted by the Ministry of
Land, Infrastructure, Trans-
port, and Tourism.
Trimble Connected Site so-
lutions provide contractors
a complete view of site pro-
ductivity including materials
quantity and movement, vol-
ume and compaction data,
and fleet and asset manage-
ment information, regard-
less of machine make or
model. Trimble Connect is
a collaboration environment
allowing customers to com-
bine and share data from
multiple sources, including
those from outside of the
Trimble ecosystem.
Komatsu
introduced
SMARTCONSTRUCTION,
an Internet of Things (IoT)
solution
for
construction
site operations, in Japan in
2015. The solution enables
customers to visualise site
operations using ICT about
workers, machines and sur-
faces on the KomConnect
cloud-based platform to cre-
ate a safer and more produc-
tive site.
"Through
SMARTCON-
STRUCTION, Komatsu will
continue its efforts to create
safe and high-productivity
job sites,” said Chikashi
Shike, executive officer and
president of Komatsu’s Smart
Construction Promotion divi-
sion. “Our collaboration with
Trimble is an important step
in supporting our customers
who operate mixed machine
fleets as well as address
the requirements that will
enable
construction
con-
tractors to support Japan’s
i-Construction initiative.”
“Trimble is committed to
providing a complete con-
struction ecosystem for all
customers. We believe that
the optimal solution is one
that is open and supports all
manufacturers’ machines,”
said Bryn Fosburgh, senior
vice-president of Trimble.
“We are excited to work
with Komatsu to improve
the interoperability with
our
respective
solutions
to broaden our support
for mixed fleet customers
so we can ultimately cre-
ate an intelligent jobsite
for the future.”
Page 61
2017
10-12 OCTOBER | NEC | BIRMINGHAM
- 9 SHOWS UNDER 1 ROOF
- 650+ EXHIBITING COMPANIES
- 10,000+ INNOVATIVE
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
- OVER 30,000 VISITORS
- DEDICATED OFFSITE ZONE
- 100+ CPD SESSIONS
AND SEMINARS
GET YOUR FREE TICKET NOW
UKCONSTRUCTIONWEEK.COM
THE UK’S LARGEST
BUILT ENVIRONMENT EVENT
FREE TO
ATTEND
C
P
D
C
E
R
T
I
F
I
E
D
BUILDING
SAFETY
WORKSHOPS
FREE
2017
Includes access to these events:
Page 62
// construction business news me // September 2017
62
// Transportation
Al Akhilaa General Trading’s CEO, Hashim Sharif Mudhir, talks about how protecting its truck
fleet has helped the company serve the UAE construction sector better
Ready to go
F
or three decades, Al Akhilaa
General Trading has been the go
to company for construction con-
tractors, many of which operate
in the readymix sector where timing is
critical, and needs a reliable and pro-
fessional partner to ensure the timely
delivery of materials at the job site.
Founded as Al Ashraf General
Transport, the company was created
to serve public works and government
projects in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. To-
day, it is one of the top 10 suppliers of
aggregates and building materials for
projects across the emirates, relying on
a large fleet dominated by MAN trucks.
With the country building towards
hosting Expo 2020, Al Akhilaa General
Trading’s CEO, Hashim Sharif Mudhir,
explains that his company is excited
to be a part of the preparations and
estimates that business activity could
increase by as much as 40% during the
run-in to the event.
He says: “We feel confident that our
business will grow, especially consid-
ering Expo 2020 is coming up. We will
expand our fleet, as construction proj-
ects surrounding the event ramp-up.”
Al Akhilaa General Trading’s success
has been built on a three-pronged
strategy of strong recruitment policy,
strict safety controls, and a profes-
sional approach that has helped build
a reputation for quality among its gov-
ernmental and private sector clients.
Mudhir says the company’s well-
maintained fleet is under constant
review and frequently renewed where
necessary. In a business where uptime
is everything and delivery times from
the crushers in quarries to the proj-
We feel confident that
our business will grow, especially
considering that Expo 2020 is
coming up.”
Hashim Mudhir, Al Akhilaa
Page 63
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
63
ect area must be strictly adhered to,
he says that the MAN fleet of trucks
and the support – including utilising
its United Motors and Heavy Equip-
ment Co (UMHE) workshops for full
services – that comes with them has
been essential.
“They provide peace of mind
because we need to ensure that ag-
gregates will be transferred on time
from one location to another – and
UMHE ensures timely delivery and
high-quality of service,” he says. “From
a logistics point of view, MAN is a
trustworthy partner, so we don’t need
to worry about anything.”
Uptime is a major concern for Al
Akhilaa. Comparing the quick turn-
arounds from MAN and UMHE to
those of a crack Formula 1 pit team,
he says: “They speed up the servic-
ing of our trucks, so we can get them
back to work quickly. Our customers
expect fast delivery, so that’s where
MAN trucks are helping us to provide
the best possible service to our clients.
They help us to make our customers
happy by getting things delivered on
time and effectively make us more
qualified for the job.”
The company currently owns and
operates a fleet of 65 MAN trucks. A
further 100 trucks are available for
leasing to contractors on a project-by-
project basis. Together, he says, the
company’s trucks and their trailers
meet “the requirements of customers
to supply and deliver material to sites
anywhere in the UAE”.
During the early years of the com-
pany, Al Akhilaa played its part in the
development of a series of projects
in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, including
the building of the high-end Ajban
Palace and the Al Raha Beach resorts;
the supply of rock for the sculpting
of the canal works in Al Wathba; as
well as supporting the construction of
low-cost housing projects in the more
remote town of Sweihan.
He explains: “At the beginning, most
of the work was for the Government
of Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. Early on,
we were focusing on filling works, but
then afterwards, we started entering
into the construction business and
hauling aggregates for road works and
construction contractors. Within a short
span of time, the company’s excel-
lence in service came to the forefront
and we put in place a dedicated team
of staff and people, which meant we
could cover all the capacities needed
to carry out jobs”
To date, Al Akhilaa has executed
more than AED2bn worth of projects.
Fleet management and deployment
across the country is currently handled
by a team of 20 people. Trucks are
constantly monitored by GPS software,
ensuring the company always knows
the location, speed, and fuel consump-
tion of its fleet. While onsite, Mudhir
explains that the company works
alongside contractors with its own staff
available to manage vehicle productiv-
ity and, importantly, oversee safety. He
adds: “We have people continuously
on site to ensure that the area is safe
for the trucks and will pass site and
safety inspections.”
Operating across the UAE, its trucks
are continually moving through remote
Page 64
// construction business news me // September 2017
64
locations. In an effort to provide sup-
port far from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it
has set up a workshop and garage in
Al Madam close to the Omani border.
The 25-strong support crew based
there are dedicated to maintaining and
managing the trucks in the area.
The company is also expanding its
presence in the emerging Western re-
gion of the country towards the Saudi
Arabian border.
“The latest development un-
der the banner of Al Akhilaa is Al
Akhilaa General Transport, which
has an office based in Beda Zayed,”
he explains. “This will enable the
company to gain a greater grip on
the all recent activities in the Western
region of Abu Dhabi.”
Whether they are in its remote and
rugged mountainous areas or busy,
modern cities, driving in the UAE
always presents challenges to truck
drivers. Mudhir says that the company
continues to place driving and safety
training firmly at the centre of its op-
eration. Conducted on annual basis, it
has chosen to put drivers onto MAN’s
driver programme ‘MAN ProfiDrive’.
The programme, consists of seminars
and practical sessions lead by profes-
sionals to encourage safe and efficient
vehicle utilisation.
He concludes: “We hire qualified
people and experienced drivers to
deliver jobs; in fact most of our drivers
have more than 10 years of experi-
ence. MAN ProfiDrive, however, en-
sures that our drivers are also familiar
with the principles of economical driv-
ing, the technical background informa-
tion, as well as safety related topics.
Logistics and quality is what we always
provide and that’s why the customers
always choose us.”
We will expand
our fleet as
construction projects
surrounding the event
ramp-up.”
// Transportation
Hashim Sharif Mudhir,
Al Akhilaa
Page 65
Three
years’ manufacturer
warranty on MAN CLA
Evolution.*
3 YEARS’ MANUFACTURER
WARRANTY ON THE
ENTIRE VEHICLE.*
MAN CLA Evolution.
Robust, reliable and functional.
The MAN CLA Evolution. First in class in functionality and comfort.
Guaranteed repairs using MAN Genuine Parts
Full cost control
Peace of mind, so you can focus on your business operations
For further details, please contact us at:
middleeast@man.eu
www.cla-evolution.man
*Terms and Conditions apply. Limited time offer.
Page 66
// construction business news me // September 2017
66
// Access Platforms
The
big
lift
Ian Hume looks back at JLG’s near-decade of success and the boon of Expo 2020
N
ext year will be the 10th anniver-
sary since JLG first established
its office in Jebel Ali Free Zone
(JAFZA) on the outskirts of
Dubai. Talking to CBNME, Ian Hume,
sales director, emerging markets, JLG
Middle East, explains how the access
work platform (AWP) specialist has
tweaked its approach to the market
over that decade.
“When JLG established its office
10 years ago, we focused on growth
in the region - increasing our install
base, seeking distribution, and lo-
cal partnerships. Now that we have
reached the maturity stage and are
steadily delivering customers premi-
um quality product, we are increas-
ing our focus on providing service in
the region. Another focus area is to
expand the company's footprint in
regions such as sub-Saharan Africa
and South-East Asia.”
Hume adds that JLG has witnessed
a progressive and greater awareness
of what AWPs have to offer over the
years. Able to reach multiple storeys
in height but also reach the parts other
equipment cannot; AWPs like scissor
lifts and, particularly, boom lifts are as
useful on construction sites as they are
at helping to maintain a building, de-
cades after it has been commissioned.
Hume says adoption has also been
accelerated by moves to improve work
safety in the region.
“The market has adopted AWPs as
the solution for working at height.
With the growth in population, a
more stringent focus in the region on
employee safety has developed,” he
explains. “Today, we no longer need
to explain the concept and benefits of
an AWP over other means of access.”
JLG has continued to develop its of-
fering in the region, bringing in prod-
ucts that are robust enough to stand
the rigours of construction work.
Hume says: “Typically, our large
boom lifts and scissors are very well
accepted in the region. Ranging from
mid-size working height to our flag-
ship product, the 1500AJP (introduced
at Bauma in 2016 and currently the
largest articulating boom lift world-
wide), these products have built a
strong track record of being reliable
assets in increasing efficiency and
productivity on construction sites. Most
recently, we have upgraded our mid-
size boom lifts, not only offering more
durability but also an increased capac-
ity – allowing operators to bring more
materials into the platform.”
Beyond construction, the facilities
management (FM) sector has also
proven to be an increasingly fruitful
hunting ground for JLG.
“The FM sector is becoming increas-
ingly important with the total cost of
the building now going far beyond the
initial build. Previously, where work
Page 67
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
67
was done on ladders and scaffolding,
we are seeing our customers see the
real benefit of adopting access equip-
ment to improve efficiency and safety.
Electrical equipment is key for this
segment as much of the work is done
indoors. We have developed specific
ranges of our scissor lifts, compact
crawlers (narrow articulating boom
lifts on crawler tracks that provide low
ground pressure without a compro-
mise in working height and outreach),
and low-level access products with the
facilities management sector in mind.”
Wherever and however they are
used, part of the charm and the suc-
cess of AWPs are its ease of use. A
thorough read of the manual and a
short training session is enough to
get an operator ready to press the
few controls and joysticks that are
onboard. Recognising the dangers pre-
sented by this false sense of security,
JLG has worked hard locally since
entering the market to encourage and
support training.
“We strongly promote training,”
Hume affirms. “Training is offered
through IPAF - an organisation that
promotes the safe and effective use of
AWP's. Alongside IPAF, we see training
being a cornerstone for our customers
The market
has adopted AWPs
as the solution for
working at height.
With the growth in
population, a more
stringent focus in the
region on employee
safety developed.”
ship and innovation. All three were
high on the agenda earlier this year,
as the US-headquartered company un-
veiled its latest products at ConExpo,
the construction equipments event of
the year, including its new electrically
powered R-Series of scissor lifts that
is being pushed at rental businesses
needing a compact design.
“At ConExpo this year, JLG show-
cased an array of equipment which
is about to come to the market, if not
already. This summer, the R-Series
of scissors were launched into the
market,” he informs, before adding
that a range of all-new rough terrain
diesel-powered scissors are “on the
edge of introduction” with its hybrid
boom lifts, H-Series, to follow later
in the year. Hume adds that JLG is
continuously evaluating its products
and reviewing market developments to
help its swelling list of rental partners.
“Combining the two, we focus on
bringing innovative and practical
improvements to our product range,”
he explains. “One example is the Du-
ratough hoods. Almost unbreakable,
these hoods save costs for owners as
they hardly ever need to be replaced
in case debris fall at a construction
site. Another example is designing our
and we will be introducing regionally
focussed training programmes for our
partners to reinforce the safe use of
JLG equipment.”
He continues: “Generally, safety is
more widely accepted today than it
was 10 years ago. With the growth
of an AWP population and the efforts
from organisations such as IPAF (Inter-
national Powered Access Federation)
that promote the safe use of AWPs,
we've come a long way.”
Safety is integral to JLG’s global
strategy alongside total cost of owner-
A new breed of hybrid
JLG celebrated its 20th year of hybrid
technology at ConExpo with the
launch of its new, parallel H800AJ
80ft (24m) articulating boom lift. Along
with this launch, the company said it
was expanding its hybrid or H line of
products by rebranding its M Series
booms and scissors to a unified H
Series, to more accurately identify them
as Hybrid models.
The machines not only feature a new
nomenclature, but also new decals,
easily identifying them as “eco-friendly”
machines. The consolidated H Series will
be one of the broadest hybrid offerings in
the access equipment industry.
JLG introduced its first patented
hybrid aerial work platform (AWP) in
1987. “Since that time, the company
has taken a measured and purposeful
approach to hybrid technology,” said
Paul Kreutzwiser, JLG Industries
global category director, AWPs. “Our
engineers carefully consider specific
equipment scenarios or applications
and the power they require. Then, match
the hybrid technology that best meets
these requirements. We do not take a
one size fits all approach.”
JLG showcased two parallel hybrids
at ConExpo, an H800AJ, and an
H600AJ concept machine to show
the transferability and scalability of
its hybrid technology across a range
of products. With the exception of its
power plant, the machine is virtually
the same as JLG’s popular 800AJ
model, with common parts for ease of
operation and servicing. The H800AJ
will be available in some markets in
late-2017 and can be used for indoor or
outdoor applications, boasting diesel-
like performance with reduced or zero
emissions, excellent fuel economy, and
reduced noise.
“These parallel hybrids are just the
beginning,” said Kreutzwiser. “As
demand increases across the access
equipment industry for eco-friendly
products, we are proudly assuming a
leadership role in hybrid innovation and
expansion, pioneering new technologies
for different applications, product
categories, and fuel types.”
Page 68
// construction business news me // September 2017
68
products with a high commonality of
parts or engineering our product to
provide ease of maintenance. On the
safety subject, JLG is the first to make
SkyGuard (enhanced operator panel
protection) standard on all its boom
lifts. At ConExpo, the first concept of a
self-levelling boom lift was presented
alongside our continued expansion of
our hybrid range (eg the H800).”
According to Hume, the all-impor-
tant rental market continues to grow in
the region and he has observed more
new entrants coming to market over
the last year.
“We pride ourselves on the support
we offer our rental partners in the
region with our service team continu-
ously traveling throughout the region
to give them the best customer expe-
rience. Our machines are built tough
and with serviceability in mind. This
has led to the continued faith being
placed in JLG as they grow their fleet
or decide to start an access rental
fleet themselves.”
Behind JLG’s success to date has
been a strident set of distributors, with
long-standing UAE-based partner,
GENAVCO, leading the way, ready to
provide the support needed at ground
level to customers.
“Our distributor network through
the Middle East is vital to our success
in region,” he enthuses. “With partners
like GENAVCO in the UAE, who have
been with us for 30 years and also our
recently appointed Qatar distributor,
Rumaillah Motors, our customers have
fantastic support in all the countries
in the Middle East. Our distributors
are there to support our customers
with stock machines and parts avail-
able 24/7. Our coverage in the region
is such that a JLG representative is
never far away, which has led to the
development of new customers and
industries - all backed up with the
growth of our aftersales services on
the ground.”
A major trend across most sectors
has been a focus on getting better
// Access Platforms
Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield Terminal
Page 69
www.cbnme.com
EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A 19 FT SCISSOR LIFT.
Meet your go-to rental machine. The new 1932R was designed with reliability,
serviceability and affordability in mind. This workhorse of a scissor lift features an
all-steel swing out tray, improved battery charger and strategically placed components
for quick and easy maintenance. While active pothole protection provides optimal
ground clearance when you need it. All of this, and more, at an affordable price.
Learn more at www.jlg.com/1932R
YOUR NEW,
AFFORDABLE
WORKHORSE
EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A 8 M SCISSOR LIFT.
Meet your go-to rental machine. The new 1932R was designed with reliability,
serviceability and affordability in mind. This workhorse of a scissor lift features an
all-steel swing out tray, improved battery charger and strategically placed components
for quick and easy maintenance. While active pothole protection provides optimal
ground clearance when you need it. All of this, and more, at an affordable price.
Learn more at www.jlg.com
JLG Industries | JAFZA View | PO Box 262728 | LB 19, 20th Floor, Office 05 | Jebel Ali | Dubai | measales@jlg.com
Page 70
// construction business news me // September 2017
70
value out of the capital spending or
costs. Echoing the JLG message from
ConExpo, Hume says the total cost of
ownership is a major focus permeat-
ing the brand, although how that
benefits a customer or rental house
can vary widely.
“First, there is no unified definition
for total cost of ownership. For that
reason, it is very difficult to compare
data as the drivers that lead to TCO
are interpreted in many different
ways. The metrics that JLG uses for
TCO are built from acquisition costs,
operational costs, resale value - the
so-called hard costs and then there is a
more flexible component added to it -
machine reliability (maximum uptime)
and machine versatility (maximum
utilisation),” he says.
Turning his thoughts to the future,
he sees a huge opportunity to build on
its record of benchmark projects in the
region, particularly the UAE, as activity
builds towards the country hosting
Expo 2020 in three years’ time.
“JLG is very proud to have played a
role in the shaping of Dubai and the
rest of the emirates,” he says. “JLG
has had a strong presence on major
projects over the past 18 months such
as Midfield Terminal, Louvre Museum,
Dubai International Expansion, Dubai
Parks Resort, and Blue Waters Bay.
The Expo 2020 project has and will
see an increasing demand for access
equipment as the project speeds up
construction by the end of 2019. We
expect to see over 1,000 JLG machines
working on that site alone.”
// Access Platforms
Previously,
where work was done on
ladders and scaffolding,
we are seeing our
customers see the real
benefit of adopting access
equipment to improve
efficiency and safety.”
Ian Hume, JLG
Page 71
Powered by a groundbreaking 430PS E3 Ecotorq engine that yields impressive
torque values, the 2017 Ford Trucks 1843T Tractor is made for any road and any load.
Stop by your authorised dealer today to experience its sheer power.
The new 1843T Tractor,
hitting the road with full power.
Innovation in design
Power in motion
TRUCKS
– Almoayyed Motors – Manama / sheehanford@almoayyed.com.bh
– Al Kasid Commercial Agencies Ltd - Erbil, Baghdad / ahmed.ali@al-kasid.ae
– The Commercial & Industrial Company - Amman / w.albajjali@cic.com.jo
– Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC - Muscat / bhaskar@mhd.co.om
– Almana Motors Company W.L.L – Doha / oghobrial.aa@almanagroup.com
– Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co Ltd – Riyadh / mbuhsuli@aljazirahford.com
– Al Tayer Motors – Dubai / selzokm@altayer.com
– Premier Motors – Abu Dhabi / selzokm@altayer.com
Bahrain
Iraq
Jordan
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
Page 72
// construction business news me // September 2017
72
// Trucks
Ford Trucks discusses with CBNME about how technology and
strong partnerships are helping it cement its position in the region
Ford Trucks on
the right track
N
ow well into the second half of
2017, Ford Trucks is beginning
to see the benefits of its ongo-
ing strategy to bolster its dealer
network across the GCC. Barely few
years since its entry, it has already
made huge strides into what had
been a stale market dominated by few
long-standing brands.
Ford Trucks figures have been
increased in comparison to its 2016
results. The past year has also seen the
fruition of its bold approach to the Saudi
Arabian market. This first phase of its
entry into the market has seen it estab-
lish three centers of operations with its
dealer partner Al Jazirah Vehicle Agen-
cies (AJVA) and the company will soon
open at five further locations.
Ford Trucks has an ambitious growth
strategy in the Saudi Arabia and is cur-
rently represented in the three major
cities of Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah.
During its second phase, Ford Trucks
will expand its operations to Jubail,
Madinah, Qasim, Aseer, and Jizan, fully
confident in the Kingdom’s long-term
strengths and capabilities.
Its success to date has been enhanced
by the comprehensive network of Al
Jazirah which gives it an opportunity to
cover the large country. In addition, 38
service points of Ford in the Kingdom
enables it to support customers in every
corner of Saudi Arabia whenever and
wherever it is needed.
The Saudi market remains an impor-
tant territory by volume for the heavy
vehicles industry and Ford Trucks has
settled into the role of a newcomer with
a refreshing approach which has seen it
concentrate on getting its teams into the
offices and job sites of AJVA’s custom-
ers. The Saudi market is changing from
an economic and social development
perspective and fleets are adjusting by
seeking out reliable technology that
lower costs in their business.
There are opportunities too for fleets
willing to invest. The opening of Ford
Trucks’ main office for the Kingdom in
Riyadh in 2016 was an important dem-
onstration of its commitment to meet
market demand, as well as its belief that
national development programmes such
as Vision 2030 would help drive further
demand for new vehicles and new tech-
nology. Ford Trucks understands that
the market needed a much better service
from the industry and has been able to
react quickly on their behalf.
It has benefited greatly from the new
office in Riyadh and its smooth coopera-
tion with AJVA. It has also reached out
to communicate directly with stakehold-
ers in the country like fleet customers,
municipalities, public authorities and
superstructure companies (that build
trailers to haul materials).
The recently launched Ford Trucks
8x4 Construction Truck, the 4143M is
also proving to be perfectly aligned
Page 73
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
73
with the market’s requirements. It is
also securing repeat business from
the customers.
The 4143M has a 430hp and 2150
Nm torque engine and is equipped
with a 12.7 cbm mixer, and it is
already the leading product in this seg-
ment. Ford Trucks believes that once
a customer has on its trucks in their
fleet, it is very likely that their next
order will be a Ford trucks.
With the Vision 2030 national de-
velopment programme placing a great
deal of emphasis on reforming business
culture and road safety, the onus is on
manufacturers to enable fleets to meet
the directives that have been laid out
by the government. Ford Trucks has a
number of features that, it say, can help
fleets to make the transition.
Products and services in line with
Vision 2030, including its safety features
which ensure traffic safety and reduce
traffic accidents, such as its electronic
brake system (ESP), electronic stability
control (ESC), hill launch assist, dif-
ferential lock, and intarder. It promises
effective and efficient outlay for custom-
ers with a three-year unlimited mileage,
bumper to bumper warranty, 40,000 km
service intervals, and reduced mainte-
nance costs on to support customers in
their businesses.
The company has also targeted qual-
ity and comfort in its trucks with an
extra high roof cab with double bed, air
suspended driver seat, lumbar support,
tinted glass, power cab tilting and elec-
trical controls designed to make driving
efficient and comfortable.
Beyond the Saudi Arabian market,
the company has built up a widespread
dealer network in the UAE, Oman,
Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait
and Lebanon.
Understanding that sales and service
network structuring is key to success in
its business, it has developed a strong
partnership with its experienced roster
of dealers, providing best business solu-
tions and services throughout the region.
In the Middle East, Ford Trucks and its
dedicated dealers serve regional custom-
ers with a complete support programme
which also includes on-the-spot repairs.
Ford Trucks after sales services are rep-
resented by mobile services and a wide
network of service centers operated by
official Ford Trucks dealers.
“Ford Trucks is aiming to build long
term relationships with its regional cus-
tomers by understanding their concerns
of saving operational cost,” says Mustafa
Caner Sinanoglu, managing director
of Middle East. “All of Ford Trucks
vehicles boast a reassuring combination
of durable components (driveline, cab,
chassis…etc.) and the range is served
with wide network of aftersales to sup-
port uptime and the two years warranty
which can be extendable for 3 years and
with optional customised service con-
tracts and a telematics system through-
out the Middle East.
Looking ahead, Ford Trucks is prepar-
ing to launch its new 6x4 tractor range
or the first time in GCC towards the
end of the year. It follows a success-
ful roll out its tractors, road trucks and
its Construction Series to customers in
the Middle East market. It has been
particularly strong in the construction,
long-haul transport, public works sectors
in the region. Sinanoglu argues that the
company has found a sweet spot of of-
fering high quality and durable vehicles
at a low initial investment point with
low operating cost. It has also mastered
the art of offering choice, complemented
by customisation.
Popular Ford Trucks models,
tractors, tippers and mixers can be
customized with transmission and
cabin types for on road and off-road
conditions. Tractors and construc-
tion vehicles are offered with 10 mm
500 Mpa chassis frame which further
improves the durability of the vehicle.
The mixer series for construction
applications are offered in 6x4 and
8x4 versions with 12.7l Ford Ecotorq
powerful engine (4x2 and 6x2 models
feature the 9.0l Ford Ecotorq powerful
engine). Its public and special trucks
are mainly used for municipality, army
and various applications which are
offered with many superstructure al-
ternatives and capable of fulfilling the
market needs.
Through all the models, its ‘Hot Cli-
mate Package’ provides comfort in hot
and dusty environments with increased
A/C performance, improved radiator
performance, improved cabin isolation
and improved filtration. During long-
term development period for the Hot
Climate Package, vehicle durability tests
including laboratory tests that simulate
the region’s high temperatures, humid-
ity and dusty conditions and also the
specific customer expectations were
studied and considered with road tests
in the region.
Ford Trucks’ experience, dealer
support and technological knowhow
is currently being poured into its next
models. Coming in Q4 2017, it is
planning the official launch of its new
construction series and new 6x4 tractor
range which will be introduced for the
first time in GCC.
“By empowering our line-up with
a new range, we are expecting to
keep our positive results in Q4 2017
and will keep growing up unto 2020,”
Sinanoglu concludes.
The Saudi market
remains an important
territory by volume
for the heavy vehicles
industry and Ford
Trucks has settled into
the role of a newcomer
with a refreshing
approach.”
Page 74
// construction business news me // September 2017
74
// Event preview
This year’s UK Construction Week promises to be the largest and most impressive yet, with an
anticipated 35,000 visitors and more than 650 exhibitors
UK Construction Week
H
osted once again at the Birming-
ham NEC, the UK Construction
Week will feature nine shows,
taking place from October 10-12,
2017. It’s Britain’s biggest construc-
tion industry event, with an emphasis
on business networking, peer-to-peer
learning and knowledge-share and,
of course, the first public viewing of
plenty of innovative products. As ever,
it’s completely free to attend for all con-
struction industry professionals.
Nine shows
The nine shows will be taking place
simultaneously, covering every facet of
building design and construction, from
planning to interior fit-out - the Build
Show sponsored by Easy-Trim; Timber
Expo; Smart Buildings 2017; Surface &
Materials Show (featuring Kitchens &
Bathrooms Live); Energy 2017; Grand
Designs Live; Plant & Machinery Live;
HVAC 2017; and Civils Expo.
Among the exhibitors are some of
the industry’s best-regarded specialists,
including Rockwool, Velux Easy-
Trim, Portakabin, Steico CAT, Cemex,
Gripple, Screwfix, HS2, and HP, as
well as a long list of international
names such as Bisen Smart Access Co,
Hauff-Technik, Kessel, Randek, and
the Jiangxi Songtao Bamboo Industry
Company. There will also be interna-
tional pavilions from Turkey, China,
Belarus, and Poland.
World and UK Premieres
Along with demonstrations of the latest
construction techniques, materials, and
new products benefitting every domes-
tic and international sector, the event
will be hosting a world premiere. Ten
Fold will be giving the world’s first live
demo of the TF-64 – a fully relocat-
able, self-deploying building that
offers the tantalising possibility of fully
relocatable, expanding buildings that
arrive, self-unload, and self-deploy in
minutes using almost no power. These
units are furnished and ready for im-
mediate use and can fold away and
move on as effortlessly as they arrive.
This approach could solve the chal-
lenge of annual and seasonal varia-
Page 75
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
75
tions in demand faced by educational
institutions, the NHS, and the
Housing Sector.
At the Surface & Materials Show
2017, the event will be hosting the
ÖÖDHOUSE - a rapid-construction
pod building made from timber and
privacy glass so that it reflects its exte-
rior surrounding – seen at UK Con-
struction Week for the first time.
Three major motifs
Offsite construction is a recurring
theme - it’s the future of the way we
build, and there are more exhibi-
tors focusing on offsite and modular
construction at UK Construction Week
than any other area. This part of the
event is supported by the Modular
and Portable Building Association
(MPBA) and Structural Timber Asso-
ciation (STA), organisations heavily in-
volved in promoting the benefits and
advantages of offsite and volumetric
modular construction.
The Building Research Estab-
lishment (BRE) is hosting the BIM
Prospects Theatre, where experts will
share their insights on delivering col-
laborative 3D BIM.
Building safety is an absolute
priority at this year’s event. Visitors
will benefit from free CPD advice
covering changes to legislation on
safety, guidance on product safety,
and fire prevention strategies, among
other insights.
Seminal speakers
UK Construction Week has an impres-
sive line-up of speakers for 2017.
Well-known TV architect, George
Clarke, and architecture expert Tom
Dyckhoff will feature alongside Heath-
row Airport, Network Rail, Zaha Hadid
Architects, drMM, Arup, Pier Architects,
Design for Homes, and HS2 Growth
Partnership. There are experts in every
subject from the future of architecture
and infrastructure, interior design to
sustainability, from smart cities to stan-
dards supporting international trade.
This year, there are extra zones
and theatres, including the Off-
site Theatre in association with
the Modular and Portable Building
Association, the Development and
Regeneration Hub, the BIM Pros-
pects Theatre delivered by BRE, the
Education Hub featuring BSI Con-
struction Forum, and the How To
Theatre sponsored by Trimaco.
The Innovation Trail
UK Construction Week is bringing
back the Innovation Trail, a show-
case for the newest and most exciting
construction-related products on the
market. Zip Panelling will bring its
latest composite panel board design
that is set to revolutionise external
party, internal cladding, and flooring
construction. Grundfos will introduce
SCALA2, a new fully integrated, vari-
able speed, water booster pump that
has been specifically designed and
built to deliver perfect water pressure
to wherever it is needed.
What else is happening?
New specialist awards are added to
the awards ceremonies this year, too,
including the Offsite Awards, BIM
Awards, and several new World Archi-
tecture News awards to be presented.
In a communications partnership,
the Chartered Institute of Building and
ITN Productions are producing a news
and current affairs-style programme
which explores the opportunities, chal-
lenges, and future of the UK construc-
tion industry live at the event.
Construction Careers Week will take
place for all Birmingham and Solihull
senior schools from October 9-13, 2017,
designed specifically to tie in with the
dates of UK Construction Week 2017.
Page 76
// construction business news me // September 2017
76
Jonnie Keys, operations manager for Euro Auctions, previews the auctioneer’s first big event for
the Middle East, to be held in JAFZA in Dubai
The big sale
P
romising to shake up the auc-
tion scene in the Middle East,
leading auctioneers of indus-
trial plant, constructional, and
agricultural equipment, Euro Auctions
will open the doors to its first sale
on September 13, 2017. The two-day
auction marks the culmination of
preparation dating back several years
and operations manager Jonnie Keys
tells CBNME that, while it has always
welcomed Middle East participation at
its sites globally located sites and on-
line, Euro Auctions is excited to finally
bring its experience to Dubai’s Jebel
Ali Free Zone (JAFZA).
He explains: “The Middle East has
long been part of the continued global
expansion plans for Euro Auctions
and, in particular, the UAE was the
obvious destination to establish a
strong and stable operating base. Euro
Auctions has always had very good
relationships with consignors and buy-
ers in the Middle East and Africa. This
new auction location will enable the
business to create stronger relation-
ships with customers in this region.
Euro Auctions has seen increased par-
ticipation from the Middle East in sales
in Europe and the USA over the past
12 months and the new Dubai facility
will contribute to building a stronger
customer base in the region.”
With a trading base in Brisbane,
Australia, and with a new sale site in
Hong Kong coming online in Sep-
tember 2017, Dubai will be a pivotal
point in triangulating the Pacific Rim,
// Auctions
Page 77
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
77
he adds, “and creating secure logisti-
cal and operation points through
which Euro Auctions can best serve
this region”.
While this will be the first time it has
held a physical auction in the region,
Keys stresses that Euro Auctions has
been close to the market for some
time. “Euro Auctions markets to over
100,000 prospects in over 95 countries
around the world. As a result, the
business communicates regularly with
its global community and our teams
know personally the majority of sellers
and buyers in the region.”
He explains: “For Dubai, Euro Auc-
tions has a large contingency of con-
signors and buyers on that database
that reside in the Middle East with
whom the business will communicate.
On the ground, Euro Auctions has
employed local specialists with local
knowledge and contacts. The number
of territory managers for the Middle
East will increase over time.”
The operation in Dubai is led by a
three-man team of general manager
Derek Bleakley, territory manager
Richard Sweatt, and UAE auction
veteran and sales manager Amjad Abu
Faroukh. Keys says that the com-
pany’s business model is always to
recruit a core team in every country
from locals who understand the lan-
guage and culture.
“This local team is then bolstered
at each sale from key staff across the
world,” he continues. “For example,
the customer service team who man-
ages the administration aspects, the IT
department, the financial department,
and many more that provide essential
support for each sale. This way, the
whole Euro Auctions family values
are maintained and buyers and sellers
attending multiple events see recogni-
sable team members at each sale.”
The concept of family and family
values is brought up by Keys time and
again in conversation, and like many
of Euro Auctions’ Middle East sellers
and bidders, he is part of a family-
owned and family-run business.
The company was founded in the
UK by Derek Keys and his broth-
ers in their home town of Dromore,
Northern Ireland. The first sale in
1998 boasted just 371 lots of industrial
plant, construction equipment, and
agricultural machinery, but attracted
over 1,500 bidders. While that may
have excited talk over the family
dinner table two decades ago, Derek
and his brothers now oversee a global
operation that runs sales in seven
countries spread over four continents.
Over 70,000 pieces of equipment will
have been sold to over 10,000 buyers
(with 6,000 vendors and 30,000 bid-
ders) at Euro Auctions' 60 sales by the
end of the year, but, despite its global
footprint, Euro Auctions has not lost
Page 78
// construction business news me // September 2017
78
touch with what has made it a popu-
lar destination for sellers and buyers
for close to 20 years.
“Euro Auctions has built a sound
reputation by listening to its clients,
working with them and helping them
to solve any logistical problems that
are inevitable in this industry. We
spend time with our clients getting
to know them better. We also deliver
what we promise,” says Keys. “We
are always fair, and that coupled with
having a very ‘can do’ attitude, sets
us above the rest. We have many
customers who have been with us for
many years and we have worked with
them when times have been challeng-
ing and the economic environment has
been more positive.
“These experiences have promoted
terrific customer loyalty. From an or-
ganisational perspective, Euro Auctions
has a fairly flat and compact structure,
meaning we can be extremely agile
and responsive to economic changes
or to any opportunities that we see in
the market.”
He continues: “When Euro Auctions
opens its doors in Dubai in September,
the first impression that attendees will
get is that the sale is a very friendly
affair with buyers and sellers being
treated with high levels of customer
service. As Euro Auctions knows its
customers personally, there will be a
lot of familiar faces in the sale room as
well as looking at and testing equip-
ment and machinery.
“Friends in the Middle East are regu-
lar visitors to other Euro Auctions sales
around the planet, and are regularly
seen in the UK, Germany, Spain, and
Australia. The friendly atmosphere will
be apparent and the Keys family will
be evident at each sale and have a
real ‘hands on’ approach. Overall, the
sale will be friendly and efficient with
lots of familiar faces as well as having
great machinery on offer.”
Speaking in early August, Keys
says that Euro Auctions is deep into
the throes of arranging consign-
ments for the September sale. The
reaction from the market to its entry
into Dubai has been overwhelmingly
positive, he adds.
“Interest to date has been excep-
tional and with many loyal buy-
ers and sellers in the region, Euro
Auctions expects trade to be good,”
How it works
Euro Auctions photographs
and compiles a comprehensive
specification of all lots which
are then posted on the auction
platform site www.euroauctions.
com. Before all sales, Euro
Auctions conducts an extensive
global marketing campaign to
promote, not just the auction, but
specific pieces of specialised
equipment to target audiences.
All auctions exist physically at
the sale site as well as online
through the Euro Auctions free to
use auction platform. Bidders can
watch and listen to the auction in
real time and on an average, 40%
to 50% of all bidding activity is
conducted through the internet. All
sales are ‘unreserved’, meaning
each lot is sold to the highest
bidder. Once purchased, the
buyer typically goes through an
efficient post sale process of
payment, completion of necessary
documents, and the arranging of
any logistics where necessary,
with Euro Auctions trying to keep
everything as simple as possible.
Euro Auctions ensures that at all
sites around the globe, the seller
and buyer experience is seamless
regardless of location and many
consignors and buyers will sell or
bid at multiple sales globally each
year. So, making the experience
identical on each occasion is key to
ensuring they buy or sell well. The
only local or cultural differences will
be confined to language, currency,
or international legislation.
Practically and logistically, Euro
Auctions helps its consignors
to prepare lots for sale, with jet
washing, carrying out cosmetic
and mechanical repairs,
collections and deliveries, hence,
keeping all the machinery for sale
in one place is the way to achieve
this, making a case for physical
sales moving forward.
// Auctions
Page 79
22 - 23 October 2017
Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa, Kuwait
OFFICIALLY HOSTED BY:
10% DISCOUNT FOR
CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS
NEWS SUBSCRIBERS
Designing, maintaining and rehabilitating
Kuwait’s roads, bridges and infrastructure for
a sustainable and connected transport network
UNDER THE
PATRONAGE OF:
H.E. Eng. Abdulrahman
Al-Mutawa, Minister of
Public Works, Kuwait
For more information or to register
Tel: +971 4 364 2975 Email: enquiry@iqpc.ae @iqpcmena
infrastructurekuwait.iqpc.com
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
DUCTILE IRON PIPES
Strategic Sponsor
Associate Sponsor
Networking Partner
Strategic Sponsor
Media Partners:
Page 80
// construction business news me // September 2017
80
he states. “With the inaugural sale,
Euro Auctions is looking to provide
consignors with a real alternative in
the region at which to sell. For buy-
ers, it provides the opportunity to
buy some really good equipment and
machinery. Once that is achieved,
Euro Auctions will continue to build
the numbers as sales follow.”
It remains to be seen how other auc-
tioneers based in the UAE will react to
the entry of one of the world’s most
famous names, but Keys is keen to
emphasise that his company is purely
focused on providing access to the
global market.
“Local auctions have their place, but
their organisation and structure means
they are dependent on local buyers,”
he says, “The merit of choosing a large
reputable plant auction specialist is
added professionalism and expertise,
including how the asset is presented,
how it is advertised to the correct mar-
ket, where it is advertised, presenting
it appropriately, and having the right
mix of buyers both local and interna-
tional who will compete aggressively
ensuring a good price – this is what
Euro Auctions is best at.”
where and when to sell to optimise
the price. Regardless of market prices,
what vendors want to achieve is fair
market value, knowing that the seller
has done his best and the asset has
achieved what it would make at other
auctions worldwide.”
An added advantage the larger plant
auctioneers have over the smaller opera-
tors is market knowledge, he comments.
“Many of the vendors known to
Euro Auctions have also been buyers,
so we know the equipment they have
and can offer them the best advice on
// Auctions
Page 81
www.cbnme.com
THE HOME OF
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT
REGISTER ONLINE » SAVE AED100
Cityscape Global 2017 is the largest and most influential real
estate investment and development event for emerging markets
globally. Bringing together investors, developers, government
officials and real estate professionals, there is no better place to
find investment opportunities and new business partners.
THE LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT EVENT FOR EMERGING MARKETS GLOBALLY
Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE
11 - 13 SEPTEMBER 2017
+9714 336 5161 info@cityscapeglobal.com www.cityscapeglobal.com
Visit the show
for EXCLUSIVE
DISCOUNTS AND
OFFERS!
Official Business
Website
Business Partner
Regional TV News
Partner
Official Russian
Publication
Property Portal
Partner
Global media
Partner
Co-located with
Research Partner
Organised by
TV
Partner
Foundation Partners
Offical Arabic
Newspaper
Strategic Partner
Projects Marketing
Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Platinum Sponsors
Page 82
// construction business news me // September 2017
82
Power
Global construction equip-
ment
manufacturer,
Chi-
cago Pneumatic, is set to
provide the essential power
required for the construc-
tion of a luxury residential
development besides the
Dubai Water Canal. The or-
der was secured by autho-
rised Chicago Pneumatic
distributor,
German-Gulf
Enterprises, with 14 genera-
tors forming a crucial part of
a project that will see 6,000
new homes built by 2021.
The order includes six
CPSG300, five CPSG200, one
CPSG105, and two CPSG60
machines. Sushil Kumar, di-
visional manager at German-
Gulf Enterprises, says: “We
put forward CPSG genera-
tors, in response to the ten-
der from the project contrac-
tor, as they provide excellent
durability and are built to
withstand tough worksite
conditions while operating at
high working temperatures.
These features were deemed
essential by the contractor as
positioning of the genera-
tors, both on and offsite,
the project contractor also
requested that all the larger
CPSG300
machines
were
equipped with an optional
lifting beam.
Edmerlito Gonzales, re-
gional business line man-
ager for Chicago Pneumatic
Construction Equipment in
Chicago Pneumatic to power
Dubai luxury project
the project needed a power
supply capable of perform-
ing continuously over a long
period of time.”
As part of the order, Chi-
cago Pneumatic installed its
advanced BSE7320 control
panel on all of the genera-
tors, which enables users
to operate the machines re-
motely. To facilitate faster
the Middle East, said: “We
congratulate
German-Gulf
for securing this significant
order which further increas-
es recognition of our brand
in the UAE. Our generator
range offers premium power
at a competitive price and
we’re pleased that they are
being used in a leading con-
struction development.”
Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) reported that the net
income for the first half of 2017 rose by 111%
year-on-year to $115.2mn as to $54.5mn for the
same period in 2016. The company generated a
net income of $47.1mn in Q2 2017, up by 8.5%,
compared to $43.4mn in Q2 2016.
The company reported total sales of $476.9mn
in Q2 2017 versus $441mn for the same period in
2016, up 8% year-on-year. Total sales in H1 2017
stood at $983.3mn, up by 15%, versus $56.8mn
in H1 2016.
Alba’s topline and bottomline for the second and
first-half of 2017 were primarily driven by higher
London Metal Exchange (LME) prices, an increase
of 22%, and favourable employee performance.
Commenting on the financial results, the chair-
man of Alba’s board of directors, Daij Bin Salman
Bin Daij Al Khalifa, said: “Alba improved its bot-
tom-line despite the impact of the power outage. I
would like to thank our employees and contractors
for their efforts in safely restoring Line 5 produc-
tion to normal operations.”
Alba’s chief executive officer, Tim Murray,
added: “We delivered exceptional results taking
into account the strain that Line 5 recovery put on
our operations."
Alba reports 111% income rise in H1
// Supplier News
Page 83
construction business news me // September 2017 //
www.cbnme.com
83
Performance
Al Jazeera Steel posts 12% hike
in Q2 sales
Omani steel manufacturer,
Al Jazeera Steel Products, re-
ported a 12% rise in year-on-
year sales volumes during
the second quarter of 2017.
The group's sales in H1 2017
came to OMR46mn, 31%
higher than H1 2016's sales
of OMR35.3mn.
In a filing on the Muscat
Securities
Market,
Sulai-
man Mohammed Shaheen
Al-Rubaie, chairman of Al
Jazeera Steel, said: “The
company's Q2 sales growth
came on the back of its am-
plified marketing efforts. The
second quarter was a chal-
aged to increase sales vol-
umes and maintain profit-
ability. This was achieved
predominantly due to cost
optimisation and diversifica-
tion in product mix."
Al Jazeera also acquired the
stake of its joint venture (JV)
partner in Saudi Arabia dur-
ing Q2 2017. Al-Rubaie said:
"This will now lead to bet-
ter operational control and
realise the purpose it was
conceived for. This move is
expected to help the com-
pany increase its penetration
into the Saudi market in the
coming years."
The revenue for the GCC materials handling equipment market, which was worth
$3.78bn in 2014, is set to maintain a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of
over 4% while reaching an estimated $4.8-$5bn in revenues by 2020, according
to Frost & Sullivan.
Saudi Arabia with about 46%, and the UAE with 35%, make up the largest mar-
kets in the region and are expected to continue to spearhead market expansion
going forward, the research found.
Key drivers for the continued expansion in demand for materials handling equip-
ment continue to be the ongoing focus of the GCC countries in large-scale infrastruc-
tural and logistics development, including that of key transport and shipping hubs,
export processing and free zones, as well as the high dependence of many countries
on import of goods and services that call for increased reliance on materials handling
and logistics facilities, according to the research, presented by Messe Frankfurt Mid-
dle East, the organisers of Materials Handling Middle East 2017, which will run from
September 11-13, 2017, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Among the global giants showcasing their latest offerings are the likes of Swiss-
log, Daifuku, and Kardex. Major local players, such as GENAVCO, SPAN Motors,
and United Motors and Heavy Equipment will also participate in the event, where
they will be joined by debutants such as Feralco from France, MPM from Italy, and
Saudi manufacturer Power Rack Factory.
GCC materials handling equipment
market to hit $5bn by 2020
lenging period as anticipat-
ed, due to various reasons.
The summer months, cou-
pled with reduced working
towards the end of the quar-
ter, due to the Holy Month
of Ramadan, and various
events in the region, led to
lower incremental demand."
A downward price cor-
rection in China also put
pressure on the prices of
finished products both, re-
gionally and globally, which
Al-Rubaie said, "had a direct
impact" on the firm's bottom
line. He added: "Even with
a competitive environment,
coupled with lower demand
growth, the company man-
Page 84
// construction business news me // September 2017
84
// Editor's pick
Despite political instability, the MENA infrastructure markets have been fairly stable over the
last quarter, according to a recent report by BMI Research
A ray of hope
The Middle East and North Africa
(MENA) infrastructure markets have
been largely stable over the last quar-
ter; the GCC remains best able to offer
a balance of strong opportunities and
low risk business environments despite
the increased political risk. Accord-
ing to BMI Research’s Risk/Reward
Index (RRI), MENA ranks as the third
strongest region globally, placing it in
the middle of the pack behind North
America and Western Europe (NAWE)
and Asia, but ahead of Latin America,
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
The UAE and Saudi Arabia out-
perform the smaller markets of
Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. Overall,
the financial firepower and relative
political stability of the GCC make
them the more attractive markets to
operate in for infrastructure develop-
ers and investors.
However, the index notes that the
GCC risks eroding its advantage over
markets such as Egypt and Jordan as
the rift between Qatar and other re-
gional peers continues to drag on. On
the other side, Egypt is the strongest
scoring non-GCC market in the MENA
RRI. With solid structural demand for
infrastructure driven by a positive
demographic profile and a government
which has actively looked to the sector
as means to win popular support and
prop up economic growth, Egypt's
rewards profile is strong and registers
a score of 68.7 overall, behind only the
UAE and Saudi Arabia. Egypt’s till re-
mains a significantly riskier infrastruc-
ture market to operate in, however,
with a weak legal environment, poor
logistics, and quality of labour, as well
as elevated crime and security risk.
That said, the report highlights a
more positive outlook on the country's
long-term economic outlook following
the free float of the currency in 2016
and the removal of restrictions of capi-
tal transfers out of the country, which
will encourage an ongoing recovery
in foreign investment inflows. Under
the stewardship of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), this improved
sentiment in the eyes of investors
will buoy the country's infrastructure
sector as they look to tap into Egypt's
burgeoning public-private partnership
(PPP) market.
Iran, this quarter, has seen an
improvement in its RRI scores for
economic risk due to an improved out-
look for inflation and investment into
the country. The report suggests that
President Hassan Rouhani's re-election
to a second term will ensure Iran's
continued relative openness towards
foreign investment over the coming
years, encouraging non-US companies
to engage with the country. This is
positive for Iran's economic outlook -
though the improvements will only be
gradual, as the hardline elite continues
to constrain the President's ability to
introduce major reforms. Within this
context is a construction sector which
is forecast to return to robust growth
in 2017-2018 and remains the third
largest in the MENA region, coupled
with significant pent-up demand for
infrastructure investment from a large
population following years of sanc-
tions, offers a great deal to those com-
panies willing to look to the market.
Languishing at the bottom of the
regional and global tables are Ye-
men, Iraq, and Libya. Notably Yemen
comes at last place (105 out of 105
countries ranked globally) on the
back of severe weaknesses in industry
outlook and institutional, political,
and security capacity.
Libya is in 94 places out of 105
globally and penultimate place re-
gionally. Prior to the current state of
conflict, Libya had attracted several
construction majors into what was
one of the largest infrastructure mar-
kets in Africa. However, the sector
has come to a complete standstill as
the security and political situation
remains one of the most precarious
globally, effectively preventing any
activity from taking place.
For Iraq, an impressive rewards
score driven by a significant backlog
of projects and pent up demand for
infrastructure, is utterly undermined by
some of the weakest scores globally
for risks. In particular, an opaque and
corrupt business environment affects
contract awards and security and sta-
bility will remain extremely fragile for
the foreseeable future.
Page 85
www.cbnme.com
DISCOVER HOW TO ACCELERATE YOUR BUSINESS
Powered by Thomson Reuters, Accelerate SME is the gateway to the
SME ecosystem in MENA; providing access to the resources and solutions
needed to support you at any business stage.
We have joined forces with some of the region’s most powerful financial
and workflow solution providers to service and support your specific needs.
As a member of Accelerate SME you can access a wide range of business
resources including, funding, online community, industry insights, tools
and easy-to-use templates.
ACCELERATE SME
CONTRIBUTE. ENGAGE. GROW.
FIND OUT MORE AT ACCELERATESME.COM
Page 86
// construction business news me // September 2017
86
// Save the date
Mark your calendar
Save the date
Infra Oman
Muscat, Oman
It is dubbed as one of the largest build-
ing and construction expo in the Middle
East and has been continuously defining
the industry’s development for the last six
years. Organised by Al Nimr International
Exhibition Organisers, it is considered
as the annual meeting place for indus-
try leaders, suppliers, and buyers in the
Sultanate. Infra Oman has proved to be an
ideal starting point not only for the local
companies, but also for foreign entities
that are more determined to be part of
Oman’s growing market.
Saudi Build 2017
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Build has been Saudi Arabia’s largest
construction trade exhibition, attracting thou-
sands of international manufacturers, exporters
and businessmen, as well as tens of thousands
of regional engineers, importers and industry
professionals to connect and engage with the
latest technology that the Kingdom’s largest
sector has to offer. The exhibition will have
more than 870 local, regional, and interna-
tional companies under one roof and will also
offer networking opportunities with decision
makers from the public and private sectors.
2nd Annual GCC HVAC Summit
Dubai, UAE
The event plans to have all stakehold-
ers under the energy program across the
GCC under one roof. The event would
focus on environment policy and planning,
sustainable development, HVAC technolo-
gies, challenges and opportunities in the
sector, sustainable options – clean energy
and regulations, and many more topics.
Organised by Gulf Learning, this summit
will showcase the prowess and potential
of HVAC technologies that will secure air
conditioning and power consumption to its
most effective level, and organisations in
the region and globally, who are intending
to expand their portfolios into emerging
markets such as district cooling, energy,
and power efficiency and sustainability.
Cityscape Global
Dubai, UAE
Cityscape Global 2017 is the largest and
most influential real estate investment and
development event for emerging markets
globally. Bringing together investors,
developers, government officials, and real
estate professionals, there is no better
place to find investment opportunities and
new business partners. It is recognised as
the annual barometer for the real estate
industry in emerging markets and is one
of the largest and most influential real
estate events held globally. The event sup-
ports real estate growth worldwide to an
international audience, highlighting iconic
architecture, significant developments and
unparalleled investment opportunities.
October
October
November
September
9-11
23-26
14-15
11-13
Page 87
www.cbnme.com
Page 88
1
ST DUBAI AUCTION
Richard Sweatt (ME)
T. +971 5581 30321
E. richard.sweatt@euroauctions.com
Amjad Faroukh (UAE)
T. +971 5074 56262
E. amjad.faroukh@euroauctions.com
Mohammed Awni (UAE)
T. +971 5056 79917
E. mohammed.awni@euroauctions.com
Wednesday 13th September 2017 @ 9:00am
2006 Rigo RT 500 Rough
Terrain Crane - choice of 12
2008 Hyundai R290LC-7
05-07 Grove 50 Ton All
Terrain Crane - choice of 2
Unused Mercedes Benz
2040 4x2 - choice of 7
Derek Bleakley (General Manager)
T. +971 5825 16411
E. dbleakley@euroauctions.com
• Wide Selection of Equipment
• Top Makes & Models
• Free Internet Bidding
• Everything Sells to the Highest Bidder
• Competitive Commission Rates
• Worldwide Audience & Marketing
• Inhouse Transport Team
• Accurate Machine Valuations
MAKING BUYING &
SELLING EASY
THINKING OF SELLING YOUR EQUIPMENT?
Contact Your Local Sales Representative Today:
PO Box 263536, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, UAE | + 971 4884 6880 | E. info@euroauctions.com
www.euroauctions.com
Visit our website for full inventory
رسوم املزاودة عن طريق االنرتنت مجانيه