the big 5 2009 show dubai news - day 2
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The Big 5 2009 Show Dubai News - Day 2 - In Association with Construction WeekTRANSCRIPT
NOVEMBER 24, 2009 [DAY 2]WWW.THEBIG5EXHIBITION.COM
In association with
Dubai deputy ruler opens Big 5 show
24INSIDE SIX CONSTRUCT
Philippe Dessoy on building the world’s tallest tower
27BRINGING THE HAMMER DOWN
A buyer’s guide to using auctions to your advantage
35EUROPE TAKES CENTRE STAGE
A look at the European suppliers on show today
47 HIGH PROFILE ROPE ACCESS
Head for heights required in safety focused industry
SHOW INFORMATIONThe Big 5 2009 show timings:23-26 November 11am - 8pm
The Big 5 venue:Dubai World Trade Centre,Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Visitors are encouraged to pre-register online at
www.thebig5exhibition.com to ensure quick and easy
access. On-site registration is available for trade and
business professionals only. Persons under the age
of 18 will not be permitted entry.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and
minister of Finance and Industry, of-
fi cially opened Th e Big 5 exhibition
yesterday.
Th e Big 5 is the Middle East’s
largest exhibition for the interna-
tional construction industry which
has grown by 15% this year, accord-
ing to organisers of the event, dmg
world media.
Th e event, which is on until No-
vember 26 at the Dubai World Trade
Centre (DWTC), has taken up the
entire venue, occupying a total of
over 43,000m2, including the re-
cently completed hall Sheikh Saeed
Halls extension. Th is year’s show has
attracted over 3000 exhibitors from
52 countries, ranging from major
global suppliers to regional agents
An ITP Business Publication on behalf of dmg World Media Dubai
and distributors, along with 22 na-
tional pavilions.
Big 5 vice president of construc-
tion Simon Mellor said, “We are de-
lighted and greatly honoured that
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al
Maktoum offi cially opened Th e Big
5 Exhibition. It has been a tough
year for the construction industry,
but the Big 5 is the fi rst time that
the international construction com-
munity has come together since the
beginning of the downturn and it
will provide an excellent platform
to share our thoughts on the past 12
months and devise strategies for the
future. We look forward to an excit-
ing four day event.”
Helal Al Marri, CEO of DWTC
said, “As has been evidenced by Th e
Big 5’s impressive growth this year,
the demand in key sectors such as
construction is clearly on the rise.
Our recent infrastructure expansion
is hence a critical step that will cater
for the increasing demand and posi-
tive growth in the region’s events
sector. Th is growth reinforces rising
levels of global business and inves-
tor confi dence in Dubai as a global
business powerhouse.”
HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (centre) opens The Big 5.
BIG 5 OPEN FOR FULL DAY ON THURSDAYThe Big 5 exhibition will still run the full day this Thursday, 26 November, despite it being declared a public holiday for Eid, CW Big 5 Daily can confi rm.
This follows confusion among many industry specialists over the show’s operating status on
Thursday. Last week the UAE government declared public holidays for Eid, the fi rst of which falls this Thursday, which is also the last day of the Big 5 exhibition.
But speaking to the show’s offi cial newspaper
at the opening on Monday, Simon Mellor, vice president construction – dmg world media, which is also the organiser of the show, said the show will be in full swing.
“The Big 5 show will be open on Thursday, full day,” he said.
“Obviously some government entities will be closed but we hope that this will give them the opportunity to take time out of their otherwise busy schedules and come down to the Big 5 to support the show and the construction industry.”
‘Impressive growth’ as Trade Centre opens doors for a record number of exhibitors
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UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
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WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
3BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Dubai has to safeguard qualityConstruction fi rms say building regulations must be enforced to protect Dubai’s growing reputation
A number of building com-
panies have called upon the
Dubai government to support
their attempts to maintain
quality within the industry.
Al Rajhi Holding CEO Oth-
mar Wutscher lent his weight
to the Dubai government’s
drive to introduce new,
tougher build standards, but
warned that new regulations
would also have to be strictly
enforced in order to succeed.
“Th ey can’t just be on paper.
Dubai has been built on qual-
ity but, with the economic
downturn, there’s too much
value engineering at the mo-
ment and buildings that may
look good are anything but.
UAE green product firmto attend “Hope in Hagen”Gulf International Trading
Group chairman and CEO,
Khalid Mohammed Ibrahim
Al Midfa, said his company
will be participating at next
month’s United Nations (UN)
Climate Change Conference
in Copenhagen, Denmark, in
order to support the global
green cause.
Speaking to CW Big 5 Daily,
he said, “We were invited by
the UN to participate at the
Climate Change Conference
in December, after they heard
of all the environmental cam-
paigns we’ve done and for our
products which are extremely
green in nature.”
In addition to his partici-
pation, 65 heads of state and
governments have also ac-
cepted Danish Prime Minis-
ter Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s
invitation to attend the con-
ference in the Danish capital.
Th e conference had origi-
nally been intended to pro-
duce a new global climate-
change treaty on limiting
emissions of greenhouse
gases that would replace the
1997 Kyoto Protocol.
Midfa said he was not sure
if all objectives set out would
be achieved but it was a step
in the right direction and that
his company fully supports all
causes to protect the environ-
ment.
In the company’s brochure
that is available at their stand
in Hall 11, he says: “My dream
is to create homes that rely
completely on natural energy
sources and that create op-
timal living surroundings for
the Middle East.”
Khalid Mohammed Ibrahim Al Midfa, CEO of GITC.
French district cooling solutions are being presented by Ciat.
France showcases ideal air conditioning solutionFrance’s Ciat Group, which
manufactures equipment
for central air conditioning,
heating by heat pumps, air
handling and heat exchange
is currently showcasing its
district cooling solutions at
the Big 5 Show.
According to the company,
these solutions off er three key
advantages including com-
fort, air quality and energy
optimisation.
Energy effi ciency, district
cooling solutions make huge
savings and enable construc-
tion projects to be completed
quicker. Th ey also have a mi-
nor impact on the environ-
ment, making them suited for
use in urban areas.
Ciat off ers three key prod-
ucts including the Itex plate
heat exchanger, its range of
Alto and District Ciat fan coil
units and Cristopia thermal
energy storage.
Th anks to their excellent
heat transfer coeffi cients and
compact design, Ciat’s range
of Itex plate heat exchangers
transfer cooling capacity and
ensure the performance of
the whole system. Th e com-
pany said it underwent many
qualifi cation tests and re-
ceived the approval of Middle
Eastern authorities to equip
gigantic district cooling fa-
cilities in the UAE with plate
heat exchangers.
Th e District Ciat and Alto
units are specially designed
for district cooling applica-
tions (operating with a tem-
perature diff erence of 9K).
Th ey deliver the required
cooling capacity to ensure
optimum comfort even at
wide thermal amplitudes and
do so with minimum pressure
drops. Th eir large drain pans
are perfectly suited to any cli-
mate and feature reinforced
insulation.
Th e company provides a
range of renewable energy
and safety and security prod-
ucts including Powerglaz,
which the company describes
as “the real green building
cladding material” and uses
photovoltaic technology to
produce electricity, hydro-
gen and fuel cell operation
products, fi re resistant glaz-
ing Alufl am, steel profi ling
system Stalprofi l and Saint-
Gobain’s Vetrotech glass.
Cristopia latent thermal
storage, a fl exible system for
managing signifi cant refrig-
eration energy needs stores
heat in spheres inside an in-
sulated tank during off -peak
periods or when costs are
low and then transfers the
heat for use when demand
is high. Th e size of installed
equipment can be reduced
by as much as 70% without
aff ecting the available capac-
ity, peaks in consumption are
levelled out and energy costs
are cut.
As a result, facilities are
more dependable, safer and
last longer. Th ermal energy
storage is particularly suited
to district air conditioning.
Al Rajhi Holding is the
umbrella group for compa-
nies such as Romeo Design,
Cladtech International, Mada
Gypsum and Unipods.
“We realize that, at this
time, we need to be competi-
tive but we also want to re-
main quality conscious,” con-
tinued Wutscher.
“In the next two or three
years, I’m sure we’ll see an in-
crease in the number of dedi-
cated refurbishment compa-
nies at shows like Big 5, as the
corners being cut start to come
apart – refurbishing is expen-
sive and labour intensive.”
Cladtech International
business operations director
Bater Biyouk agreed, add-
ing: “We compromise a little
on price which we’re able
to do at Cladtech [a curtain
walls and cladding special-
ist], as we manufacture our
own glass and steel…we can
avoid the commission from
the middle men. But we never
compromise on quality.
“However, testing has to
be thorough. Quality curtain
walling is a matter of using
the right material, in the right
place at the right time – it has
to be tested as a system, not
as individual parts. We sup-
port the government is any
moves it makes to improve
those tests and standards.”
Welcome to Swiss Building & Construction Solutions!
Hall 7 – Booth No. 7A301 – 7C302
of switzerland
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
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WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
4 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
A night on the tiles
Globcom fl ushes out stale odours
Brazilian tile makers are enjoying growth and see even more ahead
Demand from the Middle East
for ceramic and porcelain
fl ooring solutions has been
soaring for Brazilian export-
ers. Silvio Fernandes, export
manager for porcelain tiling
specialist Itagres, says that
Middle Eastern business rep-
resented just 5% of the fi rm’s
direct sales six years ago, but
has grown to represent over
35% of sales and revenue.
“Last year, we did over US $1
Casagrande and Itagres, Concourse 848 and 873
million dollars in the Middle
East, and I have at least the
same level of expectation for
2009, if not a little bit more.”
Fernandes says that Saudi
Arabia represents the biggest
opportunity for his fi rm and
is already his biggest market
in the region. “We have start-
ed to tailor our production to
local tastes, and that has had
a big diff erence. Th is year, we
have actually tripled our rev-
enue from Saudi Arabia. Th e
demand for high-end porce-
Cetenareski: Casagrande has begun tailoring products specifi cally for the Middle East.
lain tiles there is very strong,
particularly the dark, highly
polished stonework.”
Fernandes says this year’s
Big 5 will be all about build-
ing the brand and increas-
ing market awareness of the
product range, which is ex-
tensively shown on the Brazil-
ian Pavilion in the concourse.
Claudio Cetenareski, ex-
port manager for Casagrande,
a ceramic fl oor tile manufac-
turer from Brazil, agrees the
local market is growing in
importance. “Th e UAE, and
in particular Abu Dhabi right
now, is a very big opportunity
for us.”
Casagrande does about 10%
of its worldwide direct sales
into the Middle East, and is
at Big 5 on the lookout for
distributors, showrooms and
stores to carry its brand lo-
cally. “We have had a tremen-
dous number of enquiries for
day one. I am very confi dent
that a lot of the traffi c will
turn into some concrete busi-
ness by day three or four.”
Casagrande has also be-
gun designing and marketing
products tailored to Middle
Eastern tastes. “Our range of
beige matt fi nish tiles, and
the sand coloured range sells
very well across the region.
It’s more in keeping with tra-
ditional styles.”
Both manufactures say ho-
tels and commercial develop-
ments are targets, but that
residential and private sales
represent the lion’s share of
business. “Th ere is a big trend
to tile both indoor and out-
door areas in this region, and
we are delivering a high-qual-
ity, Brazilian manufactured
product which is a great fi t.”
Globcom General Trad-
ing LLC has debuted the
Hidrovent localised air ex-
traction system for toilets at
Th e Big 5. Th e company has
global distribution rights for
the patented technology, and
has used Th e Big 5 to intro-
duce it to the region.
“Th e Big 5 has a high pro-
fi le, and therefore represents
the perfect opportunity to
launch a new product like
Hidrovent. Th e current em-
phasis on ‘green’ building
and sustainability also virtu-
ally guarantees interest in the
product. Combined with the
high calibre of the visitors at-
tracted by Th e Big 5, this is
the perfect place for us to be,”
Rashid Hall, C179 comments Globcom manag-
ing director Jean Bellumat.
“Hidrovent is a revolution-
ary electromagnetic device to
extract air from toilet bowls.
It essentially removes any un-
pleasant toilet smells without
any need for maintenance,”
explains Bellumat. Th e prod-
uct is adaptable to all build-
ings, making it ideal for the
refurbishment market.
It comprises a 12 V DC suc-
tion motor fed by 125-220
VAC 50/60 Hz electronic con-
trol, with infra-red or switch
operation, plus a universal
water-emptying mechanism.
Th e system is contained in a
sealed box in a wall at least
90 mm thick, which prevents
exterior tampering as well as Bellumat: Globcom helps get rid of undesirable odours.
Published by and © 2009 ITP Business Publishing,a division of the ITP Publishing Group ltd, registered inthe British Virgin Islands company number 1402846
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In association with
ensuring aesthetic appear-
ance and safety.
“Hidrovent is activated
when a person sits on the toi-
let, by either infra-red ray or
a customer-activated switch,”
says Bellumat. Th e system
halts 100% of the odours em-
anating from the toilet, and
thereby prevents these from
spreading into the rest of the
washroom or building.
Th e odours are directed to-
wards the AC extract duct,
or externally through the
Hidrovent system.
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
6 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Masa hits a milestone
Miele promotes its ecological credentials
Masa Group is showcasing its 200th plant sold in the Middle East
Construction machinery man-
ufacturer, Masa Group is cel-
ebrating the sale of its 200th
plant in the Middle East. Th e
company’s range includes con-
crete block-making machines,
aerated concrete machines and
plants, and limestone plants.
“Around the world we have
supplied more than 1000
block making machines and
hundreds of aerated concrete
and limestone plants. In this
region, we have just sold ma-
chine number 200, which is a
real achievement,” said CEO
Liebherr keeps customers cool
and chairman of the board,
Masa Group, Dirk Bunthoff .
‘Plant No. 200’ is being
showcased on the company’s
stand, H131 in Zabeel Hall. It
was developed for Pasco, an Al
Ain-based company that spe-
cialises in the construction of
concrete blocks, concrete pav-
ers and retaining walls.
“One of the things about Pas-
co is that it is concentrating on
creating high-quality products.
So you have two companies
working together who focus on
quality,” Bunthoff continued.
“Pasco has bought a total
The Masa Group executive team: Al Ain-based Pasco is the lucky purchaser of ‘Plant No. 200’.
of nine machines from us. I
think that’s important – if a
client is interested in buying
more than one of your prod-
ucts. Th at comes down to good
client relations, and means not
just selling the machines but
providing a full service.”
To that eff ect, Masa Group
off ers a 24-hour hotline service,
and has created a hub in Dubai
in order to better service its cli-
ents in this region. “We have an
offi ce, along with service and
erection people, and sales peo-
ple. We also have stock here.
So if there is a malfunction in
the plant, we can service our
clients immediately with parts,
people, and whatever else is
needed.”
The Germany-headquar-
tered company has been in
business for over 100 years, and
is present in the US, Russia, Eu-
rope, India, China and Korea. It
has been active in Middle East
since the early 1970s.
“Th is is one of the most im-
portant parts of the world for
us. It is an area with one of
the highest growth rates and
we have contributed with a
fairly large number of plants,”
Bunthoff said.
“A year into this crisis and
we are still running a suc-
cessful business. We will end
2009 with the same turnover
as 2008. What’s more, Masa
Group has doubled its turn-
over over the last fi ve years
– mostly because of contracts
in the Middle East,” Bunthoff
said. “Th is is why it is such an
important region for us.”
Th e refrigerators and freez-
ers division of the Liebherr
Group is attending Th e Big 5
for the fi rst time, in an eff ort
to expand its presence in the
Middle East.
“Th e Liebherr Group has
an annual turnover of EUR
8.4 billion and our division
represents 10% of that,” ex-
plained managing director,
refrigerators and freezers
division, Steff en Nagel. “We
started production in 1955 so
we have a long history. We
are very strong in Europe and
now have hopes and plans to
expand our business in the
Middle East.”
Th e ‘cooling and freezing’
specialist currently works
exclusively with regional dis-
tributors. “We off er the best
quality on the market and we
focus on the premium side
of the business. We are here
looking for project business,
which includes hotels, restau-
rants and catering, but we are
also looking for new distribu-
tion channels,” Nagel said.
Th e company is showcas-
ing a range of products on
its stand, W21 in Zabeel Hall,
including the energy-saving
GTP 2356 chest freezer. “Th is
is the most energy-effi cient
chest freezer in the world,”
noted regional manager, Mid-
dle East and Africa, Liebherr
refrigerators and freezers di-
vision, Gian Paolo Glucker. “It
is the fi rst model with a 60%
better than A rating. And if
there’s an energy interruption
– it keeps food frozen at -9
degrees for four days.”
Miele, a German manufac-
turer of high quality domestic
appliances and machines, is
highlighting its eco-creden-
tials at Th e Big 5 this year. Th e
company is showcasing its
‘ecological’ line of products
on Stand J23 in Zabeel Hall.
“We took this opportunity
to present our ecological line
– so whether it is washing
machines or dishwashers, the
product range we are show-
ing will consume less water
and less electricity, and will
have of all the functions that
will help protect the environ-
ment,” said managing direc-
tor, Miele, Gaby Koudsi.
Hall 1 J23 Attention to consumption,
cleaning processes, water
temperature and cycle length
also set this line apart, Koudsi
explained. “Th e environment
is becoming more important
for decision makers here, and
we are targeting projects that
are driven by environmental
initiatives,” he said.
Th e company is also using
the show as the Middle East
launch pad for its Octoplus
washing machine and tumble
dryer. Th e product was fi rst
uncovered in Berlin in Sep-
tember and has already re-
ceived a Red Dot award.
“Th e Octoplus is from our
professional range. It is an
8kg, heavy duty washing ma-
chine and tumble dryer. It can
be used for commercial and
residential applications. In
places like the Gulf, families
are large, so although it is
a professional machine, we
anticipate high levels of do-
mestic use,” Koudsi said.
“For a professional ma-
chine, we’ve done a very good
job with the aesthetics, and
also, you don’t require a de-
gree from MIT to operate it.”
Miele is also keen to pro-
mote a new collaboration
with IBM. Th is new technol-
ogy will enable Miele appli-
ances to determine, and then
run, during off -peak hours. Miele is promoting its environmentally-friendly line of products, including washing machines.
FACT BOXMasa Group says that it will end 2009 with the same turnover as in 2008
Liebherr’s refrigerators and freezers division is new at Big 5.
Zabeel H131 Zabeel J131
Reem Emirates Aluminum (REA) and its subsidiaries:Reem Emirates Glass (REG); Reem Emirates Metals (REM) & Reem Emirates Cladding (REC), boasts of its
factory as the largest in the Middle East and GCC market, equipped with complete line of the most sophisticatedequipments and state-of-the-art technology to be able to meet the ever increasing demands for architectural cladding elements.
With its unparalleled business expertise matched with a team of highly professional engineers and architects, Reem Emirates Aluminum carefully blends creativity and ingenuity to produce competitive products that meet the exacting architectural requirements of its clients such as:
Double Skin Active Walls l Conventional Curtain Walls l Unitized Curtain Walls l 3D Metal Structures l Metal CladdingSpider Walls l Sliding & Casement Windows, Doors l Shop Fronts, Doors, Windows, Balustrades l Skylights l Domes l Grilles & Clusters
Rolling Shutters Special l Architectural Featured BMS l Fully Tempered/Toughened Glass l Heat Strengthened Glass l Insulated/Double Glazed Units l Laminated Glass l Stainless Steel Architectural Metal Products
www.reemalum.com
Tel.: +971 2 599 4200 Fax: +971 2 550 1812 P.O.Box 36863 Abu Dhabi, UAE
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
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8 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Green roofi ng hits ME
New glasswool insulation outfi t launches
IPAF to promote access equipment safety following in-depth surveyTh e Middle East could be set
to be hit by a wave of green
rooftops, according to an in-
dustry professional.
“Th e interest is improving in
green rooftops in the Middle
East and I see it as a trend
that will increase in the future,”
revealed Melanie Manlangit,
manager of Al Yousuf Agricul-
tural & Landscaping.
Th e company supplies and
installs the roof systems which
allow landscaping to be put
on the roof of buildings. Green
roofs are said to provide many
benefi ts to a building, includ-
Poor pipework fl oods region
ing lowering the cost of irriga-
tion, protect waterproofi ng on
a building and also reducing
the temperature inside.
“We have had a lot of inter-
est in the UAE in our product,
and we have also been talking
to companies in Bahrain, Qa-
tar, Oman and Saudi Arabia, so
interest has been high,” com-
mented Manlangit.
“Th e region seems to fi nally
have reaslised the benefi ts of
having a green roof installed
on a building. Dubai is push-
ing for it now and a new rul-
ing is being discussed whereby
Melanie Melangit, manager of Al Yousuf Agricultural & Landscaping.
new buildings in the city would
have to have 30% green roof
technology,” she added.
Green roof systems have
been widespread in Europe in
for several years, and countries
such as Germany have seen
particular enthusiasm for the
technology. Al Yousuf Agricul-
tural & Landscaping is a part-
ner of German fi rm ZinCo.
Manlangit stressed that the
fi rm can operate best when it
is involved in the design stage
in order for it provide technical
support and work closely with
the designers and architects.
Al Yousuf Agricultural &
Landscaping is currently work-
ing on one project in the Middle
East where the client is seeing
to use the rooftop for storage of
rainwater. Asked how the com-
pany would supply green roof
technology to the Burj Dubai,
Manlangit revealed the fi rm
would look to install walkways
and pathways on the podium
level of the building.
On the green building poli-
cies in the Middle East, Man-
langit was optimistic about the
future; “It’s a work in progress,
they have come up with a sys-
tem for here but they are just
starting really. Th e country’s
building sector is not as old
as those in Europe so it is no
wonder they need to catch up
a little. Th e important thing
is these guidelines have to be
adapted and adjusted so they
can be used in the Middle East
and I think so far they have
been,” she concluded.
Th e piping industry is being
aff ected by low-quality prod-
ucts that are now starting
to fl ood the market, an indus-
try insider has warned visi-
tors and buyers at Th e Big 5
show this week.
“Th ere were already a num-
ber of low-quality products in
the Middle East market, but
there has been an increase in
since the economic troubles
that have aff ected the con-
struction sector began some
12 months or so ago,” claimed
Rajesh Th unoli, project sales
representative at Al Sahoo, a
trading company for Aqua-
therm products.
“We have a lot of problems
with these lower, cheaper
products, we do try to edu-
cate the people but of course
the contractor always wants
to cut costs so you win some,
you lose some,” he added.
Th unoli added that the
Middle East market for pipes
is huge, and revealed there
are a number of companies
looking to bring in high quali-
ty products from a number of
countries around the world.
Needless to say, the execu-
tive was also keen to advise
potential buyers at the show
that the best products were of
German origin.
Th unoli also indicated that
he has witnessed some signs
of recovery in certain markets
in the Middle East.
“If you look at Dubai, it has
not been that encouraging
but I do see a little bit of im-
provement in the Abu Dhabi
market and Qatar does not
seem to have been as badly
aff ected from what I have
seen recently.”
Aquatherm provides pip-
ing for a number of diff erent
applications from domestic
water to chiller systems. “We
cover a number of diff erent
systems,” Th unoli concluded.
Th e fi rm produces plastic
pipe systems and developed
the Fusiotherm plastic pipe
system of polypropylene
(PP-R) for potable water and
heating installations in 1980.
Th e company now has more
than 74 marketing partners
across the world.
On the sustainable side,
Aquatherm also has a strong
portfolio of environmentally
friendly solutions, including
its Greenpipe and Clima-
therm systems.
Al Sahoo Trading has been
active in the Middle East since
its inception in the 1950s,
and has a particular focus on
the GCC market.
Th e Big 5 is playing host to
another new company launch
as Glasswool Insulation Tech-
nology, a manufacturer of
glass-fi bre insulation prod-
ucts, offi cially begins opera-
tions this week.
“We began production in
April this year, and have used
Th e Big 5 to launch the new
company,” said operations
manager Jun Brigole.
Based in Abu Dhabi Indus-
trial City, the factory will have
a yearly production capacity
of 12,000 tonnes of glass-fi -
bre products, ranging from
boards to pipe insulation.
“Th e applications are numer-
Maktoum A121 ous, ranging from metal-roof
insulation to insulation of air-
conditioning ductwork, and
even walls,” Brigole added.
Th e executive indicated
that his fi rm’s new factory has
been equipped with advanced
technology from STM Tech-
nologies of Italy, an interna-
tionally renowned supplier of
quality glass-fi bre production
equipment and systems. Th is
advanced technology will
enable Glasswool Insulation
Technology to off er a sub-
stantial range of high-quality
products to meet the needs of
the region’s commercial, air-
conditioning, construction
and industrial markets.
“Th is is a very competitive
market, with some major
manufacturers already well
established, including one
from Kuwait, and therefore
Th e Big 5 is an ideal platform
for us to introduce the new
company,” stated Brigole.
Commenting on launching
a new company at such a dif-
fi cult time, Brigole said the
pending ‘green’ regulations
together with the larger sus-
tainability agenda is focusing
the spotlight on proper insu-
lation and the role it plays in
energy saving.
“Insulation plays an impor-
tant role in environmental
comfort, thermal and noise
Jun Brigole, operations manager at the newly established
company, Glasswool Insulation Technology, based in the UAE.
control and fi re safety. In
Europe, for example, the use
of proper insulation is pro-
scribed,” Brigole explained.
“It helps conserve energy,
thereby saving operating
costs, which means it has an
important bottom-line ben-
efi t. However, perhaps the
greatest advantage, which is
perhaps the least tangible, is
that it lowers greenhouse gas
emissions and the associated
carbon footprint.”
Glasswool Insulation Tech-
nology falls under Exeed In-
dustries, the industrial arm of
National Holding, a privately
held Abu Dhabi-based diver-
sifi ed holding company.
FACT BOX
The UAE is aiming for 30% green roof technology for new buildings
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
10 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
HSCC lands major regional jobBrazilian skirting board manufacturer announces US $150,000 deal to supply UAE property manager
Starting Big 5 with a spring in
its step this year is Brazilian
skirting board manufacturer
HSCC Business Solution. On
day one, the fi rm was able to
announce its fi rst major UAE
contract, a US$150,000 deal
to supply skirting products to
a UAE construction and prop-
erty management fi rm.
“We launched our UAE of-
fi ce in July this year, so to
net such a major contract in
Dubai in such a quick turn-
around has been remarkable,”
says Tania Lompa, business
development manager.
Th e fi rm produces poly-
styrene skirting solutions for
commercial and residential
properties, which Lompa
Concourse 821 says is a unique off ering for
this market. “Th e polystyrene
solution is a perfect fi t for
the Middle East market. It’s
cheaper than wood, more du-
rable and ready to go. With
wood or MDF the installa-
tion fi rm needs to cut, paint
or treat the product, whereas
our skirting is ready as soon
as it arrives.”
Th e quick turnaround is
what has impressed Lompo
most on the recent deal.
“Typically in the Gulf mar-
ket it takes much longer to
go from bid to signing the
contact. In fact getting local
companies to open up and
look at new suppliers and
new products has been a real
challenge,” she says.
Th e deal for HSCC Business
Solution will see the skirting
installed in apartments in
Dubai within the next three
months. Th e company says it
bids at the project manage-
ment level, but meeting with
fi t-out fi rms and interior de-
signers is what has brought
the company to Big 5.
“Th is is a great way to meet
clients from all over the Mid-
dle East, and the fi rms we
meet here will allow us access
to the Qatar and Abu Dhabi
markets, where it is very ex-
citing right now.”
Lompa says gaining market
traction and launching new
products has been her biggest
battle to date, but she has
very high hopes for Big 5. Lompa: Polystyrene is a more suitable material for skirting boards in the region than wood.
Mapei refl ects on successful period‘Fast-track solutions with no
compromise on quality’ is
the message from Innovative
Building Solutions (IBS), the
UAE subsidiary of Italian ad-
hesive and chemical products
giant Mapei, which is show-
casing its skills for the fi fth
consecutive year at Th e Big 5
this week.
It’s been a good month al-
ready for the company, which
won a silver medal at the Gaia
Construction Environmental
Awards held in Dubai at the
beginning of November, and
Mapei is clearly building on
this achievement by welcom-
ing all comers to its sizeable
stand in Hall 7.
A list of the latest projects
in which Mapei has been in-
volved reads like a roll-call of
the GCC’s most high-profi le
developments. Aside from
previously carrying out work
on the Burj Al Arab, the Atlan-
tis Resort and the Emirates
Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi,
the company has more re-
cently completed work on the
Stand 7 E291 Metro Red Line, Terminal 3
at Dubai International Air-
port, and is even now putting
the fi nishing touches onto
the Burj Dubai, set to be the
world’s tallest building when
it opens in early January.
“With regard to the Burj
Dubai, we’ve carried out a lot
of work in the Armani Hotel,
where as you can imagine,
an exceptionally high stan-
dard of fi nishing is required,”
said Laith Haboubi, business
development manager at the
Mapei subsidiary. “And we’ve
also been working on every-
thing from substrate fl oor
preparation, self-levelling
and screed-work, as well as
adhesives and grouts.”
Another of Mapei’s major
highlights of the year has been
the successful completion of
its work on some of the sur-
rounding infrastructure for
the Formula One Grand Prix
on Yas Island in early Novem-
ber. Given the tight deadlines
put down by the Abu Dhabi
authorities, on-time comple-
tion was of vital importance.
Altis Wood, part of the Greek
Pavilion at Th e Big 5, is on the
lookout for UAE distributors
for its products.
Porte by Altis, a member
company of Altis Wood, man-
ufactures a range of wooden
interior doors in modern and
classical designs.
Altis says the high level of
new projects in the UAE, de-
spite the overall slowdown in
Concourse 792 the construction industry, in-
dicates a natural niche for Altis
Wood to distribute its exclu-
sive, high-end range.
“We are a fi rst-time exhibi-
tor, and are very excited and
privileged to be part of the ex-
tensive Greek contingent at the
exhibition,” comments market-
ing director Nikos Altis.
“Th e slowdown has meant
a renewed focus on qual-
ity. Customers particularly are
Greek company eyes entry into the region
Altis: Better fi nishing raises the value of the end product.
FACT BOX
US $1.4
BILLIONValue of Al Salam
Street & Mina Road road development
projects in Abu Dhabi
paying more attention to the
end product, as it adds over-
all value. Shoddy construction
and poor attention to detail are
detrimental to the real-estate
market overall.
“It is only by focusing on
quality, and thereby high-end
products, that we will all over-
come the current market con-
straints,” opines Altis.
However, it is important to
be cost-eff ective as well, as the
market is still very price-sensi-
tive, he adds.
Th e company was founded
in 1919 by Christopher Altis,
with a furniture division being
established in 1960. Th is was
followed by a veneer-fi nishes
division covering 4000 m2 in
Kavala, Greece.
“Th e Big 5 is the ideal plat-
form for us to promote our
products. We see it as an im-
portant stepping stone to the
MENA region as a whole, and
further afi eld,” concludes Altis.
Th e company is also pursuing
the certifi cation of its product
range to meet international
manufacturing standards.
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
12 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Australia touts green productsAustralian fi rms at Big 5 display their expertise in water recycling and heat refl ection technologies
Touting years of experi-
ence with building sustain-
able properties and outdoor
spaces in hot and arid envi-
ronments, this year’s contin-
gent of Australian exhibitors
in Hall 8 have much to off er
the Middle East, according to
Graeme Wright, environmen-
tal water management con-
sultant at Wisa Australia.
“Soil moisture control
is the key to making crops,
landscaped gardens or golf
courses fl ourish in a water
starved environment,” says
Wright. “By using intelligent
water capture and reuse sys-
tems, anyone managing a
green outdoor space in the
Middle East can save a for-
tune on water and electricity
costs, and that’s what we’re
here to promote.”
Paul Wright of Burdens
Environmental, also from
Australia, says hotels and
golf clubs in the region could
make huge savings by deploy-
ing the right technology. “Our
water management and re-
cycling systems are designed
to maximise the retention
and use of non potable wa-
ter. Straightforward recycling
systems can reduce water
use with proven reductions
in utility bills. For example, a
hotel at 60% occupancy, with
our system, should have no
need at all to draw fresh wa-
ter for its landscaped areas.”
Burdens is hoping the
Big 5 exhibition will act as
a gateway to lucrative con-
tracts around the Gulf. “For
agricultural and crop use this
technology has already made
a big splash in Jordan, and we
are seeing a lot of business
from Iran; in fact, that’s go-
ing to be our next big push,”
says Wright. Both Burdens
and Wisa see Abu Dhabi and
Qatar as important markets,
and are hoping for a break-
through on the back of Big 5.
Wright sees hotels and water
theme parks as major poten-
tial markets across the Gulf.
“Th ere is still huge poten-
tial in the Middle East and
even Dubai. Th ese solutions
PPG introduces energy saving facade coatingsPPG Industries, a leading di-
versifi ed industrial-coatings
manufacturer, has launched
its new Ultra-Cool extrusion
coating for aluminium com-
posite panels at Th e Big 5.
“Th e new technology saves
8% to 15% refl ected energy
over conventional paint coat-
ings,” says MENA marketing
director Vincent Allais.
Regional technical manag-
er Ramesh Morabad explains
that Ultra Cool has been de-
veloped specifi cally for the
Middle East climate, where
energy-saving measures in
terms of building facades is
a key focus of pending ‘green’
building regulations and sus-
tainability initiatives.
Ultra Cool is a silicone-poly-
Concourse 801
ester coating, and is available
in a variety of colours. Th e
formulation process is pro-
prietary, with the company
having established a dedicat-
ed -manufacturing facility in
the Jebel Ali Free Zone about
two years ago.
“Th is is the fi rst time we
Vincent Allais: Coating can facilitate energy savings of 15%.
RAK Ceramics expresses confi dence in the futureRAK Ceramics, a regular ex-
hibitor at Th e Big 5 for the
past decade, has expressed
its confi dence in the local
construction industry with
an impressive stand showcas-
ing some of its latest product
ranges and innovations.
Assistant manager, mar-
keting services, Rajesh Patil
says that, while the company
expects this year’s footfall to
be down on preceding years
due to the economic crisis
and its impact on the con-
struction industry, the exhibi-
tion nevertheless remains the
premiere platform to target
the sector.
“By being a regular exhibi-
tor, we are showing our con-
fi dence in the construction
industry. Our continued pres-
ence at Th e Big 5 also shows
us to be a major player in the
market,” says Patil. “It sends
a strong message to our cus-
tomers that we are a commit-
ted player.”
Established in 1989, RAK
Ceramics has established a
solid reputation as one of the
world’s leading producers of
high-quality ceramic wall and
fl oor tiles and sanitaryware.
It also exports its locally-
manufactured products to
135 countries spread across
fi ve continents.
“Despite our entrenched
global presence, the UAE re-
mains an important focus for
us, and hence our participa-
tion at Th e Big 5,” explains Pa-
til. Th e company began with
are exhibiting at Th e Big 5,”
reveals Allais. He says that
despite the economic down-
turn and its impact on the
construction industry, the
exhibition remains the pre-
mier venue for companies to
introduce new technologies
and products.
a single production line in
June 1991 producing 5000 m2
a day, and today is capable of
producing 200,000 m2 a day.
As to what visitors can ex-
pect to see at Th e Big 5, Patil
reveals that the company will
be showcasing Th e Source, In-
fi nity, Zen, Summit and Series
600 ranges, which are some
of the specially-crafted sani-
taryware models expected to
make an impact in 2010.
In the tile porcelain series,
RAK Ceramics will be dis-
playing the Inline, Lavagna
Pearl, Ardesia, and Granada
Stone ranges, as well as the
Crema Marfi l, Diano and
Calacatta in 30 x 100 special
format, manufactured utilis-
ing new NanoPix technology
from Italy.
Paul Wright (left) and Graeme Wright: Australian fi rms know a thing or two about how to save energy and water.
are all about being sustain-
able and saving money, so
now is a good time to invest,”
says Wright.
Australian fi rm Green Insu-
lation is also focused on cost-
saving eco-solutions, touting
its Refl ecta-Range of energy-
saving insulation.
Paul Cox, general manager,
says that 60% of the fi rm’s
business comes from the
warmer areas of Australia,
and the solution is designed
to refl ect heat back out of a
building, keeping air condi-
tioning and district cooling
costs to a minimum.
“If you look up at the ceil-
ing here there is no insula-
tion. By installing refl ective
aluminium insulation, or
even retrofi tting it, the cost
and energy savings would be
enormous,” says Cox.
Cox is at Big 5 in search of
a distributor for the Gulf re-
gion, or a network of country
specifi c distributors to rep-
resent his fi rm. “We signed a
distribution deal in India last
week and we’ve already got a
big order. Th e product is just
right for this market, so I’m
hoping for much the same
from Big 5.”
Rashid Hall, A181
Hall 8, Australian Pav
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
14 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Flexibility key in crisis
Quality matters, says Elba
Greece-based Eurobend is back at Big 5 for the fi fth year in a row
Greek rebar and wire-pro-
cessing machinery multi-na-
tional Eurobend sees portfo-
lio diversifi cation as the route
to success in what has un-
doubtedly been a tough last
12 months. “We are operating
in a number of diff erent sec-
tors in this industry, but we
also have installed bases in
more than 45 countries,” said
George Adamis, sales and
marketing director for Eu-
robend SA. “So by changing
markets or by changing prod-
ucts in the same market, I
would say that we have coped
GulfWall unveils precast walling
extremely well, considering
the circumstances.”
Th e company has now ap-
peared at Th e Big 5 for fi ve
years on the trot, and sees the
event as a great opportunity
to showcase its new fl exible
mesh-welding line, as well as
expanding its installed base
in the Middle East.
“Traditionally in the Mid-
dle East, the larger and old-
er dedicated machines that
provide this service are being
sold, but this crisis has proved
that you need to have fl exible
machines,” Adamis added.
“You need to adapt quickly to
Adamis: Diversity of operations has helped Eurobend pull through the economic downturn.
manufacture diff erent prod-
ucts, which will allow you to
reach out and seek diff erent
markets and diff erent sectors,
and I am convinced we have
the best solution for this.”
Some of the key features
of the company’s latest PLR
model for mesh-welding in-
clude user-friendly software,
which requires no program-
ming skills, and a customised
working width, which off ers
adaptability to demanding
production requirements.
Aside from this product,
Eurobend’s portfolio includes
continuous multi-layer au-
tomatic stirrup benders, au-
tomatic straightening and
cutting machines, and wire
automatic benders, all of
which can be used to process
coil or straight bar between
2mm and 60mm in size.
“For us, fl exibility and ser-
vice are absolutely crucial,”
Adamis remarked. “And by
service terms I mean our
physical presence in the re-
gion; we are not just an ad-
dress on a brochure.”
Looking forward, the Eu-
robend executive confesses to
being excited about the proj-
ects in the pipeline. “We’ve
recently carried out a lot of
work in the UAE, but in terms
of installed base, our biggest
market is Saudi Arabia,” said
Adamis. “Depending on the
economic situation, the Mid-
dle East is often our most
important market, and it’s al-
ways in the top three regions
for us worldwide.”
Colin Williamson: “It’s important for us to be here [at Big 5].”
Australian fi rm GulfWall is
using Th e Big 5 show to high-
light its new generation of
light-weight precast walling
and partition systems, which
off er several key benefi ts to
the local construction mar-
ket. “It’s important for us to be
here, not only from the sales
perspective, but most impor-
tantly to educate potential
clients about the new tech-
nologies and smart building
systems that are now avail-
able in the market,” said Colin
Williamson, project manager
for GulfWall FZCO.
“Our walling system is made
from gypsum, and fi bre-glass
rovings, water-proofi ng ma-
terials and a number of other
proprietary components.”
GulfWall makes its prod-
ucts at a US $7 million facility
based in Jebel Ali. “We mould
the walls themselves and
then install them onsite,” said
Williamson. “As construction
is extremely fast, our process
saves on cost and labour.”
Once a GulfWall product is
installed, the company then
fi lls it with concrete, allowing
the wall to become load-bear-
ing. “Th e main factors that
separate us from the compe-
tition are the speed of con-
struction and our versatility,”
Williamson added.
“Clients aren’t bound by
concrete precast because
the design can be changed,
and we can also take clients’
drawings and work to them
at the drop of a hat.”
Th e Middle East construction
sector is more competitive
because of the intense level of
competition, a manufacturer
of concrete plants has stated.
“Th e Middle East market is
very tough,” reported Rainer
Paetzelt, Middle East delegate
of ELBA. “Th e entire world
markets meet here and this
makes it diff erent from any
other market.
“You get some markets that
are isolated on their own and
they can be easier to break
into but everyone is of the
opinion that you can make
easy sales here,” he added.
ELBA is a manufacturer of
Zabeel C130 concrete plants although it
does not have a manufactur-
ing base in the Middle East.
Paetzelt revealed the compa-
ny looks to collaborate with
local markets for some com-
ponents of its job.
“Our competitors don’t
manufacture in this region
but in the countries that sur-
round it and there is a diff er-
ence in the standards,” com-
mented Paetzelt.
“We have to compete with
plants which are cheaper,
German products are among
the most expensive but there
is a standard which is expect-
ed of a German manufactured
product and that is some-
thing that you have to live up
to. You feel the diff erence of
the product later rather than
straight away,” he added.
Th e company has, like most
of the industry, experienced
a diffi cult year. Paetzelt re-
vealed that 2009 has been
“tough” following an excel-
lent year previously. “Interna-
tionally, key markets such as
Russia broke down and here
there was a signifi cant drop
also,” he explained.
The company’s Middle
East involvement makes up
around 10-15% of its world-
wide activities and ELBA is
looking to increase that fi gure
through exhibiting at Th e Big Paetzelt: Competing whilst maintaining standards is tough.
5. “Th e challenges are actu-
ally being close to the proj-
ects which are coming up,
in places such as Abu Dhabi,
you get a checklist out, you
get involved and you meet
the key players. In this sector
AlBA is a supporting com-
pany because we are doing
plants which are for the con-
struction business but we are
not a key player like a devel-
oper. But it is a brand that is
well known so it is more or
less reminding people of our
service,” stated Paetzelt.
“We are a regular exhibi-
tor here, and come more or
less just to show our face and
keep in touch with clients.”
FACT BOX
Two 1.3 km tunnels have just been blasted through the mountains of the Eastern UAE.
Hall 6 E268 Hall 7 G339
• Environmentally sound in it’smanufacturing, usage andeventual disposal
• Totally free from CFCand HCFC
• 66% recycling glass content
PITTSBURGH CORNING Europe (Rep Middle East) Arenco Tower, Media City, P.O. Box 213345, Dubai, UAETEL +971 (0)4 434 7140 FAX +971 (0)4 432 7109 EMAIL [email protected] WEB www.foamglas.ae
ECOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGYCOMBINE TO GIVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT
FOAMGLAS®FOAMGLAS® FOAMGLAS®
Ref: Abu Dhabi Officer’s Club (pictured under construction)
Ref: BMW factory, Regensburg Germany
FOAMGLAS®
Ref (also main image): Islamic Museum of Modern Art, Doha
ROOF INSULATION FOR FACTORYTHERMAL INSULATION FORROOF GARDEN
THERMAL INSULATION WITHSEAM ROOF FINISH
ROOF INSULATION FOR TERRACE
HALL 7, STAND 305
Ref: Social Service Department, Stuttgart, Germany
UPDATEBIG 5 NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
16 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Breakthrough from KSASaudi Ceramic produces ceramics, sanitaryware and water heaters
Saudi Ceramic Company has
used Th e Big 5 to unveil a
new 300 litre energy-saving,
glass-lined water heater, says
Dubai branch manager Tony
Barbour. Based in Saudi Ara-
bia, the manufacturer has
a representative in Dubai,
as well as exporting to over
45 countries. Established in
1977, Saudi Ceramic Compa-
ny is a leading manufacturer
of ceramic tiles, sanitaryware
and electrical water heaters.
Its head offi ce is based in Ri-
yadh, where it has a total fa-
cility covering 600,000 m2 in
Industrial City. Th e company
employs about 2500 people.
“Being established in the
region for more than 30 years,
we are a well-known and re-
Rashid D161 spected brand name. Being
at Th e Big 5 only serves to
enhance our reputation and
standing in the marketplace,”
comments Barbour.
Given the extreme heat of
the desert climate in the UAE,
the need for water heating
is often overlooked, as is the
role it can play in energy ef-
fi ciency and sustainability, ar-
gues Barbour. Th e company’s
water heaters feature glass-
lining treatments, stainless
steel for the water inlet and
outlet pipes; magnesium an-
odes, fi ve-bolt fl anges and re-
cyclable components.
Quality Italian components
are used in the assembly of
the water heaters, which are
easy to install and maintain.
Applications run the gamut
from residential to commer-
cial use. Barbour says Th e Big
5 is the ideal platform to tar-
get the construction industry
in Dubai.
“Our aim of exhibiting here
is to convince the profession-
Tony Barbour: Saudi Ceramic is a well respected brand.
LEDCOM fi nds new customersArchitectural lighting and
illuminated signage in the
Middle East is lagging far be-
hind that of Western markets
and so it’s no surprise that
when LEDCOM Technology
was looking for a new market,
it decided to test Big 5.
“Th is is our fi rst time to
try Big 5 for the LEDCOM
brand,” explained Erwin Mit-
termann, managing direc-
tor of LEDCOM Technology.
“We’re doing a lot of work in
Austria, of course, but also
Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia
and the Czech Republic as
well. We feel it’s good to try
to see if we can expand into
foreign markets.”
Not only is LEDCOM Tech-
nology off ering an aesthetic
boost to consumers in the
Middle East, its approach is
also heavily focused on eco-
friendly and energy conscious
solutions as well.
“Energy consciousness is a
big issue. We’re in the process
of changing from traditional
fl uorescent tubes to LEDs;
this is where we’re putting our
money and research eff orts,”
said Mittermann. “While it’s
true that LED lights are more
expensive, using them can re-
duce energy consumption by
up to 90%.”
LEDCOM’s core technol-
ogy lies in providing lighting
for various outdoor applica-
tions. “If you’re building a
commercial building, you’re
going to need lights of some
kind. Th at’s where we come
in,” said Mittermann.
als of the effi cacy and bene-
fi ts of our products, following
which we will go public. Th e
market is still price-sensitive
at the moment, but the bene-
fi t of Th e Big 5 is it focuses on
technology and innovation.”
UPDATEPMV NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
18 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
FACT BOX
US $600 mILLIONValue of Phase 3 of the Al Khor to Al Ruwais road development
project in Qatar
A number of Far Eastern com-
panies have become excited
by some new research issued
to coincide with the Big 5
exhibition, which illustrates
the true state of the GCC con-
struction market.
Th e fi gures paint a gener-
ally positive picture of the re-
gional construction industry,
which has been battling to
shrug off the eff ects of the
global economic crisis. Ac-
cording to the research, Saudi
Arabia has 847 active projects
valued at US $417,859 billion.
Th e UAE leads, with 1853
civil building projects worth
a total of US $661,443 billion
currently underway. Kuwait
has 160 active projects worth
US $142,759 billion, Qatar 186
PMV hall projects valued at US $48,215
billion, Bahrain 232 projects
worth US $40,258 billion, and
Oman 116 projects valued at
US $38,512 billion.
Benny Khoo, a manager at
Hongmen, an electrical gate
fi rm from Shenzen, said: “We
Upbeat research good news for PMV makers
Khoo: Encouraged by reports of the value of the local market.
Manafaluti: Likes Libya.
are looking for a dealer here,
so it is great news that the
market valuation is still very
high. Th e number of ongoing
projects, particularly in Sau-
di Arabia, means we should
have a good market for our
security products.
Libya next growth market, says expertLibya is going to be one of the
new growth markets for con-
struction plant, machinery
and vehicles, according to the
boss of one of Dubai’s leading
equipment fi rms.
“Th ere are three types of
project there – infrastructure,
construction and petroleum.
Th is might well be the next
area to expand into after Sau-
di Arabia” said Waiel Manafa-
luti, the general manager of
House of Equipment.
With an area of 1,800,000
square kilometres, and ageing
infrastructure, there is poten-
tial for suppliers of machinery
when the decision is taken to
modernise the African nation.
“Th at is the country that we
hope will become good in the
PMV hall
future.” Manafaluti confi rms.
Speaking at the Big 5 PMV, he
added: “We also hope that the
‘balance’ countries (non-GCC
states) in the Middle East will
also start modernising when
they are past the credit crisis.
Already in the UAE, we are
seeing the start of recovery –
projects that had been put on
hold are being fi nished, albeit
at a slower speed.”
UPDATEPMV NEWS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
20 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Road kit makers have high hopesGovernment investment in infrastructure across GCC has PMV companies eyeing rich pickings
International fi rms manufac-
turing road building equip-
ment are looking to the GCC
and its many ongoing infra-
structure works as a way to
shore up sales while the rest
of the world puts such proj-
ects on hold.
“We’ve sold quite a few in
Morocco and Algeria, but I
really want this market,” ex-
plained Antonio Alvarez from
Mexican asphalt process
equipment fi rm Triaso. “Th is
is one of the countries that
is still kind of thriving, from
an infrastructure and roads
point of view.”
Th e drop off in business
through the Americas has
been hash through the reces-
sion, according to Alvarez.
PMV Hall “To give you some idea, we
were selling eight of these
per month last year, and that
dropped back to three.”
Local businessman Waiel
Manafaluti agrees. “Many of
the countries in the region
need modifi cation and im-
provement to the infrastruc-
ture whether it is roads,
bridges or power supply and
railways,” he says.
“All those infrastructure
projects will soon be released,
and some, as we are all aware,
are already being built, no-
tably the projects in Saudi
Arabia.” Manafaluti is the
general manager of Dubai-
based machinery company
House of Equipment, which
is looking forward to taking
advantage of the roadlaying Huang: Vibratory drum rollers are doing very well right now.
boom. “It’s is a line which we
are now exploring – asphalt
equipment and paving equip-
ment,.” Manafaluti says.
“We have signed a deal
with Rapid International who
specialise in mobile batching
plant and fully mobile stabi-
lisation plant, which will be
exhibited for the fi rst time
at the upcoming Saudi PMV
exhibition in Jeddah.
“It is a highly reputed
brand, and of course, being
made in Northern Ireland,
it meets all EU standards as
well as American ones. Th e
equipment has already been
very successful in the US for
massive concrete paving of
roads,” he continues.
Throughout a generally
gloomy year, manufactur-
ers of general construction
equipment have also seen
sales rise in their road build-
ing range.
Chinese conglomerate Li-
uGong is best known in this
region for a long-established
line up of wheel loaders, but
according to the general
manager Huang Zhaohua it
has been the fi rm’s line-up of
vibratory drum rollers that
have seen the largest increase
in sales over the last year.
“Th is type of equipment
has seen a 30% rise in sales
over the last year, against a
downturn of 30% in the mar-
ket generally.”
Earlier this year, Saudi Ara-
bia committed around US $3
billion to road building proj-
ects in 2009.
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INTERVIEWPHILIPPE DESSOY
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
24 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
SIX DEGREES IN CONSTRUCTION
The six degrees rule normally applies to
people, but in the peculiar case of Philippe
Dessoy, it seems to apply between him and his
job too. Well over six feet tall and heading up
Six Construct in Dubai, he helped build the
tallest tower in the world.
It’s destiny.
By Conrad Egbert
Names like Dubai and Sharjah were of no
particular relevance and ideas of the Gulf in
his head painted classic story book tales of
shifting dunes, camels and oases.
“My company then convinced me to go to
Dubai for two weeks to see if I liked it. I came,
I saw and thought why not. I went back to
Belgium and said ‘okay’ but also that I would
stay for only two years.” It’s been sixteen years
since then.
“When I got here I was surprised to see
that it was quite well developed and open.
I was not expecting that. I was expecting
Saudi Arabia. At that time, the company had
a compound there where all the staff was
staying and I thought living in a compound
was not the type of life I wanted. So I went
to the city and the company put me in an
apartment where it was okay,” he reminisces.
“Dubai on the other hand was quite well
developed at that time, I mean Sheikh Zayed
Road was being developed into four lanes;
some parts were already four lanes to Jebel
Ali. Since then I don’t think Dubai ever looked
back. Development went well until, I’d say
2003 or 2004, when it began to go too fast and
it became a nightmare. In 2006 to 2008, there
was just maddening traffi c with everybody
rushing everywhere, so in a way I think the
crisis has actually been good for the region.
Th ings are back to normal and you can have a
decent life again.
So what brought on such an epic
turnaround for Dessoy who started out in the
back offi ces of Besix as an estimator?
He is now one of the most wanted men in
the construction fraternity not only in the
Middle East but globally. His little offi ce in
Al Quoz is responsible for more than half of
In a way i think the crisis has actually been good for the region.
Before the towering Belgian
stepped off the plane and
onto the tarmac at Dubai
International Airport sixteen
years ago in 1992, he’d never
heard of the emirate.
He joined Besix in 1989 and had worked at
the head offi ce in Belgium for three and half
years when he was asked by the company if
he fancied moving to Dubai.
Confused and unfamiliar with a name that
was destined to become one of the most well
known cities in the world, Dessoy feebly
asked “Where?”
“Th e company asked me to go, so I went,”
says Dessoy. “I had never heard of Dubai
before that, but I had of Saudi Arabia of
course. Some friends from university had
gone to work in Saudi and they weren’t very
happy, so I wasn’t too keen to come to the
Middle East or anywhere in the Gulf for that
matter,” he adds.
For Dessoy, the Middle East consisted of
Saudi Arabia and little other versions of it.
INTERVIEWPHILIPPE DESSOY
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
25BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
the turnover for the company worldwide.
Dessoy’s legendary rise to his current position
as general manager of one of the biggest
contractors in the Middle East is a success
story that is second to none.
“I suppose the reason I chose to stay on
here, from a work point of view, is because
business here is interesting. I mean the
projects we are currently working on here
are quite nice. We cannot do these types of
projects in Europe anymore. Th ere isn’t that
type of demand in Europe and the money is
also not there sometimes. Plus I’ve also grown
in the company which plays a big role in my
staying on,” says Dessoy.
“On a personal note, the quality of life here
is good too; it’s a central place so you can fl y
off to almost anywhere; places that are often
only a dream are at your doorstep here; it’s
liberal too, of course not as free as Europe
but its not too bad. I’ve been on holiday a few
times to Oman, Iran, North Pakistan, India,
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia.
Th ere’s great food here too. Th e variety
is amazing.”
While living in Jumeirah one and often
seen at his favourite after-work haunt,
Madinat Jumeirah, Dessoy says Dubai has
several beautiful places and is a great city to
live in, but would still prefer to buy and own
property in Europe.
“Th ere are a few very nice places; what
they’ve done with the Burj Dubai downtown
area, when it is fi nished more than what it is
today, it should be a very nice place.
But I don’t think I’ll buy property here. I
prefer to keep properties in Europe. I mean
today I don’t need it. If I come back here, I
won’t be back for that long – maybe a few
weeks in winter and for just that much time,
dealing with the many issues surrounding
the buying of property here – it’s not worth it.
Th e cost is high, the maintenance charges are
high. One would rather stay
in a hotel; no headache.”
Th ey say Dubai makes you stronger and
if you’ve survived here, you can make it
anywhere in the world. But many of these
survivors have had their moments and Dessoy
has had his share too.
“At one stage I remember, I said to myself
I have had enough and I wanted to leave;
this was in 2007 and then I got promoted to
this position and the business life changed. I
mean it was a nightmare when you had to go
somewhere, because you needed half a day
to get to a meeting in town; it was awful but
that’s changed now.”
But like every action has an opposite and,
mostly, equal reaction, the “good for the
region” downturn also sent many companies
running for cover. Dessoy reveals why he had
it better than most.
“I think it was more diffi cult for other
companies than for us, because from the
beginning we’ve always tried to be diversifi ed,
so we have diff erent clients; we’ve been
working in diff erent parts of the Gulf
including here in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah,
Ajman, Qatar and Bahrain. Work in Dubai is
down but Abu Dhabi is doing okay, Qatar is
still very good; Of course we have suff ered a
little because a lot of projects in Dubai have
been stopped but it’s still okay; we’re still
working and we’re still busy.”
But unlike many companies in the same
bracket Besix has not made a knee-jerk
decision to enter the Saudi market. But it
does feature in the company’s future plans.
Egypt, on the other hand is a market that the
company is already working in and one that
Dessoy has a soft corner for.
“My fi rst ever job was in Cairo. I’ve got very
good memories of it. It was in 1983 to 1988.
With endless trips to the Dead Sea, going to
the mountains, diving; those were good days.
Besix is working on two projects there. We’re
If you’re not paid what’s the point in taking up a job? we’re not a bank.
just fi nishing the Fairmont and we’re doing
a job for Qatari Diar. But Egypt is a diffi cult
market as the quality on many projects there
is not of standards that any international
contractors would work to.
“In terms of Saudi, I’ve been there a
few times and we’ve decided to enter the
kingdom, so we’re going to put somebody
there full time, but of course, it will take time
before we start on a job and sign the contract;
it may take a few more months. We don’t
regret not entering Saudi earlier. I mean
we were in Qatar before a lot of companies
went there so we’ve got a good name there.
Similarly, we were in Bahrain before and
Oman as well, so we’re in a pretty comfortable
place at the moment.”
Comfortable for some, means not-so-
comfortable for others, at least, until the
economy begins to look up again. But when?
“I think, the recovery, will still take some
time. From what I hear, some people say 2010,
2011, 2012. Some even say 2010 is going to be
even worse, so I think we need to be prepared
as it will take some time.”
An interesting outcome of the downturn has
been the off er of property in lieu of payments
by several developers to contractors. Despite
not being a fan of the idea, Dessoy says he’s
open to hearing what’s on off er.
“As a company we’ve already bought 20
properties about four or fi ve years ago, in
order to house our staff . We have been off ered
property in lieu of payments before, in fact
just a few months ago one of the biggest
developers here did that – the problem here
is how do you evaluate the property they
give you? According to the market rate? It’s
infl ated, it’s too high.”
“Th e downturn has left us with a backlog
of payments. In Dubai we have not put in
a tender for the past nine months. Its not
that we haven’t been invited to bid, but that
we’ve declined. If you’re not paid, what’s the
point in taking up a job? We are owed about
AED500 million (US $136 million) currently. I
mean we are all working here to earn money.
We’re not a bank.”
A risky road in a region where contractors
often tender to stay on the right side of
developers. Dessoy thinks not. “If you’re based
here, I suppose you’d tender to survive, but
not companies like us.” 5
Philippe Dessoy heads up Six Construct in Dubai.
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BUYER’S GUIDEAUCTIONS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
27BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
GOING UNDER THE HAMMER
Over the past few months, the Middle East’s
construction sector has changed dramatically.
At this time last year, resources were so scarce
fi rms were employing staff in advance of
tenders being signed in order to prove their
ability to complete the work. Now, many fi rms work from job
to job, employing only those staff essential at the time and
keeping standing assets to a minimum; fi nances are being
tightened and a fi rm’s every cost is being scrutinised.
One of a contractor’s biggest initial outlays for a project
is for the plant and machinery needed for the build process.
Without suitable equipment available as and when needed,
critical time delays can be incurred. And while some fi rms
may have fl eets of machinery at the ready, for others the
question is how to acquire this plant to meet needs
cost-eff ectively.
“Th e golden rule is to own 70% of your plant requirements
that are needed for six months or more; rent 30% maximum of
a project’s plant requirements; and preserve internal cash fl ow
by using company-owned machinery,” states Keith Lupton,
general manager World Wide Auctioneers (WWA).
Hiring or buying may be the two options that fi rst spring to
mind, however a third choice does exist – auctions. But how
do these operate and what are the potential benefi ts of
taking part?
Are auctions the way to buy necessary plant
during a cash fl ow crisis?By Alison Luke
THE AUCTION MARKETTwo of the biggest advantages of using an auction to procure
plant are the wide range of products available in a single sale
and the relatively low cost of these items.
“Auction prices are, if not lower, at least avoiding the
middle-man’s cut. It is a cash- quick settlement business and
provides immediate availability to fi ll an immediate need,”
states Lupton.
“If you have a project that will last two to three years, why
buy new equipment that has a guarantee for ten years, but will
have its biggest depreciation value [over this initial period]?
Why not buy second-hand?” reasons Tom Cornell, managing
director Europe, Iron Planet.
Also, being able to acquire all the equipment needed
for a project from a single supplier is a strong benefi t and
adds to potential time savings. “Bidders can view a diverse
range of equipment brands at one convenient location…and
equipment purchased at an auction is available immediately,”
stresses Steve Barritt, Ritchie Bros Auctioneers (ME) regional
manager, Middle East, Red Sea, Turkey and South Africa.
Th e fast downturn in the global economic market has
meant there is currently an extremely large amount of
equipment available at such auctions. As well as second-
hand machinery being off ered by sources, such as plant hire
fi rms and contractors, new plant is also available. “Th ink of
KEY BUYERS PROGRAMMEA new feature of this year’s edition of the Big 5 show is the Key Buyers’ Programme, designed to add extra support for the industry’s 300 biggest buyers – the people managing projects valued at over US $500 million each that are based in the Middle East, North Africa, Iran and India.
These heavy-hitting deal-makers get fast track access into the show and are hosted in a private lounge with executive suites available to conduct meetings in private.
The Key Buyers are also given more complete and detailed information on all exhibitors prior to the show, making it easier for them to pinpoint, fi nd and discuss business with the exhibitors that are of interest to them throughout the Big 5.“Our exhibitors want to see the key buyers and we’re excited to see what the results will be this year,” said DMG World Media VP construction Simon Mellor.
BUYER’S GUIDEAUCTIONS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
28 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
the investment that a manufacturer has made over the last
ten years to meet demand…the economy burst happened
very quickly and it’s taken a long time to wind down [the
manufacturing plants],” explains Cornell.
And the variety of plant on off er is as large as the volume.
“Th ere’s absolutely everything from cranes, excavators, dozers
and loaders to pavers, profi lers and batch plants. Th at’s not
to mention the trucks, buses and pick-ups, or the generators,
compressors and pumps,” states Barritt.
In the Middle East, the changes over the past few months in
terms of the types of projects that are going ahead has become
evident in the auction houses.
“Items for villa construction are on an evident downturn,
for example,” reports Lupton. “Th e Arabian Peninsular has
huge infrastructure demands and has always had a huge
demand for road building plant such as motor graders,
bulldozers, wheel loaders, and Mercedes trucks,” he adds.
“Demand comes from every corner of the world and if our
registered bidders can’t be at the auction facility in person,
they will normally register to bid live and in real-time, on-line,”
explains Barritt. “If there is an over supply of a particular
equipment item in the local market, we will identify an
overseas market that has a demand for the item.”
Th e increasingly global nature of auctions has been behind
the success of dedicated online auction fi rm Iron Planet.
Launched in the USA in 1999 and aimed principally at the
construction and agriculture industries, the fi rm has grown by
50% annually since 2006. It began operating in Europe in late
2008 and held the fi rst of its monthly auctions in January 2009.
At the time of writing, the interest from Middle East buyers in
the fi rm’s European operation was growing signifi cantly.
“Th ere are a lot of people around the world willing to buy
construction equipment online…and people are prepared to
transport equipment huge distances,” states Cornell.
10 TIPS FOR BIDDING AT AUCTION• Review equipment online/in catalogue/fi rst-hand.• Register at the auction offi ce on the day or
online. • Remember to bring: a signed agreement
specifying the buyer’s name, company, contact details and banking information, photographic identifi cation and either cash deposit or a guarantee letter from a bank or other credit agency.
• Registered bidders are issued with a personal bidding number, bidding catalogue and list of the equipment in order of sale.
• Once issued with a bidding catalogue, a buyer may bid on any item in the auction and will be held responsible for any purchases applied to their bidding number. Buyers can place bids in real time over the internet, as well as in person at the auction house.
• Each item of mobile equipment for sale will be driven across a selling ramp in front of the auction house theatre; bids should be placed during this period.
• The auctioneer will announce the lot number and a starting price; if no bids are placed the price will be dropped until someone bids, then rise according to interest from buyers until no higher bids are offered, at which point it will be announced as sold. Bids can be made by the buyer raising their bidding catalogue.
• Every item in an auction will be sold to the highest bidder on the sale date.
• Once bidding is complete, the bidder will receive an invoice listing of all their purchases. Payment must generally be made within seven days.
• On completion of payment, bidders can collect their items; the auction house generally offers transportation options.
MIDDLE EAST AUCTION HOUSEWorldwide Auctioneers (WWA)WWA holds fully unreserved auctions, with no minimum bids, seller bids or reserved items, assuring buyers and sellers that equipment is traded at fair market value. Through the Middle East auction centre, which comprises a 100,000m2 compound in the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (FTZ), Dubai, WWA sold more than 52,000 items of construction equipment at its 60 auctions in Dubai from March 2001 through February
2009, for a total amount of over $762.5 million in auction value. The fi rm has held auctions in other countries such as Qatar. www.wwauctions.com
Ritchie Bros AuctioneersCanada-based Ritchie Bros Auctioneers is the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, selling equipment to both on-site and online bidders. It offers auctions at more than 110 locations worldwide, including 38 auction sites such as one at the Jebel Ali FTZ in
Dubai. In 2008, it sold US$3.57 billion of used and unused equipment at 340 unreserved auctions, including a wide range of heavy equipment. www.rbauction.com
Iron PlanetUS-based online auction house Iron Planet is targeting Middle East buyers and sellers via its European base. The fi rm is also aiming to increase its presence in the region in the future. http://eu.ironplanet.com
“Currency is the great determinator and the strength of
local markets...Th e plant and equipment business will buy
where prices are attractive,” adds Lupton. “Europe at the
moment is bargain basement and the UAE dirham is strong
against the GB Pound.”
ATTENDING AUCTIONSTaking part in an auction as buyer or seller is kept as simple
as possible, assure the auction fi rms. Deposits are generally
required to ensure the fi nancial competence and serious
intentions of buyers and the turnaround of equipment after a
sale is kept to a minimum.
WWA employs multilingual staff to aid interested parties
and its website includes both English and Arabic instructions;
a dvd explaining the auction process is also off ered. Th e fi rm
has held auctions in the Middle East since March 2001 and
currently holds six auctions per year, with a deposit of $27,500
(AED100,000) required to obtain a bid book. It is planning to
expand into the Levant and USA, adding to its operations in
the UAE, Qatar and Australia.
Ritchie Bros Auctioneers (ME) also plans to expand. Th e
fi rm held its fi rst unreserved auction in October 1997 and has
conducted regular auctions every year since. It currently has
38 full-service auction facilities worldwide with more on the
way. It is free to attend the fi rm’s auctions; however, buyers
registering for its Dubai auction, for example, must provide
a deposit equivalent to 25% of their intended purchase price.
UAE-based bidders must also provide a copy of their trade
licence, while overseas buyers must provide photo ID.
Anyone wishing to register as a bidder with Iron Planet
must place a deposit of €2,000. In addition to making direct
bids, buyers can register in advance the type of products that
interest them and the fi rm’s Dublin-based staff will contact
them about suitable products that are due to be included in
upcoming auctions. Buyers can place bids during a preview
period to counteract issues such as global time diff erences;
these bids won’t show online until the auction day.
As an entirely web-based auction process, Iron Planet carries
out independent analysis of each item entered into auction and
provides potential buyers with an ‘iron-clad assurance’ of the
item’s condition. With land-based auctions, equipment is sold
as seen without warranty, making it vital for potential bidders to
undertake a mechanical check if they want to ensure plant will
meet their needs and provide value for money. 5
Attending an auction is a popular way of building construction equipment because of the wide range of products available .
You could talk for hours about our experience in commercial and industrial boiler technology.Or you could just incorporate it.
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DUBAI � UNITED ARAB EMIRATES � AUCTION STARTS 9AMPRIVATE AUCTION FOR HEAVY CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY AND LIGHT VEHICLESUNRESERVED PRIVATE AUCTION
8TH 9TH 10TH DECEMBER 2009
ENVIRONMENTALAWARENESS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
31BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
What does carbon neutral mean? An individual or an organization can become carbon neutral,
once it reduce its carbon emissions emissions internally and
then purchases off sets to balance the unavoidable carbon
footprint. It is the point at which the equivalent amount
of CO2 produced by a manufacturing process; distribution
system and / or product use is equal to the amount being
removed. A Carbon Neutral program involves the assessment
of carbon emissions, the reduction of emissions at source, and
the ‘off set’ of unavoidable emissions.
What is the process of becoming carbon neutral? An organization can become carbon neutral by using the
following process:
• Measure: Calculate your Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(carbon footprint).
• Target: Set internal targets to reduce your carbon
footprint at source.
• Reduce: Work towards achieving your internal reduction
targets and purchase off sets to balance the unavoidable
carbon footprint.
What are offsets? A carbon off set is a fi nancial instrument that reduces
greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon off sets are measured
in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One
carbon off set represents the reduction of one metric ton of
carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.
By purchasing off sets you are in essence investing in an
organization to reduce carbon emissions on your behalf.
What kinds of carbon offset projects are used in your carbon neutral services? EcoVentures has partnered with Th e CarbonNeutral Company
to provide off set based advisory services to its clients in the
MENA region and our off set projects are selected against
The Big 5 has gone carbon neutral, so we spoke to the team at
EcoVentures to fi nd out what the process is really all about
What is being carbon neutral?
Visit the Green Stand in Hall 9
DID YOU KNOW?One step The Big 5 will be taking towards carbon neutrality will be offsetting its carbon emissions by contributing to a waste heat recovery based captive power project in Chhattisgarh, India. The project, being worked on in association with MSP Steel & Power Limited and emissions reduction specialist EcoVentures, will aim to capture the waste heat of the gases emanating from a 900 C kiln, used to produce direct reduced iron. This recovered waste heat is then used to generate electrical energy, aiming to produce 16MW of power to meet the in-house requirements of MSP, which would otherwise have been met by the coal-based grid power.
the highest possible environmental standards. One of the
key ways to stop global warming is to use new technology,
such as wind and hydro energy, and channel our customers’
money into projects to do just that. In India, for example,
we have enabled local generators to switch from diesel to
biomass (natural compost with lower CO2 emissions). We
then use the savings in CO2 emissions to balance out some of
our customers’ CO2 production - thereby helping them to go
carbon neutral. Our technology projects not only reduce CO2
emissions, they also help to promote rural economies and
local communities.
The business value of carbon offsets Off set-based carbon management strategies have a vital role
to play because they:
• Provide an immediate response to the need for material
reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions;
• Use principles of effi cient markets to identify and enable
those reductions wherever they can be made fastest and at
the lowest cost;
• Speed progress to a low / no carbon economy by enabling
additional investment in carbon reduction technologies over
and above that achieved by Government regulations;
• Establish a ‘price for carbon’ which promotes investment
in cleaner technologies and processes, and in low carbon
assets;
• Enable those who are not obliged to take action to set and
meet meaningful reduction targets by fully or partially
balancing out their greenhouse gas emissions;
• Engage and communicate with individuals and
organisations about the impact that they can make towards
solving climate change.
Is becoming carbon neutral expensive? You would be surprised to learn that it takes less than AED
2.5 per employee per day in an average company to become
carbon neutral.
Who is EcoVentures? EcoVentures is the Middle East’s premier emissions reduction
fi rm. Based in the UAE, the fi rm helps companies across the
Middle East and North Africa reduce their environmental
impact by becoming carbon neutral, off setting their emissions,
and replacing their use of fossil fuels. EcoVentures delivers
sound consultancy, advisory and management services to
public and private sector organizations in the Middle East and
North Africa region, using global best practices and meeting
internationally recognised standards. EcoVentures specializes
in the following areas: emissions reduction advisory, carbon
fi nance and green building advisory.
IN DEPTHGAIA AWARDS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
32 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
The range of Gaia Silver award winners
means almost any project can look to being
more sustainableBy James Boley
SILVER STARS
After the tricky challenge of
selecting one overall winner
for the Gaia Awards, the
judging panel then had to
turn their attention to those
products that still remain a benchmark in
their fi eld for sustainability.
To pick up a silver award, the judges were
looking for products that were highly inno-
vative, included world leading technology,
generated high-level benefi ts to other build-
ing systems and were either energy effi cient
or fully recyclable.
All the winners proved they easily exceeded
all the requirements, and as a result the win-
ners’ list is a truly creative and advanced range
of products, representing some of the very best
in sustainable design and technology.
Six companies snapped up Gaia Silver
awards, with winners from across the
world. All winners were listed in the awards
for the very first time, clearly showing how
rapidly the sustainable building product
market is growing.
A survey by EcoVentures shows how
eagerly the UAE market is embracing such
products. Around 86% of UAE-based com-
panies and 78% of multinational companies
already have an environmental strategy, and
this is expected to increase within the next
two years. Many companies either already
have environmental committees in place, or
will establish one within the next two years.
Customers are also increasingly environ-
mentally conscious, with 91% of companies
reporting that their customers care about their
environmental performance. Meanwhile, 93%
percent of UAE-based companies and 78%
of multinationals have attempted to reduce
their fi rms’ environmental
footprint through energy-
saving measures, and this
is expected to increase over
the next two years.
“Th e Gaia Awards, in
addition to our moves this
year to become carbon
neutral, demonstrate that
we are not just paying lip-
service to these issues, we are actually leading
by example, and we look forward to some
innovative and ground-breaking environmen-
tally-friendly products featuring in this year’s
show,” said dmg world media’s vice-president
of construction, Simon Mellor. 5
93%of UAE fi rms are attempting to
reduce their carbon footprint.
Simon Mellor looks of dmg World Media.
The team from Custom Building Products.
Renitherm® and Intumex® for fire protection!AUDAX-Keck GmbH GermanyPhone +49 70 51/16 [email protected]
RENITHERM® intumescentcoatings for steel, wood andcables.INTUMEX® sealants, seal,collars, mortar and more.
Stand: Zabeel D 120
IN DEPTHGAIA AWARDS
In association with
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33BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
This year’s nominees represented a broad range of products, from MEP products designed for air-conditioning, bathroom fi ttings and fi xtures, grouting and construction concrete, meaning whatever your industry, there’s an award-winning sustainable product for you.
THE NOMINEES
DuctSox
Manufactured by DuctSox Corporation from the USA, DuctSox systems discharge air through a combination of porous fabrics, engineered orifi ces and linear vents to meet a large range of HVAC and Refrigeration requirements.
Because they’re made of fabric, air is discharged uniformly along the entire length of the system - providing consistent and uniform air dispersion to the occupied space. They’re also lighter than steel so they require less heavy lifting to install, and can be easily
LevelLite, MegaLite, Prism SureColor
Three products from Custom Building Products made the cut for the GAIA Silver awards. LevelLite helps level fl oors prior to the installation of ceramic tile, natural stone, resilient fl ooring, carpet, wood and other fl oor coverings. MegaLite Rapid Set Crack Prevention Mortar is a premium one-part formula with the high, fast bond strength and fl exibility for time critical commercial and residential installations. Finally, Prism SureColor Grout is a lightweight, polymer-modifi ed, cement-based grout that offers consistent colour without mottling or shading, regardless of tile type, temperature of humidity. All three products can be used to contribute towards LEED certifi cation.
Eco-Logical Recyclable Plastic Panel
UAE-based fi rms are also doing their part for sustainability too. The Eco-Logical plastic panel from Logical Plastic Industries can be used for a modular hording system, costing less than timber and can be 100% recycled. The panels are also easy to re-site or reuse, and their light weight means they can be transported in a van or pick-up truck, reducing environmental damage.
Kerafl ex
Kerafl ex is a cementitious adhesive from Italian fi rm Mapei, with no vertical slip and extended opening time for ceramic tiles and stone materials. The product is certifi ed by GEV (Gemeinschaft Emissionskontrollierter Verlegewerkstoffe) as being ‘very low emission’ with EMICODE EC1, which is the highest possible certifi cation for protection against environmental pollution.
The criteria for testing was defi ned by the Technical Council of the GEV, with the professional support of the environmental institute Miljö-Chemie, the Carpet Research Institute (TFI) and the Association for Environmentally-Friendly Carpets (GuT).
CYS-210 Automatic/Manual Faucet
Taiwan’s Chang Yi Shin Co., Ltd. (CYS-210) picked up a Gaia Silver award for their automatic and manual faucet which reduces water wastage. In automatic mode, the tap only dispenses water when a user is present. Alternatively, the tap can be converted to manual usage for user convenience, with as timer to control how long after use it switches off.
Stand Number: 1 B15
Stand Number: 9 C71
Stand Number: 1 H11
Stand Number: 7 E291
Stand Number: 11 A187Reusable Concrete Curing Covers
US fi rm Reef Industries manufactures Transguard Concrete Curing Covers for controlled curing of concrete slabs, bridges and roads. Proper moisture control during curing will reduce cracking, dusting and scaling for both fi eld and pre-cast applications. Transguard 4000 is a natural coloured polypropylene fabric with a white polyethylene backing. It is ultraviolet light stabilised to provide protection against degradation and to offer long service life.
The reusable covers are lightweight with exceptionally low permeability to retain water and allow concrete to achieve maximum expansion, control the cure and minimise plastic shrinkage. They can be used for wide ranging projects, including
Stand Number: 1 E20 / 4 C161
Der Leitwolf. The leader of the pack – live at BIG 5. Visit us: Stand Zabeel N113
EUROPEREGIONAL VIEW
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
35BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Fifth consecutive year of attendance shows the little country has a great deal to offer the regional industry
Welsh wizards are back for more
European Region
WHO’S WHO – Wales promotes best in business
Nine construction and building materials
companies have come together under the
banner of International Business Wales (IBW),
the overseas trade and investment arm of the
Welsh Assembly Government, which is taking
part in its fi fth consecutive Big 5.
IBW has brought almost 100 companies to
the Middle East for the event since its fi rst
appearance in 2005, highlighting the wide
range of innovation and expertise available
in Wales, providing products and services
ranging from the supply of industrial doors
Hall 3 Stand 3D 121 for the security industry; fi re, thermal and
acoustic insulation products through to a
manufacturer of equipment for the recycling
industry.
“Big 5 is the premier event for the
construction industry in the Middle East
and features all the important movers
and shakers who infl uence developments
in the sector. Th e exhibition off ers a
fantastic opportunity for us to bring expert
Welsh companies to connect with their
counterparts in the region. We are looking
forward to this years show and building on IBW is here for the fi fth year running.
Eurobond LaminatesContact: Darren StewartWebsite: www.eurobond.co.uk Established in 1981, Eurobond has over 25 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of stone wool cored panel systems that provide superior fi re and environmental performance.
Eurobond manufactures a range of external and internal composite panel systems. All systems provide built-in passive fi re protection and are tested and approved to stringent UK and European standards.
MD Recycle DirectContact: Kevin DaviesWebsite: www.recycledirect.com Recycle Direct provides complete recycling solutions, including baling, shredding and waste material reduction machinery. Recycle Direct supplies new, rebuilt and refurbished baling and recycling equipment, and offers worldwide installation, commissioning and troubleshooting.
Siderise Insulation LtdContact: James BarrowWebsite: www.siderise.com For over 30 years, the Siderise Group has been providing innovative insulation solutions for fi re, thermal and acoustic applications. Its Lamaphon, Lamatherm and Lamapro ranges have become trusted brands in construction, building services, OEM and many other industries.
Teddington Engineered SolutionsContact: Jason ThomasWebsite: www.tes.uk.com Teddington Engineer Solutions is an amalgamation of three formally independent bellows manufacturers, which, since being established in the 1920s, have offered expertise in the design, application and manufacture of the most comprehensive range of bellows and expansion joint solutions in the industry.
Terram LtdContact: Martin Lambley Website: www.terram.com Terram is a geosynthetics company dedicated to the supply of geosynthetic materials to the worldwide construction industry. The Terram range of products has grown to meet the demands of the civil engineering industry with its focus on the supply of geotextiles for road and rail construction.
Digital Surface Research Contact: Darren ShipardWebsite: www.digitalsurfaceresearch.comDigital Surface Research is provides the pioneering technology SolaVeil, capable of naturally illuminating interiors whilst signifi cantly reducing energy consumption. While SolaVeil is relatively new to the market, it is already making an impression with developers, facility managers, building and property managers who want to reduce their buildings’ energy consumption.
Rhino EngineeringContact: Colin BrownWebsite: www.rhinodoors.com Rhino Engineering has 25 years’ experience of supplying industrial, security; ram resist and acoustic range of Rhino Doors® which are regularly specifi ed for use on government buildings, cash handling centres, the aerospace industry and high profi le companies that demand robust, high-quality and above all, reliable doors.
Julia Brooker PaintingsContact: Julia BrookerWebsite: www.juliabrooker.com Julia Brooker is a British fi ne artist with an international reputation with a studio in Cardiff, Wales. Clients include Harvey Nichols, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline and BP International. She has been exporting her paintings since 2004.
the successes of our previous visits,” IBW
vice president Lee Jennings.
“IBW has been active in the Middle East
for fi ve years now, following the opening of
the regional offi ce by the Welsh Assembly
in 2004, and in that time we have worked
with almost 500 companies from Wales. Our
recent activity in the region includes a highly
successful trade mission to Qatar and Saudi
Arabia, where participating companies
met with local companies and government
offi cials and identifi ed potential deals worth
over US$ 2.5million,” he concluded.
EUROPEREGIONAL VIEW
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
36 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Focus on European MEPCategory: Pipe SystemsWhere: Hall 2 Stand F61Claim to fame: Based in the UK, Polypipe Terrain is the market leading range of soil and waste systems for commercial applications, available with an extensive range of pipes and fi ttings in PVC, HDPE and polypropylene to suit almost every application. Terrain’s history as a supplier of plastic drainage pipes and fi ttings to the Middle East stretches back over the last 50 years, so the company already has very strong links with the region and established relationships with the construction industry there.What to watch out for: “In addition to the range of products and services we can provide, we want visitors to our stand to be aware of the tremendous history that Terrain has in the Gulf region,” says Appleby. “We can supply everything from individual products right through to complete solutions.”Website: www.terraindrainage.com
Category: DesalinationWhere: Zabeel B121Claim to fame: MEDESA of Germany sells micro MVC/MED desalination plants with capacities of between 100 to 400 cubic metres a day of very high quality water. The plants produce distilled water at a ppm of under 10, have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, and require minimal chemicals for pre- and post-treatment.What to watch out for: The company manufactures portable units suited for container transport and multi-purpose application. These feature quick installation time, fast operational start-up, non-grid power supply capability and automatic dosage and integrated water analysis.Website: www.medesa.de
Category: Taps, FittingsWhere: Stand 9 B66Claim to fame: ITDR manufactures a full range of plumbing fi xtures, including kitchen and basin faucets, tub and shower fi xtures, thermostatic controls, accessories and components. Products are exported as
far afi eld as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen.What to watch out for: The ideal manufacturer if you are looking for contemporary Italian design combined with high standards in material and quality, at accessible prices.Website: www.itdr.eu/eng
Category: Plumbing, Sanitaryware Where: Stand 6 E260Claim to fame: This Italian company manufactures high-quality prefabricated bathroom pods. They are supplied to site complete with water intake pipes in non-toxic reticular polyethylene, waste system, electrical installation (sockets and switches), lighting (downlights, fl uorescent strip-lighting or halogen spot lights built into the ceiling), ventilation system (exhaust fan or extract valve), heating, cladded with fi rst-class italian tiles and sanitaryware, taps, sanitary chrome fi ttings, shower and bath, doors, etc.Podded bathrooms bring signifi cant benefi ts. In any hotel or multi-residential project, bathroom construction is usually a critical-path item.
What to watch out for: The prefabricated bathroom pods are available in both concrete and anodized aluminium.Website: www.modulbagno.com
POLYPIPE TERRAIN
MEDESA GmbH
ITDR RUBINETTERIE SpA
MODULBAGNO
Category: HVACWhere: Not listedClaim to fame: A UK market leader in domestic, commercial, industrial ventilation and space heating products, with distribution in 80 countries. For over 50 years the Xpelair name has been synonymous with fans and air movement. Over that period it has continued to push the boundaries, developing new products and new technologies to ensure that the air we breathe is clean, fresh and healthy. Today the growing need to reduce carbon emissions has led Xpelair to take a leading role in the development of mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
What to watch out for: Xpelair has an extensive collection of fans and controllers for commercial and light industrial applications, available to specifi ers, installers and end users. The new Xpelair Xpress range redefi nes inline fan performance to provide ultra high pressure development, volume and effi ciency, allowing smaller ductwork to be used than conventional inline fans. At the heart of the design is a dynamically-balanced, mixed-fl ow impeller and bellmouth entry with minimised clearances to ensure optimum pressure development. Transferred though a meridian channel, the air then enters a static 3D guide vane. This dihedral twist retains a third of the pressure build-up, which would otherwise be lost. Air turbulence noise and vibration associated with centrifugal inline fans is virtually eliminated.Website: www.xpelair.co.uk
XPELAIR
EUROPEREGIONAL VIEW
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WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
38 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
What products and services do you offer and how they work?KTI offers water chillers, flake ice plants,
mobile ice storages, ice delivery systems
and modular turnkey solutions. In the first
step, we cool down fresh water by using
our ice bank system. Dry, crisp flake ice is
then produced and stored. Only such kind
of ice is suitable for storing or delivering
to the mixer without problems of blocking.
Depending on the recipe of the mixture and
required concrete temperature, we supply
chilled water and ice directly to the batch-
KTI Plersch managing director Rupert Plersch discusses the energy benefi ts of concrete cooling
Keep cool under concrete pressureing plant. The more ice is added to this mix-
ture the lower is the concrete temperature.
Has the drop in prices of concrete affected the prices of technology you offer?Before spending money, companies think
twice on investments. We have learned that
during this time customers are not only
checking investment prices. Attributes like
quality, flexibility, mobility, sustainability
and service availability and reliability are
more important. They honour higher prices
because of these advantages and they know
that the pay back will come during the
utilisation of our equipment.
Who are your competitors?Since the construction boom in the mid-
2000s, we see frequent competitors from
India, China or even this region ones show-
ing up. They try to sell their machines for a
cheap price and just copy our technology.
Ninety percent of customers who tried the
competitors’ products have come back to
KTI after bitter experiences.
Have developer needs changed when it concrete choice? This depends on the mentality of compa-
nies and regions. The demand for environ-
mentally friendly and efficient refrigerant is
increasing. But, at the same time, investing
in this kind of technology can come at a
high price for customers. Not everybody is
willing to invest in green systems because
this market is still a bit conservative.
Zabeel V28
KTI Plersch is in the business of keeping concrete cool.
How does your concrete technol-ogy contribute to green building?Our concept gives the customer the pos-
sibility to produce ice with the lowest con-
sumption of energy. Production of ice can
also be done during the night and stored
under safe conditions. With our multistage
cooler, the customer sees up to a 50%
reduction of energy consumption compared
to conventional water chillers. 5
The scientifi c approach to wall coatings Originally founded in Germany more than 45 years ago on the back of years of targeted scientifi c research and development from the company’s founder Wilhelm Dieter Farenkopf, Fakolith addressed the need for paints, coverings, coatings and chemicals protecting non-conventional surfaces and based on sustainable, advanced technologies.
A tail of tough tilesInitially more a craft shop than a manufacturer, since 1923, St Joris has been turning out ceramic products made from an extremely pure Westerwalder clay.
After the Second World War, the company switched to the professional production of glazed ceramic products using special coarse-ceramic, vacuum-pressed blending and hand-form/moulding methods to create a high fragment density. Once dry, the glaze is applied and baked once at 1200 degrees, resulting in a strong product with cindered fragments. As a result, St. Joris’ tiles retain their shape, are colourfast and free of crazes, as well as being frost-proof and having a self-washing glaze.
Street furniture is just a load of bollardsThe French ‘street furniture’ designer and manufacturer Concepturbain has brought 30 years of experience with it to Dubai’s Big 5 show, where the company is showcasing its wide range of products created from materials such as cast iron, steel, stainless steel and aluminium combined with wood or composites.
Concepturbain has managed to combine environmental constraints, local authority requirements and modern style in producing lines of bollards, posts and barriers such as Basic, Vesta, Imawa and Eveole. The six ranges provide what the company describes as ‘an adequate response to public road problems and elegant solutions in laying out public areas’.
Since the opening of Fakolith España in 1993, the company has gone from strength to strength in delivering innovative insulation systems, water repellents, anti-mould paints and many other different types of cleaners and coatings, formulated from the company’s research in microtechnology and even nanotechnology.
The company’s facility in Spain now includes a factory, a research department and a regulating centre in Spain, which is the driving force behind brands such as Fakolith Farben, Mixol, Scheidel, Pigrol and Tikkurila.
Find them at: 2 D96
Find them at: Rashid F178
FAKOLITH
ST JORIS CERAMICS
CONCEPTURBAIN
Superior, Fast and SafeHighest Quality Formwork Engineering - Made in Spain
EUROPEREGIONAL VIEW
In association with
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40 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Originally starting life as a machine work-
shop, where tools for producing pre-stressed
hollow core concrete were developed and
produced, Belgian company Echo Engineering
was founded in 1990 as a response to growing
demand from concrete hollow core fl oor and
ceiling manufacturers for those machines.
Now, the engineering and machinery sides
of the business work together to create state-
of-the-art technology for its machinery.
Echo Engineering managing director, Kris
De Meester, and design department manager
Ludo Zimmermann, explain the benefi ts
of the company’s Universal Slipformer
machinery.
In what ways does the universal slipformer help hollow core pro-duction companies?Kris De Meester: Echo Group’s production
plants, and other customers around the
world, including customers in emerging
regions such as South America and India, are
faced with changing requirements for a wide
How would this work in a practical example?KDM: Well, an HC producer has two plants,
one producing the 11-core 10 cm-thick slabs,
the other producing the 6-core 50 cm-thick
slabs; each with one mainframe and possibly
multiple product units. By just exchanging
one product unit, both plants can produce
the 10 cm and the 50 cm slabs.
Drawing on its engineering experience, Echo creates fast, easy and fl exible hollow core machinery
An Echo heard around the industryrange of concrete products: hollow core fl oors
of diff erent thicknesses and widths, wall
panels, half-slabs, lintels, hollow core beams,
and so on.
Ludo Zimmermann: Th e Universal Slipformer
has been tested in the fi eld to produce an
existing range of hollow core fl oors from 10
to 50 cm thick and expansions to 6 and 60 cm
are planned for the near future.
What gives the slipformer such fl exibility?LZ: Th at’s possible thanks to the combina-
tion of a mainframe and a product unit. Th is
product unit can be changed very quickly
and, with it, all the product-related machine
components. Replace the product unit and
you’re producing a completely diff erent con-
crete element.
KDM: Th e interchangeability of product units
and mainframes enables companies to make
extremely fl exible choices, and this applies
to both smaller producers and major players
with several plants.
Find them at: 2 G56
In addition to fl exibility, this will create faster job turnarounds?LZ: With changeover times of a few minutes,
the universal slipformer makes effi cient work
possible for everyone. Production can change
course in a very short space of time and, for
that matter, the fast changeovers show that
we’ve paid a great deal of attention to making
the machine user-friendly. 5
Environmental insulation solutions from SpaceShowcasing their products at the Big 5 this year will be Space Refl ex, a leader in thermal insulation all the way from Portugal.
The company claims to put its technology at the disposal of those who build with quality and for those who care about the environment. But, how are its products sustainable? The main objective of the company’s technology is to reduce the expenses necessary to artifi cially heat or cool a building.
The usual insulation products such as glass wool, mineral wool or polystyrene, are effective in reducing loss of heat and cold, but their value of refl ection is
Euroslot adds some steel to the Gallic fl airEntering the exhibition and hailing from France is Euroslot, a manufacturer and supplier of architectural and decorations surfaces.
The Euroslot structure is a welded combination of stainless steel profi led wires and support rods (without any need for fi ller material). The company supplies products either with or without framing or fi xing devices and ready for installation.
Dominique Perrault was the fi rst architect to utilise the product for the famous Parisian library Biblioteque Nationale de France in 1993.
Terrifi c terracotta from TerrealThe French company Terreal has brought its knowledge of all things terracotta to the Big 5 for 2009’s edition. From roof tiles to clay wall claddings products, Terreal has more than 100 years of experience in clay manufacturing.
However, the company’s focus is on remaining young and independent, providing for an international network of subsidiaries in Spain, Italy, Malaysia and the US.
With an eye also to the environment, over several years, the company has invested heavily to reduce kiln smoke and gas emissions when manufacturing its products and all waste is treated or recycled.
Find them at: 10 C90 Find them at: B146
Find them at: 3A1412
SPACE REFLEX EUROSLOT
TERREAL
usually very low because they are absorbent materials. Space Refl ex’s insulation screens are made from
aluminium foil, a plastic air bubble fi lm and polyethylene foam and are designed to refl ect radiant energy. The screens are highly resistant to water absorption – ideal for the Middle East’s humid climate. They are also durable and can be recycled.
Since the opening of Fakolith España in 1993, the company has gone from strength to strength in delivering innovative insulation systems, water repellents, anti-mould paints and many other different types of cleaners and coatings, formulated from the company’s research in microtechnology and even nanotechnology.
The company’s facility in Spain now includes a factory, a research department and a regulating centre in Spain, which is the driving force behind brands such as Fakolith Farben, Mixol, Scheidel, Pigrol and Tikkurila.
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UPDATEPRODUCT SEMINARS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
42 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Build green
DAY 2: Tuesday 24th NovemberEnvironmental Solutions11.00 Topic Green Building Services and Capabilities
Speaker Mr Kapil Kumar, Manager- Energy Audits, Leed AP
Company Prime Technologies LLC
12.00 Topic P3 Hydrotech Ducts - Our Ecological Footprint to
Save Nature
Speaker Mr Andrea Van Schalkwyk, Technical Consultant
Company M/s P3 Srl Italy
13.00 Topic The Silent Cooling for Hotel Rooms
Speaker Mr Carl Tobisson, Business Development Director
Company Swegon
14.00 Topic Carbon Footprint of Construction
Speaker Armen Vartanian, Director
Company Ecoventures
15.00 Topic HCFC Replacement Technologies
Speaker Mr Amir Naqvi, Business Development Manager( Honeywell Intl)
Company Abu Saeed Trading Co L.L.C
Cost Saving Products & Services16.00 Topic Get Smart
Speaker James Noble, International Marketing Manager
Kevin Quin, Chief Executive Offi cer
Company Kristal Technologies Ltd & Al Fajer
17.00 Topic Technical Interior Design
Speaker James Noble, International Marketing Manager
Kevin Quin, Chief Executive Offi cer
Company Kristal Technologies Ltd & Al Fajer
18.00 Topic Mechanical Rebar Coupling System
Speaker Ms Shari Robitaille
Company TECNIA GmbH
19.00 Topic HOTEL&OFFICE Maintenance of Artifi cial and
Natural Stone
Speaker Mr Jost J. Plewa, Sales Director Export
Company AKEMI Chemisch Technische Spezialfabrik GmbH
Swegon presentation on Nov 24, 1pm
To what extent does the green performance of a building infl uence the buyer’s decision to purchase?Th e launch of Sheikh Mohammed’s green
building initiative at the end of 2007 was the
fi rst step towards changing the criteria so
that people paid more attention to energy
effi cient solutions and green building
solutions. Such solutions are on their way to
the forefront of people’s minds. Th ere is a slow
move away from build fast, build cheap
and sell.
How should we encourage the developer to take an interest in the life span of a building?Th ere must be some kind of education. Th ere
are two types of investors – owners and
speculators. Owners are going to pay the bills
for energy, water, and so on. Th e problem is
with speculative buyers. When somebody else
is paying the bill it is not so easy. We must
remember that if you have a Leed certifi ed
building you can get more money out of
it, which remains an advantage, even for
speculative investors.
Gunnar Svensson, Swegon general manager,
spoke to CW Big 5 Daily about some of the pros
and cons of ‘green’ building
How have you encouraged clients to put forward the premium required to build?We are showing our customers that you
have to look at the long-term costs. You
have the investment cost, the running cost
and the maintenance cost. Th e running and
maintenance costs stay with the building its
entire lifespan. What we are trying to indicate
is that you have to look at the pointers – not
only at investment but the life-cycle cost.
Has the construction industry lost the will to go green in the face of the economic climate?Th e recession could help in some ways.
People will be more discerning. Before,
everybody could build and sell. But now the
market should be more stable, as opposed
to people simply looking to build fast and
sell. Th at’s why Sheikh Mohammed’s green
resolution was a big step. Someone has to
take the lead, or practical steps will never
be taken. 5
Technical talkMeet the experts face to face at The Big 5 Product Seminars, running throughout the show
You have to look
at the pointers –
not only at invest-
ment, but the life-
cycle cost.
Need detailed product information before making a decision? Need to know exactly how something will work for you? The Big 5 Product Seminars give you an opportunity to get face-to-face with manufacturers and suppliers of a range of construction products and services.
Speakers will be presenting concise and detailed information about what they can offer, so check out the timetable and fi nd time in your show schedule to learn something new.
LOCATIONSeminar Rooms Dubai D, 1st Floor (above Sheikh Maktoum Hall), Dubai World Trade Centre
SWEGONCategory: HVAC
Where: Stand 1 F26
Claim to fame: Swegon manufactures and sells products and solutions for ventilation and indoor climate systems. It is based in Sweden, with an important global export presence, including the UAE.
What to watch out for: Swegon will be releasing the new Paragon silent cooling unit. It operates without a fan, meaning no draught, less maintenance and added energy savings. Paragon is a dry system, meaning no condensation and drainage system. A range of room control systems is available.
Web site: www.swegon.com
YOUR PARTNER IN CONCRETING THE FUTURE AND MORE...
PO Box 171929, Jebel Ali, Industrial Area 2, Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 880 3534 / 880 3553Fax: +971 4 880 3226Email: [email protected]: www.goldenreadymix.com
Committed to satisfy the concrete industry requirements with consistent quality, competitive price and on time delivery of readymix concrete.
Operating in Dubai, Sharjah & Abu Dhabi
UPDATECONFERENCES
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
44 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Conference sessions start
Building Future Cities of the Middle East: Opportunities, Challenges & Lessons Learned
THE BIG 5 BUSINESS CONFERENCETuesday 24th November 200909.00 – 17.15 The Monarch Hotel
8:00 Registration opens. Coffee on arrival
9:00 THE VISIONIs it important? Is the vision sustainable? Is the vision crisis proof?CHAIR: Mr Simon Azam, Chief Executive Offi cer Canterra H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Mr Mohammed Nimer, Chief Executive Offi cer, MAG Properties
10:25 Networking Break & Mid Morning Coffee
11:00 BUILDING THE VISIONCan the dream become a reality? What are the challenges? How can we build better?CHAIR: H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Mr Ziad Makhzoumi, Chief Financial Offi cer, Arabtech Holding Pjsc Mr Euan Mcewan, Chief Executive Offi cer, Currie & Brown Mr Kez Taylor, Chief Executive Offi cer, Alec
12:30 Networking Lunch
14:00 SUPPORTING THE VISIONHow does escrow affect the outcome? What have we learned from litigation? Can we afford going green?CHAIR: H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Mr Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director, Fimeche, Peng, Leed Faculty Member, Green Technologies Mr Nigel Truscott, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins Mr John Cowling, Risk Manager, Faithful & Gould
15:30 Networking Break & Afternoon Coffee
15:45 THE ROAD TO RECOVERYCan the economy sustain the vision? What challenges lay ahead? When will we get there?CHAIR: H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Dr Imad Al Jamal, Vice Chairman, UAE Contractors Association Mr Michael Stephen Small, Partner, VSM Consultants
17:00 END
Once again The Big 5, in conjunction with Proleads, have exclusively brought together the Region’s most infl uential and distinguished industry leaders for the building and construction industry.
The quality and breadth of experience of our speakers ensures that each of the conference sessions are relevant, timely and structured to deliver maximum value. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunit
CONFERENCE LOCATIONTHE MONARCH HOTEL JUST ACROSS SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD FROM THE TRADE CENTREOnce again The Big 5, in conjunction with Proleads, has brought together some of the region’s most infl uential and distinguished industry leaders in the building and construction industry.
Day one – Tuesday 24th - sees The Big 5 Business Conference address issues vital to
the way businesses perform in the industry. It will look at the overall vision for the
industry and the challenges it faces, examine the impact of escrow and discuss what
needs to happen along the road to recovery.
Day two – Wednesday 25th - is The Big 5 Technical Conference, designed specifi cally
for professional engineers. Leading technical fi gures have been invited to speak on
sustainability and green environmental engineering, energy saving solutions and
district cooling and project management.
Both days get an early start, with conference programmes kicking off at 9am sharp.
Each day’s discussions are scheduled to fi nish at 5:15pm, leaving plenty of time for
a few hours at the exhibition too.
The conference sessions will be held at the Monarch Hotel, on Sheikh Zayed Road,
a short walk from the Trade Centre.
Attendance is free and registration can be completed at onsite registration desks or
you can reserve your space ahead of time online at www.thebig5exhibition.com.
Two days of informative conference kick off early tomorrow, but you can still register to attend now.
UPDATECONFERENCES
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
45BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
today, register right now!
For the Engineering Professional
THE BIG 5 TECHNICAL CONFERENCEWednesday 25th November 200909.00 – 17.15 The Monarch Hotel
SELECTED SPEAKERS
We are delighted to introduce The Big 5 Technical Conference - designed specifi cally for professional engineers. Leading technical fi gures have been invited to speak on Sustainability & Green Environmental Engineering, Energy Saving Solutions & District Cooling and Project Management.
If you are working in an applied engineering role within the Middle East Building & Construction industry you will fi nd considerable value in attending this programme. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity
Euan McEwanGroup Chief Executive Offi cer. BSc, CA, CMC, FRSATime: 11am, 24 NovemberEuan McEwan is Group CEO of Currie & Brown. He has extensive experience in the real estate, construction and management consultancy sectors. Euan is a qualifi ed chartered accountant and has a BSc in Civil Engineering. He is also a certifi ed member of the Institute of Management Consultants and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
Khalfan Al KaabiChairman, ADCCITime: 9am, 24 NovemberKhalfan Saeed Al Kaabi is Member of Board and Chairman of the Construction and Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). Being a prominent local businessman, innovator and pioneer of numerous concepts in UAE for more than 20 years, he is also Chairman of Ascorp Holdings.
John CowlingRisk manager, Faithful & GouldTime: 2pm, 24 NovemberJohn’s career in risk management began in the Australian fi nancial industry in the mid 1980’s. Since then his experience has included the environments of; project management, training, security, consulting and petrochemical. He has developed a holistic view in bringing risk management processes and techniques into the construction industry.
Kez TaylorCEO, AlecTime: 9am, 24 NovemberKez Taylor was born in South Africa on 12th of May 1963. He studied a Bsc. Building (Construction Management) at the University of Witwaresrand in Johannesburg. Currently operating in Dubai and Abu Dhabi ALEC has delivered developments of the highest quality to key clients. Many of these developments have become signifi cant landmarks in the UAE.
Michael Stephen SmallPartner, VSM ConsultantsTime: 3:45pm, 24 NovemberA ‘classically’ trained banker, who after achieving his Associateship of the Institute of Bankers (Distinction) in 1981, moved through a major US bank in London to join Credit Suisse, London. Mike formed VSM with Cyriel Varwijk and produces almost daily VSMails highlighting macro economic risks to the personal and corporate clients of VSM.
08.00 Registration opens. Coffee on arrival
09.00 – 10.45 Project ManagementCHAIR: Mr David Dale, Partner EC Harris Dr Mamoon Atout, Project Manager Horizon Star International LLC Mr Emil Rademeyer, Director Proleads Mr Martin Seaward-Case, Director - Contracts & Procurement Chairman of RICS UAE Board Royal Institute of Chartered SurveyorsPanel Session Q&A
10.45 Networking Break & Mid Morning Coffee
11.00 - 12.30 DISTRICT COOLING & ENERGY SAVINGCHAIR: Mr Ben Thompson, Senior Editor GDS International Ms Cathy Crocker, Associate Director of Building Services Scott Wilson Ltd Mr Daryl Wilson, Chief Executive Offi cer Hydrogenics Corporation Mr Mohammad Abusaa, Regional Manager of Business Development ADC Energy SystemsPanel Session Q&A
12.30 Networking Lunch
13.30 - 15.30 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR REAL ESTATESustainability Advocates and Green Design & Construction Professionals share their expertise in presenting and sharing their knowledgeCHAIR: Mr Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director, Green Technologies FZCO Mr Ali bin Towaih, Executive Director Enpark and SEED Mr Brocas Burrows, Marketing and Sales Director Platinum Vision Mr Ray Noble, Senior PV Consultant Gulf International Trading Group - Romag
Panel Session Q&A
15.30 Networking Break & Afternoon Coffee
15.45 - 16.45 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR REAL ESTATECHAIR: Mr Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director Green Technologies FZCO Mr Alexander Volobuev, Commercial Production Manager, Australian Innovative Systems Mr Olli Vuola, Chief Executive Offi cer NEAPO Mr David Baggs, CEO, Technical Director and Co-founder EcoSpecifi er Global
Panel Session Q&A including Mr Richard Smith, WS Atkins
17.00 END
Attendance is completely free, so log on to www.thebig5exhibition.com and reserve your place today
Vist us on Stand 121, Hall 3, Row D and see what Wales can offer you.
FACILITIES MANAGEMENTROPE ACCESS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
47BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
HEAD FOR HEIGHTS
Depending on who you talk
to, it is either the genius of
architects or the ingenuity
of engineers that has gifted
the Gulf ’s skylines with an
array of towering icons. Th ese structures
have reached new heights, taken forms that
appear to defy gravity and created some of
the most diffi cult to reach dust traps on the
planet. But someone still has to clean and
maintain them.
Making this happen is the job of the FM
manager and safe access is at the heart of
the issue. Th e earlier the issue of access is
considered, the better the opportunities to
make it easy are. But we don’t live in a design
utopia, so sometimes solutions have to be
devised well after the problem has been
created. Regardless of when it’s thought
about, or indeed, whether the problem is
one of height, tricky spaces, or just urgency,
understanding your access options may
make life easier.
MACHINE…“Cleaning at great heights is predominantly
carried out in the classical way with
cradles and climbers, though our focus
is increasingly on high-tech cleaning
solutions,” said Th omas Moslener, CEO of
ABS Group, an FM company.
“Our main issue is always safety for
workers.... Both are provided by our
autonomous façade cleaning robot, which
is not dependent on any humans to operate
or maintain and which delivers a consistent
cleaning standard.”
ABS expects growth primarily in the
area of maintenance, as the lifecycle costs
arguments for predictive and preventative
maintenance grow stronger.
“Th is of course means more and more
industrial climbers inside and outside the
construction,” said Moslener.
“We do not rely on standard concepts, but
design specifi c solutions for our customers
and their problems.”
Th is kind of bespoke solution is in part
a result of the variety of design we see in
the Gulf. It’s a variety that has also led to a
growth in another kind of bespoke solution
– rope access.
…VERSUS MANIn the recent past rope access has been used
as the last choice, when other options, for
whatever reasons, were simply impossible.
But a well-trained team of rope access
technicians can turn up on site with a bag full
of gear, deploy it, and be ready to do the job in
about the same time a scaff olding outfi t could
unload their trucks. Th at’s if scaff olding is
even an option given the site conditions.
“Rope access has tended to be a last
resort,” said Billy Harkin managing director
of Megarme, a rope access company. “But
I’m pleased to say it’s becoming a fi rst choice
and architects are designing systems
into buildings.
“We get involved, not just with execution,
but in the design of the buildings to make
sure they have anchor points and rails,
which is crucial.”
While cleaning is an obvious application
of rope access skills and provides the
bread and butter contracts, it has other
maintenance and installation uses. Take
the prominent project of the Yas Hotel.
Th ere, Megarme has had a team of about 90
involved since January, installing the panels
that displayed the post-race light show.
Jobs such as this require more than just
rope skills, technical ability and knowledge
with plumbing, electrical installation and
welding all part of the mix, it’s just that much
of the work is done at the end of a rope.
“It [the hotel] is such a tough structure
because it has so many dimensions, with the
electrical component, plus the panels with
the lights projecting back,” said Harking.
“We’ve been operating 17 years here now
and that’s probably been one of the most
challenging jobs we’ve had, because of all the
components related to the project and the
sophisticated lighting system.”
Between Yas Hotel and the Metro,
Megarme has been involved in some
high-profi le jobs of late. Th e Metro saw the
company make the front pages of several
papers in the run up to the opening and
every eye in Dubai probably spent a minute
or two watching the team dust down
stations, to make them shiny, as well as new.
However, staying out of the public eye is a
more common situation.
The Gulf's skylines are fi lled with hard to reach
places that require clever solutions to keep them
clean and in good order
By Stuart Matthews
FACILITIES MANAGEMENTROPE ACCESS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
48 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Being less noticeable than some high
access alternatives is one advantage of
using a rope team. As mentioned, cleaning
provides the most regular work, and much of
this comes from the hospitality industry. Tall
hotel atriums are a good example of spaces
that can’t have scaff olding, or cordoned off
areas, but still need to be maintained.
“As an access specialist we undertake
anything where conventional access systems
are either impractical, too cumbersome, or
not cost-eff ective,” said Harkin. “It’s quite a
niche market where a building maintenance
unit won’t work and where a crane is not
practical. Rope access is the only system
where you can get in and out quite quickly,
Megarme's team worked feverishhly in the lead up to the grand opening of the Dubai Metro.
Rope access is used when nothing else works.
The Yas Island Hotel has had about 90 staff onsite since January 2009.
which is why we are used in hotel atriums.
“While on a building site, you would have
a certain amount of freedom to protect
directly below the drop zone. In a hotel you
are not allowed to do that.”
With a company background that started
out doing access jobs for the off shore oil
industry, the training is intensive. In civil
engineering applications Harkin describes
the level of skill as using a sledgehammer to
crack a nut.
“Th ere is always room for human error,
but we try to limit it by even applying the
off shore standards, regulations and safety to
onshore projects.”
“We’ve always done bottom up training
on the rope access side, as we tend to
bring people in with skills, such as trades
inspectors, welders, electricians or plumbers.
We always do an awful lot of technical
training, through a third party trainer.”
Calling a rope access team is often an
event-based experience for FMs, such as
when there was an urgent need to repair the
fi re-damaged Atlantis Hotel, just prior to its
offi cial opening.
“Th e designers had felt no need for any
kind of access system, so when the fi re
happened it was panic and we were called in
that day,” said Harkin. “We needed to access
the structure, so in the end we had to come
up with some quite ingenious solutions.”
“Working on the Atlantis hotel has been
our biggest accomplishment,” said Daniel
Gill, business development manager for
Megarme. “Th e need to get it fi nished and its
high profi le meant it was one of those jobs
where they didn’t ask how long it would take,
they told us.”
SAFETYBoth Moslener and Harkin place a great
deal of emphasis on safety. Intense levels
of training, combined with systems of
certifi cation and continuous assessment
help to keep the specialists safe. In fact the
industry has a remarkable safety record,
given the dangers inherent in high work
and the fact that falls from height are the
number one cause of lost time injuries on
construction sites in the UAE (source: Build
Safe UAE).
Primary causes are inadequate training,
poor equipment, or incorrect use of the
right kit. Items such as harnesses have to
be selected for the job and worn correctly.
A harness must be designed to hold a
person both during and after a fall in such
a way that their head remains in an upright
position, according to All Safe, a lifting and
fall arrest solution provider.
“Prior to use, safety harnesses, their
lanyards, shock absorbers and hooks should
be inspected by a competent person,” says
All Safe corporate sales manager Hugo
Laverdin.
Harkin says that Megarme uses a mixture
of experienced people on each job, to
make sure there is enough supervision
and the right skill set for each job and its
requirements.
Th anks to local visa rules this is often
easier to achieve in the Gulf region than
in Europe and the rest of the world. Here,
staff are permanent and tend to be trained
by the companies they work for, where as
European-based rope access technicians are
frequently freelancers, who move from job to
job, making it more diffi cult to keep a track
of their current skills and to update their
qualifi cations.
Regular assessment, well established
teams and adherence to appropriate
international standards, will all help to
ensure the industry's solid safety
record continues. 5
As an access specialist we undertake
anything where conventional access systems
are impractical, too cumbersome, or not
cost-effective.
Formwork and Shoring SolutionsRMD Kwikform has the skill, expertise and experience to provide you with unique and elegant formwork and shoring solutions. Our team of technical experts and engineers are there to assist you in the creation of any concrete structure and our industry leading equipment ensures that throughout the process your project is correctly supported.
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ME Head Offi ceP.O. Box 5801, Sharjah, UAETel: +971 6 553 4173Fax: +971 6 553 4327
DubaiTel: +971 4 341 7477Fax: +971 4 341 7599Email: [email protected]
Abu DhabiTel: +971 2 550 2383Fax: +971 2 550 2384Email: [email protected]
BahrainTel: +973 1782 5368Fax: +973 1782 6145Email: [email protected]
KuwaitTel: +965 484 5161/ 484 9545Fax: +965 484 6414Email: [email protected]
QatarTel: +974 467 5925Fax: +974 465 3282Email: [email protected]
OmanTel: +968 2461 3571Fax: +968 2461 3573Email: [email protected]
LebanonTel: +961 545 0214Fax: +961 595 5387Email: [email protected]
Saudi ArabiaTel: +973 17558726 Ex 351Fax: +973 17558727Email: [email protected]
SyriaTel (mob): +963933676570Tel (offi ce): +963113313729Email: [email protected]
Other ME RegionsTel: +971 6 555 0788Fax: +971 6 555 0805Email: [email protected]
For general enquiries email:[email protected]
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In association with
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51BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
STANDARD OPERATIONS
The collapse of an eight-storey
building in Deira in mid-
August hit the headlines
across the region. Th e fact that
it was a new built property
and there was no immediate reason for the
collapse, such as a fi re, heightened concern
over why it had happened.
Th e results of an investigation by Dubai
Municipality into the collapse are expected
to be announced within the next few weeks.
However, initial statements from the
investigating committee have confi rmed that
aspects being included within their scope
are whether suitable building materials
were used in construction; whether the
design of the structure was fl awed; and the
operational aspects of the project. One of
the main ways to gauge all of these factors is
whether they met approved standards
and certifi cations.
But what does gaining recognised
certifi cations actually mean and are the
authorities likely to increase the stringency
of their requirements following this
latest incident?
STANDARD PRACTICETh ere are a wide number of standards and
certifi cations applicable to fi rms operating
within the construction industry. Th ose that
must be adhered to by law vary according
to discipline and the local authority
regulations, however, certain standards are
now recognised globally and widely used
throughout the industry.
“From a certifi cation perspective, I would
say that ISO14,001 for environment; OHSAS
18,001 for occupational health and safety;
in addition, ISO9001 for quality [are among
the main standards that must be adhered
to in GCC countries],” states BSI Abu Dhabi
general manager Ahmad Al Khatib.
In general, the certifi cation of fi rms to
such standards shows that they adhere to
recognised methods of working that have
been set out within the listed standard. Th e
aim of doing so is to improve performance,
effi ciency and safety, with the certifi cations
demonstrating the fi rm’s achievements to
outside parties. Although standards are
voluntary and separate from legal and
regulatory systems, they can be used to
support or complement legislation.
Some of the other standards that are
applicable within the industry relate
to specifi c materials or products. “For
reinforcing steel the product standard
mainly used is the British Standard BS 4449:
1997,” explains UK Cares executive director
Ben Bowsher. “Th e standard requires either
steel supplied by a company that has a valid
accredited product certifi cate, which is
normally supplied by Cares, or there should
be a product testing regime applied, which
approved each batch of steel from a non-
certifi ed source,” he adds.
Such stringent quality control over
products is imperative in the construction
of buildings. Th e absence of approved and
properly installed products can create
major issues warns Passive Fire Protection
Federation (PFPF) chair David Sugden: “[In
the case of passive fi re systems] you can’t
test the installed system you need to have
the products tested in a lab in a test rig. But
unless you install the materials and products
in a building to the same standard as they
were in the test rig then they won’t perform
in the same way,” he warns.
CONTROLLED STANDARDSJust how strictly are the application of
standards and certifi cations enforced in
the region and are fi rms complying? Again
this appears to vary between countries,
disciplines and the size of fi rms involved.
“In specifi c sectors like construction some
of the standards are regulated,” assures
Khatib. “In Abu Dhabi, for example, the
government started an initiative this year on
regulating HSE implementation for the build
The recent collapse of a newly constructed
building in Dubai has brought build quality to
the fore and in particular the adherence to
recognised standards and certifi cations. What is
expected of construction fi rms and is this likely
to change? CW Big 5 Daily investigates
By Alison Luke
HOW TO GET CERTIFIED• Identify the relevant certifi cation
body that works best for you• Contact the relevant local
authorities to establish what certifi cations are required
• Contact the certifi cation body to determine their requirements
• Appoint an individual to oversee the implementation of the standards procedures
• Submit any required materials to the issuing body and/or allow access for any inspections needed prior to gaining certifi cation
WHY WE RECOMMEND GETTING CERTIFIED• Win contracts – being able to
prove that your fi rm operates to internationally accepted standards and certifi cations can win you contracts
• Top Quality – operating to the methods given in accepted standards and certifi cations will ensure a better quality end-product
• Better H&S - health and safety standards both within the fi rm and on projects on which it is working will be improved
• Higher productivity – effi ciency of operations and productivity increase when there are set and accepted standards under which to work
• Better assessments – benchmarks can be set to enable continuous improvement of the fi rm’s operations to be accurately assessed
• Easier global expansion - it is easier to expand operations geographically if the fi rm is working to internationally recognised standards that are valid in many regions
SPECIAL REPORTSTANDARD OPS
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52 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
and construction sector,” he explains.
“I understand that, in the main, steel from
Cares-certifi cated sources are used although
it is apparent that sometimes this is not the
case,” reports Bowsher. “I have seen steel
from sources of dubious origin supplied to
reinforcement fabricators in this way, when
in the UAE,” he warns.
In general, the international fi rms comply
with such standards as a matter of course
and also seek certifi cations from any
subcontractors they employ. A spokesperson
from a major construction industry
contractor comments: “We take services
and materials from companies that are
registered to certain ISO systems; also, from
subcontractors we want to see health and
safety discipline.”
Th ere are several reasons cited by major
contractors for following internationally
recognised standards that are not
specifi cally required by law. Th ese include
the ability to standardise the company’s
processes and services to increase effi ciency;
plus the ability to bid for work in markets
that require the additional standards such
as the oil and gas sector, municipalities and
government departments.
And for those standards that are legally
required, ensuring that all work is carried
out within guidelines is essential in order
that the fi nal building produced can be used.
“Currently, before we can pour a [concrete]
slab on site we have to get the work
inspected by the municipality; they have to
be convinced that the supporting structure
is correct,” states the spokesperson. “Th e
municipality has to sign off the slab pour
and we must show these documents before
can get an occupation notice on completion
of the building,” he explains.
So with the Deira building collapse fresh
in everyone’s minds, are the regulations for
the region’s construction industry likely to
become stricter?
“Not necessarily,” stated Al Khatib. “Th is
issue is more related to companies adhering
to the local law and construction guidelines
imposed by the local authorities rather
than not having the right law in place.
Nevertheless, it might raise a need for better
or stronger specifi cations and standards.”
“Th e need for standards and best practices
is increasing due to the nature of high-
profi le, huge, extremely expensive projects
in the Middle East region, there is a strong
demand and need for international best
practices and standards,” adds Al Khatib.
Enforcement of the standards is made by
diff erent local authorities throughout the
region. “In the UAE, for example, Abu Dhabi
Municipality is in charge of enforcing HSE
(14 and 18) implementation and certifi cation
to the build and construction sector of Abu
Dhabi,” reports Al Khatib. “PFPF member
fi rm Warrington Fire has a role with the Civil
Defence Department of Dubai in setting and
maintaining standards,” adds Sugden
Penalties for non-compliance
vary according to the severity of the
consequences that this would invoke and
could involve a warning notice, fi ne, removal
of trading license or, in the event of a death
on site, the people deemed responsible can
be jailed.
And aside from potential legal
consequences, operating without applying
recognised standard procedures can create
even more serious issues. “Th e penalty for
occupants if a passive fi re system is not
properly installed is death,” stresses Sugden.
So what more can be done to ensure that
buildings are constructed to international
standards and standards-certifi ed products
are used on projects?
“Create national building regulations,
design codes and product standards and
enforce their use,” suggests Bowsher.
Ensuring that the message reaches a
wider audience is also vital. “Establishing
forums where experts and end-users can
get together to discuss several related issues
and share ideas and working with the local
authorities on regulating many of those
standards,” he adds.
INTO THE FUTUREOne of the major forthcoming events due
to take place in the standards sector is the
introduction of Eurocodes. Th ese structural
codes are scheduled to come into force in
March 2010 and the fl exibility of their design
has meant that several countries outside of
Europe have already committed to adopting
Eurocodes reports the BSI.
BSI is currently working to identify existing
regulations for construction.Th e introduction
of the Eurocodes has several objectives,
including the provision of common design
criteria for mechanical resistance; to form a
common basis for research and development,
in the construction industry; and to enable
the preparation of common design aids
and software. Th ey are also intended
to provide a common understanding
regarding the design of structures between
designers, manufacturers and contractors of
construction products. 5
OTHER CERTIFICATIONS AND STANDARDSThere are numerous standards and certifi cations that can be applied to construction fi rms and their operations throughout the GCC countries. Some of the most widely recognised and
followed are as follows.ISO 9001ISO 9001 outlines the requirements for a quality management system (QMS) ie a framework around which an organisation can control its processes in order to achieve set objectives including customer satisfaction, regulatory compliance and continual improvement. First published in 1987, it was thoroughly revised for the third edition,
which was introduced in 2000; changes included new requirements and a sharpened customer focus. The fourth and latest edition, ISO 9001:2008, does not require any specifi c reassessment for certifi cation.
ISO 14001ISO 14001 sets out the requirements for an organisation’s environmental management system (EMS). It applies to those aspects over which an organisation can be deemed to have control or infl uence over. First published in 1996, it has since been updated several times.
OHSAS 18001OHSAS 18001 provides specifi cations for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management Systems. It is
intended to enable an organisation to control its health and safety risks and ensure a continually improving performance trough ongoing measurement and setting of targets. Registration to OHSAS 18001 by an independent, third party, certifi cation body demonstrates a commitment to implement, maintain and improve the way in which you manage your health and safety system
BS 4449BS 4449 is the specifi cation for carbon steel bars used for the reinforcement of concrete. The standard lists the characteristic yield strength, tensile properties and ductility of the three grades of steel approved for use on the reinforcement of concrete.
LEEDDeveloped by the US Green Building Council, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) rating system is used to establish the environmental accreditations of new construction or major renovation projects. There are six categories in the Leed system - sustainable sites; water effi ciency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovative design – each of which has a number of options. An environmental designer or Leed Accredited Professional (Leed AP) uses these categories to determine what environmental features the project can incorporate given its geography, goals and budget and assigns a certifi cation level which range from certifi ed to platinum.
UK Cares’ Bowsher urges the industry not
to cut corners.
Sugden says some products will work only if
installed in buildings of the same standard.
BSI Abu Dhabi general manager Ahmad Al
Khatib recommends iso9001 for quality.
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TOP 10PROJECTS
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55BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
3. ASWAN HIGH DAM (EGYPT)Completion date: 1971
Cost: Estimated US $1 billion
Damming the world’s longest river is no easy task, a hard lesson
learnt by British engineers, who had to raise the level of the original
Aswan Dam twice, in the 20th century.
But after Egypt asserted its independence from the UK, the coun-
try’s ambitious authorities decided to build a second dam a little
upstream. Th e Aswan High Dam, as it is now known, was – and still
is – considered a feat of engineering.
But what makes the Aswan Dam so special? Th e project both
prevents seasonal fl ooding of agricultural land and allows water to
be retained for irrigation. Turbines embedded within the dam also
provide hydroelectric power amounting to around 2.1GW for towns
and villages across the country.
Th e $1 billion dam (AED3.6 billion) is 3830m long and 980m wide
at its base, and the structure stands 111m above sea level. Lake
Nasser, which began to fi ll up during construction, is similarly colos-
sal, stretching back hundreds of kilometres into Sudan and contain-
ing 111km3 of water.
2. RAS TANURA TERMINAL AND SEA ISLANDS (SAUDI ARABIA)Completion date: Most recent Sea Island completed in
1975
Cost: Unknown
Each year, around 9000 tankers call in at a number of Saudi
Arabian port facilities to ship the country’s most precious
resources – crude oil, natural gas liquids and refi ned prod-
ucts – to countries around the world.
Among these terminals, which include Jubail, Yanbu,
Rabigh and Ju’aymah, the development at Ras Tanura
stands out for its massive infrastructure and for being the
fi rst facility to start shipping out the Kingdom’s hydrocar-
bon exports. Operations at Ras Tanura peninsula offi cially
began in 1939, where the terminal consists of the South
Pier, the North Pier and the Sea Islands. Construction of
the most recent of these facilities, Sea Island 4, which was
completed in the mid-1970s, resulted in a total of 18 berths .
THE ARAB WORLD’S TOP 10 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
When selecting the ten greatest construction achievements in the Arab world, we decided to
include all projects that have been completed from 1950 onwards in the wider Mena region
1. THE PALM JUMEIRAH (UAE)Completion dates: 2006
Cost: US $12.3 billion
Besides Nakheel’s Palm Jumeirah, any
one of a number of projects would be
worthy nominees. Th e Burj Al Arab, one
of the world’s tallest hotels, is built on a
man-made island, and the Middle East’s
most important port, Jebel Ali, was also
carved out of Dubai’s shoreline. Further
south, Abu Dhabi is enhancing its island
network using similar techniques, and
Th e Pearl Qatar has also learnt lessons
from Dubai’s experience. Construction on
Th e Palm Jumeirah began in June 2001,
and the project was completed using 94
million m3 of sand and 7 million tonnes of
rock. Nakheel awarded the major contract
to Dutch reclamation specialist Van Oord.
Th e entire island is 5km x 5km, and the
crown of the trunk is connected to the
mainland by a 300m bridge. Th e fi rst resi-
dential units were handed over in 2006.
4. KING FAHD CAUSEWAY (BAHRAIN/KSA)Completion date: 1986
Cost: US $1.2 billion
At 24km, the King Fahd Causeway, which was Bahrain’s fi rst land link to
the Middle Eastern continent, is the world’s second-longest causeway.
Construction began in 1968 and concluded in November 1982 when
the cornerstone on the causeway was laid jointly by Saudi Arabia’s King
Fahd and the then ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Th e
four-lane highway was built using 47,000 tonnes of reinforced steel and is
divided into three main segments: Khobar to the Saudi-Bahrain border;
the border to Nasan Island; and Nasan Island to Bahrain proper.
5. KING HASSAN II MOSQUE (MOROCCO)Completion date: 1993
Cost: Estimated US $500-$800 million
In a tight race for the region’s most impressive mosque, the King
Hassan II Mosque barely manages to nudge out Abu Dhabi’s
Sheikh Zayed Mosque and Muscat’s Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
– both iconic and beautiful structures in their own right.
Located in Casablanca and built by French giant Bouygues, the
King Hassan II Mosque is immediately notable due to its single
210m tall minaret – the world’s tallest. Another unique feature is
that almost half the surface of the mosque lies over the waters of
the Atlantic Ocean. Work began on the project in 1986 and was
fi nally inaugurated in 1993.
Th e third-largest mosque in the world, King Hassan II can
accommodate 105,000 worshippers in all, with space for 25,000
within the building itself. Designed by France’s Michel Pinseau,
its architectural infl uences are undeniably Moorish linking back
to the Alhambra Palace and the Mezquita mosque in the Spanish
cities of Granada and Cordoba, respectively.
TOP 10PROJECTS
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56 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
9. BURJ DUBAI (UAE)Completion date: 2009
Cost: US $4.1 billion
Everything about the Burj Dubai screams
massive. Th e tower is composed of three ele-
ments arranged around a central core. As it
rises from the fl at desert base, each element
is set back in an upwardly spiralling helical
pattern, decreasing the mass of the tower
as it reaches toward the sky and thereby
decreasing the wind load.
Th e tower has the fastest lifts in the world,
a water system that provides a quarter of
a million gallons a day, and enough rebar
to stretch a quarter of the way around the
world if laid end to end.
6. MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART (QATAR)Completion date: 2008 Cost: US $220 million
December 2008 saw the opening of a new
Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha, Qatar.
Architect IM Pei designed the new devel-
opment as what is believed to be his last
‘statement’ building.
Commissioned by the rulers of Qatar - the
Al Th ani family - the 45,000m2 building is
located on a purpose-built island at the
southern end of Doha bay.
While the building’s limestone exterior
was fi nished in 2006, the museum has only
recently opened its doors to the public.
7. BAHRAIN WORLD TRADE CENTRE (BAHRAIN)Completion date: 2008Cost: US $150 million
Marking a brave new age of sustainability for
the Gulf, the Bahrain World Trade Cen-
tre’s unique twin-tower design has drawn
praise from all over the world. It is the fi rst
skyscraper to integrate wind turbines into its
design.
Th e 240m high, 50-storey buildings were
designed by South African Shaun Killa, with
the contract managed by Atkins. Ramboll
Danmark, Norwin and Elsam Engineering
carried out contracting work on the project.
Th e three turbines, which provide between
11% and 15% of the towers’ energy require-
ments, are supported by an individual 30m
bridge. Each turbine measures 29m in diam-
eter and faces north.
8. QATARGAS 2 (QATAR)Completion date: 2009Cost: US $13.5 billion
Th e $13.5 billion project at Ras Laff an Industrial City has seen the con-
struction of two world class LNG trains each with a capacity of 7.8 million
tonnes per annum (mtpa) and 0.85mtpa of Liquefi ed Petroleum Gas
(LPG), 140,000bpd of condensate, three storage tanks, power utilities and
water injection systems, a fl eet of 14 ships and a receiving terminal.
Around 30,000 workers were employed on the Qatargas 2 venture, and
the project contains enough cable to stretch from Doha to London. To
create the off shore facilities, Qatargas began with a drilling process that
set a new benchmark for the company.
10. DUBAI METRO (UAE)Completion date: 2009Cost: US $4.2 billion
Th e Dubai Metro, which underwent a
‘soft launch’ in September 2009, is by
any means an impressive achievement.
Masterminded by the emirate’s Road and
Transport Authority, the driverless net-
work will be the longest fully automated
rail system anywhere in the world
once completed.
Th e fi rst phase of the network covers
35km of the proposed 75km layout and
runs from Jebel Ali to Al Rashidiya (the
Red Line) with the Green Line connecting
Al Qusais 2 to Al Jadaf. A section of the
29-station Red Line, between Al Rashidiya
and Nakheel Harbor & Tower (near Ibn
Battuta mall) is already up and running
with the entire Red Line set to open in
February 2010. Th e Green Line, which will
have 18 stations, is earmarked for comple-
tion in March 2010.
Two further routes, the Purple and Blue
Lines, are under consideration at the
moment. In its initial phase, 47 stations
are under construction. Tunneling work
on the Red and Green Lines was com-
pleted in April 2009, with around 12.6km
of both routes being underground.
PROJECT REVIEWSAADIYAT HIGHWAY
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59BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
HIGHWAY TO HAPPINESS
Anyone who regularly travels down the UAE’s E11
highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi knows
that the drive can be awful – in both senses of the
word. While navigating among some of the more
erratic drivers can be a little nerve-racking, there is
the sight of the Aldar HQ, Al Raha Beach, Yas and Saadiyat Islands,
which inspire awe even if you’ve become jaded by the megaprojects
in the Emirates. However, the opening of the bridge at Saadiyat, and
the Saadiyat-Shahama highway on October 14th, means the journey
is now a little less stressful, and just as amazing.
Starting from Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi, the highway stretches
over the now-named Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, before traversing 27km
across Saadiyat Island and Yas Island and joining back up with E11
to Dubai.
Th e bridge marks the fi rst time Saadiyat Island has been joined
to Abu Dhabi and provides a crucial connection for the Tourism
Development and Investment Council (TDIC) and its plans for the
islands. Saadiyat will provide a cultural destination for tourists and
residents in Abu Dhabi, while Yas Island will provide leisure and
entertainment, including the Ferrari World theme park and Formula
One. Construction on the bridge began in December 2006 and saw
more than 7.5 million man hours put in to ensure the project was
completed on schedule.
A joint venture between Zublin – Saif Bin Darwish used
approximately 15,000 tonnes of asphalt and 15,500 tonnes of
reinforcement steel to build the 1.4km bridge, which can hold
10 lanes of traffi c. Construction took 30 months. Keeping to the
schedule of the project was vital, explains Zublin project manager
Holger Schmidt. “It was very important to deliver the project on time
because the bridge was needed for the Formula One Grand Prix.
Otherwise people coming to the event from Abu Dhabi would have
to drive to the airport and back up to Yas Island.”
Meeting this challenge required careful preparation and the
corralling of international expertise. “We prepared all our internal
systems to make sure we could deliver on time,” says Schmidt.
“Also we brought many experts from Germany to work hard on this
project. We had around 25 to 30 people from Germany here at
one stage.”
WORKING ON FORMAn important element in ensuring the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge was
delivered on time, was the formwork. RJR Formwork supplied a
fl exible system that has been tried and tested elsewhere in the UAE
and has proven particularly eff ective for bridge construction.
RJR provided a system that could be moved along the bridge
without dismantling, creating a considerable saving both in terms of
time and manpower required.
“We were able to move the system three times without dismantling
it, which off ered considerable advantages over traditional systems.
Th ey’ve used the system very successfully,” says managing director
Roger Ratcliff e.
He estimates that the RJR system greatly reduced the need for
manpower on site and helped the project be delivered on time.
“If you’ve lots of repetition you don’t need to keep taking it up
and down, you can move the whole system as a big chunk,” he says.
“Th e fact is you’re saving time by moving the system. You’d need at
The Sheikh Khalifa Bridge and accompanying Saadiyat-Shahama
highway were delivered at the start of October. We take a look
at how the project was delivered on time
By James Boley
“Projects such as this
that address both the
immediate and future
needs of the people
stand a better chance
of being recognised as
a valuable contribution
to the nation building
process”
PROJECT REVIEWSAADIYAT HIGHWAY
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60 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
least two or three times the volume of equipment just for moving a
standard system. I’d say with our system they saved 30% of the time
required. Th ere’s also not the same high labour element required.”
ROAD TO SUCCESSAccompanying the bridge is the Saadiyat-Shahama highway, which
will provide the main artery for traffi c heading towards the two
islands under development by the TDIC.
Th e highway provides an eff ective shortcut between Abu
Dhabi and Dubai, allowing travellers to easily reach the corniche
while avoiding the traffi c in downtown Abu Dhabi. An unoffi cial
assessment suggests that the new highway shaves a good 20 to 30
minutes off the journey time between the two cities.
Creating a new highway has been an important part of Plan
Abu Dhabi 2030, the strategic plan that provides a road map for
development for the city and its environs for the next 20 years. Th e
plan was the key guideline framework for the development of the
newly inaugurated Sheikh Khalifa Bridge.
“Projects such as this that address both the immediate and future
needs of the people stand a better chance of being recognised as
a valuable contribution to the nation building process,” said Aldar
chairman Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh at the inauguration of Sheikh Khalifa
Bridge. Part of this anticipation of “future needs” was the provision
for alternative transport systems. A light rail transit (LRT) bridge has
also been constructed to allow a future railway to link Yas Island and
Abu Dhabi.
TAKING RESPONSIBILITYAldar were responsible for 23m of the highway, plus a further 18km
of interchange ramps and freeway improvements. As a result, 22
highway bridges, 17 exits and four underpasses came under the
developer’s remit.
In addition, Aldar was responsible the main interchange
and surrounding highway for Yas Island, Aldar’s leisure and
entertainment destination development and location of Yas Marina
Circuit, the venue for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Aldar’s portion of the project was split into a further two packages.
Six Construct handled the construction of the Yas Island section of
the highway and the interchange with the Abu Dhabi-Dubai road,
while Taisei Corporation handled the responsibilities for building
“It was very important
to deliver the project
on time because the
bridge was needed in
time for the Formula
One Grand Prix”
“It was very important
to deliver the project
on time because the
bridge was needed in
time for the Formula
One Grand Prix”
650 PALM TREESHAVE BEEN PLANTED, ALONG WITH 500,000
OTHER PLANTS AND 10,000M3 OF STONE
the bridge and roads from Yas Island to Saadiyat Island.
Both sections were subcontracted to Al Jaber Construction, which
appears to be doing well out of the building boom on Saadiyat. Th e
fi rm also has won the contracts for the Saadiyat Beach Residences
and Saadiyat Beach Hotel.
Meanwhile, the construction of the actual road on Saadiyat was
covered by Gulf Leighton Contracting Abu Dhabi, following the
designs of US fi rm Parsons. As part of this construction, a 180m wide
land bridge was built to link Saadiyat to Yas. In anticipation of future
residents and out of respect for the natural landscape, the land
bridge was built by using a trough contour, making it less visible
and quieter.
Along the Saadiyat section, 650 palm trees have been planted,
along with 500,000 other plants, 10,000m3 of stone and 26,000m3 of
sand. Construction took 24 months to complete.
With the bridge and highway now offi cially open, a vital element of
both the Saadiyat Island and Yas Island projects can now be crossed
off the list. 5
15,500 tonnes of reinforcement steel were needed for the bridge. The highway provides an effective shortcut between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
TOP FIGURES
Saif Bin Darwish used approximately
15,000 tonnes of asphalt and 15,500
tonnes of reinforcement steel to build the
1.4km bridge.
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PROJECT REVIEWITCC
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ITCC:SAUDI’S SMART CITY
In order to attract the world’s
leading Information Technology and
Communications (ITC) companies to
a place like Saudi Arabia, you need to
off er the world’s best ITC services and
infrastructure - this is the concept behind the
Kingdom’s new US $1.65 billion (SR6.5 billion)
ITCC development.
Th e project is being developed by Rayadah
Investment Company, the investment arm
of the government’s Public Pensions Agency
(PPA), which is also developing the $10 billion
King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD)
in Riyadh.
As with KAFD, ITCC aims to generate
income to support the PPA’s social security
network, as well as achieve the broader goal
of stimulating new jobs and industry to
improve Saudi Arabia’s social future.
Currently, the Kingdom’s ITC sector is
disjointed, lacks suffi cient infrastructure and
faces numerous challenges and limitations
with its internet service providers. ITTC will
change that.
Included in the project’s 776,000m2 will be
administration buildings for ITC compa-
nies, technical business centres, buildings
In two and a half years Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh will burst into the
cyber-century and beyond with the completion of its Information Technology
Communications Complex (ITCC), the Kingdom’s fi rst “smart city”
for research, training and development and
software production companies.
Th ere will also be support buildings such
as hotels, restaurants, a convention centre,
residential apartments, a technical college
and government service buildings.
When commissioned in mid-2012 it’s
expected ITCC will make Riyadh a regional
hub for ITC services, education, research and
innovation.
CONSTRUCTIONTh e master plan for ITCC was designed by
a joint venture between local consultants
Zuhair Fayez and Singapore’s Jurong Inter-
national. Zuhair Fayez then carried on with
the detailed design of infrastructure and
substructures.
In April 2008 Rayadah awarded a $65
million contract to local contractor El Seif
Engineering for construction of infrastructure
for the 487,000m2 of the development.
Th e contract included a sewage treatment
plant and a concrete-encased optic fi bre cable
network and was completed in August.
Meanwhile, mobilisation and excavation
works for the superstructures began in July
following the award of three more contracts
for phase one of construction.
Th e main package went to Al Rajhi Projects
for construction of ITCC’s central area, which
includes four 20-storey towers - the projects
main architectural feature.
Th e contract also includes construction of
two research and development buildings, two
business technology incubator buildings, a
sports club and a clinic. Th e second contract,
valued at $150 million, was awarded to Con-
By Benjamin Millington
struction Contracting Enterprises to build a
326 room Crown Plaza hotel and a 5000m2
convention centre.
Th e third contract, worth $50 million, was
awarded to Al Yamama Company for the
construction of a residential complex includ-
ing apartments, villas and recreational areas.
All three contracts are due for completion in
30 months.
ITCC project director Mohammed Alsabek
says construction is progressing as per sched-
FACTS OF INTEREST• The total cost is around US $1.65 billion (SR6.5 billion)• The entire site will achieve at least the basic Leed environmental certifi cation• The four towers will be covered by a golden perforated aluminium sheeting
1.4m away from the curtain wall which will refl ect up to 60% of the solar gain• Each of the 4mx2m panels holding the aluminium sheets will have individual
lights which will illuminate the towers in various changing patterns at night• ITTC’s data centre will be rated tier four, the highest rating possible which
allows virtually zero downtime• There will be an average of one parking space per 25m
PROJECT REVIEWITCC
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
64 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
ule and few hiccups are expected. “Th e time
frame for this project is satisfactory; with
hard work and good coordination we should
be able to achieve the completion dates,”
he says.
Alsabek says excavation work for the
superstructures is ongoing and isn’t
expected to be complete until the end of
the year. He says a staggering 1.6 million m3
of earth must be removed from the central
area alone to accommodate ITCC’s extensive
parking facilities.
“For this development to be successful we
wanted to provide enough parking for every
tenant,” he said.
“So under each of the four towers there will
be fi ve basement fl oors of parking, a total
of 22m deep, while under the research and
development building there will be two levels
and under the hotel and conference centre
there will be three levels.
“If we don’t have proper parking it will be
diffi cult to market the development properly,
so overall we have worked out a design with 1
park per 25m2, which is quite a lot.”
Alsabek said there are still several other
elements within the project that are yet to
start construction, including a 35-tonne
district cooling plant. He said tenders will
start rolling out gradually over the coming
months.
Meanwhile, phase two of construction,
which includes 18 buildings and
the second infrastructure package, is cur-
rently under design and tenders will
be open to bidders during the course
of next year.
ENVIRONMENTWhile the focus of the project is certainly on
the technology aspects, ITCC will also be up
to scratch on its environmental credentials
according to systems project director Abdul
Muhsin Al Bakr.
Bakr says all buildings in ITCC will achieve
at least the basic Leed environmental
certifi cation through the use of grey water
recycling, low energy lighting, low energy air
conditioning and most of all – reduction in
solar gain.
A key feature of the ITCC’s four central
towers will be the unique external cladding
designed to refl ect the sun’s rays.
“About 1.4m away from the curtain wall is
a golden sheet covering the entire building,”
Baker describes.
“Th e sheet is aluminium shined to gold and
is perforated which means you can see out of
the building but you can’t see the glass from
the outside.
“Th e purpose of this cladding is not only
for aesthetics but also energy savings as it
refl ects UV rays and up to 60% of the
solar gain.”
Th e aluminum sheets will be held in 4mx2m
diamond-shaped panels that will have
individual lights which will illuminate the
towers in various changing patterns at night,
he added.
SMART CITYTh e concept of the “smart city” can be loosely
defi ned as a place which off ers widespread
broadband services, the latest in voice and
video communication platforms and high-
level data security.
All of this should be operated on a huge
optic-fi bre cable network designed to give the
fastest speeds and accommodate next genera-
tion technologies for years to come.
Silicon Valley in the US was one of the fi rst
cities specifi cally designed around the needs
of ITC companies.
In this region, Dubai Internet City in the
UAE is one development, which boasts the
smart city tag while India’s Smart City
Kochi and Smart City Malta are currently
under development.
As the world catches onto the economic and
social benefi ts to be gained from a thriving
ITC sector, Rayadah’s lead ITC engineer Kha-
lid Al Arfaj says ITCC will ensure Saudi Arabia
is not left behind.
“We benchmark ITCC with the best high-
tech smart cities in the world,” he says.
“If a company comes to us with a specifi c
need there is no doubt that we will be able to
do it. It’s a fl exible design, which will suit both
Saudi and multi-national companies.
“We have no boundaries, the sky is the limit.”
Rayadah commissioned international ITC
consultants Orange to design all of its net-
works and solutions. Meanwhile the company
has already signed MOUs with several leading
ITC companies who want to be involved in
the project, including Microsoft, Cisco
and Cantel.
“One of the biggest attractions for these
companies is the fact that we will own and
operate the infrastructure and ensure the
highest quality is delivered to the tenant,”
says Al Arfaj.
“If you search around you are not going to
fi nd a space like this for ITC companies, basi-
cally there is nowhere in KSA that can provide
all the services that an ITC company needs in
one place.”
Al Arfaj says he expects only ITC related
companies to operate within ITCC.
It’s expected that the project’s 22,000m2
technical college will help to feed the ITCC
with trained professionals and create new
jobs. Th e facility will act as a high-class ITC
college and link in with the project’s research
and development facility. 5
We benchmark
ITCC with the best
high-tech smart
cities in the world.
The four 20-storey towers we be the architectural feature of the project.
60 PERCENTOF SOLAR GAIN WILL BE REFLECTED BY THE
GOLD EXTERNAL CLADDING ON THE TOWERS
ITCC includes a vast network of optic fi bre cable encased in concrete for protection.
Insulation of pipes has not been given enough importance or attention, previously the main focus has been on condensation prevention.Now Engineers, designers and owners NEED to consider the environmental impact AND the opportunity to SAVE ENERGY and REDUCE CO2
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Also in High Occupancy buildings Thermal Insulation MUST be Fire and Smoke safe - low flame spread and low smoke emission is critical to enable people to escape in the event of a fire.Products selected must meet the regulations - Class 0 to UK buildings regs AND ASTM E84 25/50 flame spread/smoke emission rating!!
Only Insulphen WORLD CLASS Insulation gives you the best of all worlds.
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PMVHEAVY LIFT
66 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION Have heavy lift companies
focused more on oil and gas projects in recent months?
By Greg Whitaker
PMVHEAVY LIFT
67BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
The heavy lift industry is
primarily associated with
construction. Particularly in
the Middle East, cranes are
invariably linked to the build
sector and were once the source of many
urban legends surrounding the percentage of
the world’s cranes located in Dubai.
But with the construction sector suff ering
from a slowdown over the past few months,
heavy lift companies have focused more of
their attention on oil and gas based business.
“Th e upstream oil and gas work shows a
trend of gradual development of the Middle
East infrastructures. Th is has resulted in a
potential growth in the market for boom
cranes, as oil and gas and its related projects
have proved to be more resilient through 2009
in the present scenario, due to the down trend
of the construction sectors which are expected
to take off again during the second quarter of
2010,” Mohammed Razzaqi, product manager,
Darwish Bin Ahmed & Sons reveals.
Th is increase in business has been wit-
nessed most in certain areas of the Middle
East. “Th e United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia have experienced the most dramatic
growth. Saudi Arabia is the largest regional
market and is followed by UAE, Qatar and
Kuwait,” says Razzaqi.
However working out of the country where a
company is based can bring in logistical issues.
“When the equipment is going out of the UAE
there are logistical problems with that. So we
are only interested if it is a big job,” states Hus-
sein Ansar, deputy manager, Fabexi Trading.
Liebherr, a company involved in manufac-
turing the cranes used in the industry, also
sees the benefi ts of being involved in oil and
gas. “Oil and gas projects were less aff ected
than construction work. After the real estate
collapse in October 2008 many huge projects
were cancelled (e.g. Arabian Canal), this was
not seen in the oil and gas sector,” states Wolf-
gang Beringer, sales promotion, Liebherr.
Th e company off ers a wide range of cranes,
although not all of its range is used extensively
in the Middle East. “Generally we off er our com-
plete range of cranes, but mainly we sell in this
area mobile cranes from 70 – 1200 tonne capac-
ity, crawler cranes from 280 – 750 tonne capac-
ity and harbour mobile cranes in the range of
100 tonne capacity,” comments Beringer.
Beringer also states Saudi Arabia, the UAE
and Qatar as the countries which make up
the biggest market in the Middle East, and
adds Bahrain to the list also. Th e major use of
cranes in the region for the energy sector is in
erecting rigs, moving of rigs and shutdowns,
according to Beringer.
Cranes and heavy lift equipment can also
be crucial pieces of equipment at shipyards.
Recently DP World Jeddah announced a deliv-
ery of 15 cranes at its south container termi-
nal at Jeddah Islamic Port. Th e cranes were
supplied by Zhenhua Port Machinery Com-
pany (ZPMC) of China, and included three
Super-Super Post Panamax (SSPP) cranes and
12 Rubber Tyred Gantry (RTG) cranes.
DP World Middle East senior VP and MD
Faisal Al Qahtani described the deal as “an
Security is the big issue, you have to work hand in hand with the safety people. A lot of paper work has to be done. The cranes have to be equipped with emergency shutdown systems, spark arrestors.
CASE STUDYWORLD’S STRONGEST CRANEThe world’s largest boom telescopic mobile crane, a Liebherr LTM11200-9.1, was used for moving parts in the fabrication of a self-propelled rig known as a ‘Seajack’ at Lamprell’s UAE yard, through the fi rst week of August. Specialist ‘builder’ Lamprell needed to lift and place the top two segments on the rig – fi ttingly named Leviathan.
The four legs, each totaling a height of 86.46m, incorporate eight segments. For the 7th and 8th segments, each weighing 52 tonnes , the crane was positioned alongside the Seajack to provide a 26m radius and capitalise on the cranes telescopic boom – capable of reaching up to 100m – to ensure fast lifts and speedier erection times for each of the legs.
The Al Faris Rental crane was confi gured with 202 tonne counterweights and an 88.30m boom length with superlift and an 18m hydraulic offset fl y jib to complete all four legs. Additionally, in a twin lift with a Liebherr LTM1500-8.1 500t capacity mobile crane, the cranes were used to lift and position a Huisman marine crane at the stern of the seajack for permanent installation.
The LTM11200 was confi gured with a 53.3m boom and superlift and the LTM1500 with a 31.7m boom to lift the 138t Heisman in a ‘top and tail’ operation.
The Seajack ‘Leviathan’ is a self propelled, self elevating lift boat intended for harsh environment conditions and was commissioned to install wind turbines in the North Sea. Equipped with the latest Class 2 dynamic positioning technology the vessel is fi tted with high standard accommodation for up to 90 people.
The alternative option for Lamprell was to use Al Faris’s 500t Liebherr’s in a tandem lift operation with both cranes being rigged on luffi ng jib confi guration.
This was ruled out as the cranes would have had to be repositioned for each of the four legs; taking more time to complete the job.
important milestone” for the company which
fulfi lled its commitment to deliver “state of
the art yard equipment to enhance the termi-
nals effi ciency and productivity”.
One of the major challenges which are
aff ecting the heavy lift industry, and one
which should not be ignored, is keeping the
highest standards of safety intact.
“Security is the big issue, you have to work
hand in hand with the safety people. A lot of
paper work has to be done. Th e cranes have
to be equipped with emergency shutdown
systems, spark arrestors,” says Beringer.
“Th e cranes have to be in top condition and
they are inspected by the owners of the plants
or third parties.”
Another challenge is the amount of compe-
tition and the increasingly higher standards
demanded from customers.
“Our challenge is the competition with
other companies which are operating in this
market. Some of them are older than us in
the UAE market so it is our challenge to off er
services at competitive prices and standard of
quality for this fi eld,” comments Ansar.
“Customers are very diffi cult these days
with higher standards now than even two
years ago. Accordingly we have upgraded our
standards to be accepted by the customers.
Th is is the main challenge in our business,”
he adds.
Companies in the heavy lift sector have had
to fi nd alternative forms of business following
the construction slowdown, and for the many
fi rms with a vested interest in oil and gas, the
solution was obvious.
With segments of the industry now looking
like they are rebounding, there can now be a
lighter outlook for the region’s heavy lifting
business. 5
EXHIBITORQ & A
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
69BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
What are you expecting out of this year’s Big 5?We believe that this year’s Big 5 will produce
a more focused construction industry crowd
because the result of last year’s fi nancial crisis
resulted in the cancellation of many specula-
tive projects leaving serious projects that will
produce good inquiries.
How has your company been affected by the downturn?Despite the overall downturn we have experi-
enced a 33% growth in shipments during the
fi rst 10 months of 2009. However we are expe-
riencing a strain on our margins as a result of
considerable discounting by our competitors.
What are the main challenges you’re facing in the steel market at the moment?Due to the retrenchment in demand there is
considerable over capacity in our industry
(Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings) in the GCC
countries. Our biggest challenge is the be-
havior of our competitors in the GCC as they
attempt to maintain market share as we build
up volume.
What are you doing to overcome these?To address falling demand and increased
competition in this region we have under
taken an aggressive expansion outside the
UAE by opening sales offi ces in Saudi Arabia,
Africa, Iraq and the Indian Subcontinent.
During 2009 exports outside the UAE ac-
counted to 65% of all sales.
What are your plans in the region?We remain committed to continued growth
in the GCC. We currently have three sales
offi ces in UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai & Ras
Al Khaimah), three offi ces in Saudi Arabia
(Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar) three offi ces in
Iraq (Baghdad, Basra & Erbil) and offi ces in
each of Bahrain, Qatar & Oman. We plan to
add additional manufacturing in Saudi Arabia
as the business environment in this region
stabilises.
What will you be exhibiting at the Big 5 show? Th e PEB product is a traditional product.
Innovations in our industry are attributed to
advances in equipment technology, manu-
facturing processes, material handling and
engineering software. Mabani Steel enjoys
competitive advantages in the following
areas, all of which contributed to “the Mabani
Steel advantage” giving our customers the
highest value in the industry.
What do you expect to achieve from the show?Mabani Steel currently exports 65% of total
production outside the UAE. Th e Big 5 is a
venue where potential Customers from the
Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and the Indi-
an Subcontinent gather to see both the latest
products and the new upcoming successful
manufacturers. Our exposure will increase
overall awareness of Mabani Steel’s capabili-
ties and expertise to meet the steel building
needs of export markets. We are particularly
interested in Africa and welcome companies
that are interested in marketing our products
in Africa.
Will you be exhibiting any prod-ucts that contribute to green building? As steel fabricators we are proud that steel
itself is perhaps the most recyclable of all
materials, therefore by defi nition steel con-
struction is green. In addition steel construc-
tion is particularly adaptable to the use of
effi cient insulation materials and other green
subsystems.
Mabani Steel president Muayyad Khudairi talks to the CW Big 5 Daily about his show experience and his company’s performance in 2009
Showing his steel
Our exposure will increase overall awareness
of Mabani Steel’s capabilities and expertise to
meet the steel building needs of export markets.
We handle every aspect
of Steel Projects
professionally from Start to Finish
Tel: +9714Tel: +9714--886 2788, Fax: +9714886 2788, Fax: +9714--886 2799886 2799
www.steeltek.ae, Email: www.steeltek.ae, Email: [email protected]@eim.ae
P.O.Box 262012, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, U.A.E.P.O.Box 262012, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, U.A.E.
Turning Steel Fabrication into
EXHIBITORQ & A
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
71BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
What are Ejar Cranes and Equipment Hire’s main business activities? We hire mobile, crawler and tower cranes to the construction,
marine and oil and gas industries throughout the UAE, Qatar,
KSA and Oman.
How do you perceive the hire industry in the Middle East?Th e industry has shrunk dramatically and there is an excess
of cranes for hire in the market. It’s changed from a hirer’s
market to a customer’s market - it is now far easier for our
customers to fi nd what they want to hire, at the price they
want to pay.
Has Ejar Cranes and Equipment Hire faced any challenges due to the current economic climate and if so, how have these been overcome? Many projects have been put on hold or cancelled, particularly
in Dubai, which has dramatically reduced the demand for
plant hire. Companies still hiring plant are now more focused
on cost and safety than they have been previously. We are
responding by showing our customers the added-value we can
bring and by building lasting partnerships with companies
that are serious about safety. We are dedicated to safety; all of
our operators are trained above and beyond local standards.
All of our equipment has current and valid safety
certifi cation, and all of our operators have full PPE kit and are
What is your growth forecast for 2010?We have seen a good level of growth in 2009 with the
implementation of the company’s strategic marketing plan,
combined with our fi rst class fl eet and sales team, 2010 is
envisaged to be another great year for Ejar.
Are you looking at working in markets outside the UAE? We currently operate successfully in Qatar and KSA. We have
a large utilisation of fl eet in both areas. In 2010 we are looking
to further expand our customer base in Oman. We also have
future work in Libya and new business on the horizon
in Singapore.
What are the benefi ts of hiring equipment over buying? Th e main benefi t of hiring, particularly in the current
economic climate, is that companies do not need to make
vast capital expenditure on fl eet, without the confi dence of
a buoyant market to support them. It also negates any of
the problems with employing and training operators, and
maintaining a fl eet that encompasses parts, workshops,
maintenance crews and trucks, delivery vehicles, safety
checks and certifi cation.
Our customers can be confi dent that every time they place
an order with Ejar, they will receive a reliable and fi rst
class service. 5
It’s changed from a hirer’s
market to a customer’s
market - it is now far easier
for our customers to fi nd what
they want to hire, at the price
they want to pay.
Ejar Cranes & Equipment is a leasing company providing lifting solutions. Ejar has emerged to become an active player in the Gulf region, thanks to an aggressive acquisition plan and investment in top manufacturing brands such as Liebherr, Demag, Kobelco and Tadano. We speak to Zoe Hudson, head of Sales and Marketing, about how the company copes with the current economic slowdown
Lift for hire
continually assessed for their performance and capabilities by
our training team.
We have a brand new fl eet of cranes from well-known
manufacturers such as Terex and Liebherr, which not only
increases the reliability of our fl eet but also gives the customer
confi dence that we are committed to making their project a
success, rather than just sending them a crane for hire.
We have recently opened a new yard in Mafraq that will
be utilised to service our customers in Abu Dhabi more
effi ciently, as well as our existing yard in Jebel Ali which
continues to serve Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
SHOW INFOSHOW STOPPERS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
73BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Win a Yamaha Banshee motorbike as well as
daily prizes of US $1,500 worth of Yamaha
clothing and apparel when you visit the four
brand new Sheikh Saeed halls
YAMAHA KIT UP FOR GRABS IN DAILY DRAW
Watch out for more informative and busy trade shows taking place in Dubai throughout 2010
FUTURE SHOWS
The Offi ce Exhibition9 - 11 February 2010Dubai World Trade Centrewww.theoffi ceexhibi-tion.comTh e Offi ce Exhibition
is recognised as being
the fl agship show for the offi ce sector. No
longer just a furniture showcase, we now
off er dedicated sectors for both technology
and consultancy. We bringing together the
world’s most important manufacturers and
suppliers, situated at the centre of the Gulf
region's construction boom.
2009 saw an increase in size of over 60%,
with visitor numbers increasing by nearly
20%! Be a part of the Middle East’s largest of-
fi ce solutions show and book your place now
for 2010… space is going fast!
The Hotel Show18 - 20 May 2010Dubai World Trade Centrewww.thehotelshow.comWhere the Hospitality industry meets...
Th e Middle East remains a strong market
for the hospitality sector, despite the current
global downturn. It is forecasted that new
hotel developments across the region will be
worth US $30 billion through to 2010/11.
Reliable estimates are that the UAE alone
will invest $19.9bn into hotel projects al-
ready under construction in 2009, which will
see fi t-out and supply business continue to
fl ourish over the next two or three years.
Four dedicated product sectors ensure
that exhibitors are able to take part among
their peers, and that visitors can identify
their needs easily and eff ectively:
• Interiors & Design
• Operating Equipment & Supplies
• Security & Technology
• Th e Resort Experience
FM Expo18-20 May 2010 Dubai World Trade Centrewww.fm-expo.comA joint venture with Streamline Market-
ing Group, FM Expo is a ‘one stop shop’ for
everything needed to manage and maintain
the built environment including: environ-
ment / energy, IT maintenance and manage-
ment, property services, security and health
and safety. Co-located with the Hotel Show
and InRetail, the 2008 event saw almost
100 companies take part and over 3,000 FM
specifi c professionals attend to discover the
latest maintenance, security, cleaning, infor-
mation technology and/or energy manage-
ment encompassed within a building.
Index8-11 November 2010Dubai World Trade Centrewww.indexexhibition.comNow in its 19th year, INDEX is the number
one business interior design show in the
Middle East. With over 1800 exhibitors from
around the globe, the event brings together
a comprehensive collection of innovative
and state of the art designs which are set to
inspire. INDEX 2008 was attended by 30,348
trade visitors and industry profession-
als, including nearly 30% attendance from
overseas. INDEX 2009 will see exciting new
developments including fl oor seminars by
renowned industry experts, stunning room
sets by leading interior designers, a new VIP
trade buyer programme and a lot more.
InRetail8-11 November 2010 Dubai World Trade Centrewww.inretailexhibi-tion.comInRetail (co-located
with the Index exhibi-
tion) is the largest retail design and shop-
fi tting exhibition in the Middle East. InRetail
off ers a spectrum of products and services
encompassing all working elements and sup-
port structures to the mall and retail sector.
From shop-fi tting and visual merchandising,
retail design and consulting to supply chain
management technology and retail secu-
rity, the event off ers a complete solution for
anybody involved in the retail sector. Our fi rst
class seminar programme running alongside
the exhibition off ers an educational look at
the retail sector and its development in the
Gulf from shopping mall construction to
security and globalising retail.
Yamaha has joined forces with Th e
Big 5 and will provide a special
temptation for visitors to explore
the four brand new Sheikh Saeed
halls that the show fi lls.
Th ese halls will feature over 540 exhibitors
as well as PMV Heavy Construction Machinery
exhibitors. On the Al Yusuf Yamaha stand
(11G141) you will be able to enter a daily draw
to win US $1,500 worth of Yamaha clothing
and apparel. Th e Yamaha range of clothing
that Al Yusuf promote in their stores is extensive. Winners of the three daily draws will be able
to exchange the products for clothes and styles of their choosing.
With the Big 5 open for four days, once you enter the daily draw, your details will
automatically be entered into the Grand Prize draw for the Banshee motorbike, which will be
drawn on 26 November at 7:00pm. Th e Yamaha Banshee motorbike is a sought after product
here in the Gulf - it has Yamaha build quality, is simple and easy to maintain and huge fun
off road.
It’s easy to enter, just visit the new halls, fi nd the Yamaha stand, and win clothing and
apparel worth US $1,500 in the daily draw, or you might be the lucky winner of the Grand Prize,
the brand new Yamaha Banshee bike.
Th e Big 5 thanks Al Yusuf for its kind support. 5
DESTINATIONDUBAI
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
74 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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Location: Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai; 04 332 5555
Travel: 7 minutes walk
Timings: Open daily 6pm to 2am
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Bar Below
Th is swanky below ground-level cigar bar
attracts Dubai’s cigar-chomping upper crust
and its dark panelled walls, golden ceiling and
marble-topped bar are a great way of impressing
that special client you’re trying to win over.
Location: Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort &
Spa, Dubai Marina, Dubai; 04 399 5555
Travel: Taxi to Al Sufouh Road
Timings: Open daily 7pm to 1am
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Blue Bar Located on the ground fl oor of the Novotel next
door, Blue Bar combines fashionable decor,
cigars and an unusually good selection of
draught Belgian beers.
Location: Novotel World Trade Centre Dubai,
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai; 04 332 0000
Travel: 0 minutes (attached to the exhibition
centre)
Times: Open daily 12.30pm to 2am
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Cigar Lounge at Cin Cin One of the most popular cigar hangouts in
town, this little bar is a good bet for a relaxed
atmosphere to puff away on ideas with clients.
Location: Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai; 04 332 5555
Travel: 7 minutes walk
Times: Open daily 6pm to 2am
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Cuban Bar
Located at one of Dubai’s favourite areas, this
nice and gently lit Cuban bar on the mezzanine
fl oor has a reasonable selection of Cuban cigars.
Details
Location: Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai
Marina, Dubai; 04 399 1111
Travel: Taxi to Al Sufouh Road
Timings: Open daily 6pm to 1am
BAR
BELOW
LE ROYAL
MERIDIAN
KX SeriesIndustrial Tower
WA SeriesSuper Low Noise Technology
P.O. Box 28078, Dubai, U.A.E.Tel: (+971)4-2729 711 Fax: (+971)4-2729 622
Email: [email protected]: www.ttiuae.com
SHOW MAPTHE ESSENTIALS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
77BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
OPEN
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Tues
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11
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Wed
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day
25
th N
ovem
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11
:00
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0:00
Thurs
day
26
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11
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Car
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B
650
Spac
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Sp
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Car
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D
470
Spac
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SHOW MAPTHE ESSENTIALS
In association with
WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM
78 BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 24, 2009
Taxi Pick Up: Station E (Shuttle Bus from Ibis
Corner)
Taxi Drop Off : Za’abeel, Ibis Corner, Convention
Gate, Hall 1
Pick Up and Drop Off – Ibis Corner
Order from desk based at Al Wasl Corner
(Between Halls 4 & 5)
Th ere will be Free RTA Shuttle Buses from the
following stops to Dubai World Trade Centre:
Direction from Sharjah, Deira, Bur Dubai:
Jafiliya Metro Station
Direction from Abu Dhabi, Jebel Ali:
DIFC Metro Station
Car Park Shuttle Bus Red Route
(Free Service)
Over flow parking Jafiliya – DWTC Plaza
(behind Etisalat Building)
Car Park Shuttle Bus Green Route (Free Service)
Car Parks B, C, D – Hall 1
Shuttle Bus to Station E (Free Service)
Ibis Corner – Station E (Taxi Pick Up & Dubai
Mall Shuttle Bus)
Shuttle Bus to Dubai Mall (Free Service)
VALET
PRIVATE CAR HIRE
USEFUL INFORMATIONStation E – Dubai Mall (From 15:00 – 21:00)
RTA Shuttle Bus – Route C 045 (Costs AED 4.00
NOL card)
Picks up at RTA Bus Station at Convention Gate.
Stops at DWTC (Convention Gate) – Crowne
Plaza – French Connection – Al Murooj Rotana
– Dusit Dubai – DWTC (Convention Gate).
Start Time 08:00 – 20:00 (Bus every 30 minutes).
METROTAXI PICK UP AND DROP OFF
John, General Contractor
Dave,Precaster
Ellen, Structural Engineer
Bob,Steel Fabricator
Tekla Structures BIM (Building Information Modeling) software provides a data-rich 3D environment that can be shared by contractors, structural engineers, steel detailers and fabricators, and concrete detailers and manufacturers. Choose Tekla for the highest level of constructability and integration in project management and delivery.
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