Gulf Construction Online

UAE Focus

Update

01 March 2012

Al Sufouh raises $675m in loans

DUBAI’S department of finance has raised $675 million from a dual-currency loan to complete the first phase of its Al Sufouh tram project in the emirate.

The facility comprises a 13-year $401-million loan which will amortise over 10 years starting 2015 and is guaranteed by the official government export credit agencies of Belgium (ONDD) and France (Coface). The second portion of the loan is a six-year $274 million Islamic Ijara facility amortising over three years starting 2015.

Meanwhile, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded a 13-year $159-million maintenance contract for the Al Sufouh tramway to a consortium comprising Alstom and Cofely Besix Facility Management (FM). Works include the maintenance of the rolling stock and fixed installations to be delivered by Alstom and Cofely Besix FM for Phase One of the tramway project.

Phase One includes the supply of 11 Citadis tramsets, 10 km of track (from Dubai Marina to Knowledge Village), 13 stations and other equipment (electrification, signalling and ticketing systems).

Phase Two of the project provides for 14 additional Citadis tramsets, as well as four additional kilometres of track and six stations.

Alumco secures DuPont licence

DUPONT Glass Laminating Solutions has licensed its DuPont SentryGlas Expressions digital interlayer technology to Alumco, located in Dubai.

Alumco is a company specialising in the production of high-performance structural and architectural glass products. The agreement allows Alumco to produce and distribute high-definition, decorative laminated safety glass to meet growing demand for custom-designed imagery and aesthetics in laminated glass.

Honeywell sets up new facility

HONEYWELL has established a new facility in the UAE to strengthen customer support in the Middle East for its process solutions and scanning and mobility businesses.

The new full-service office that was set to open last month in Dubai will further extend Honeywell’s global presence and provide closer proximity to current customers and prospects in the Middle East.

Honeywell Scanning & Mobility (HSM) is a global leader in automated data collection solutions, including vehicle mount, hand-held and wearable computers, and bar code scanners.

“In recent years, HSM has experienced high growth in various Middle Eastern and African (MEA) countries. To better align with the needs of our customers, we decided to make the MEA area an independent region with dedicated resources. Having a new facility in Dubai will help to support this effort,” said Darius Adamczyk, president of HSM.

Al Reyadah clinches B2B deal

UAE-BASED contracting company Al Reyadah has been awarded an air-conditioning maintenance contract for 19 luxury villas owned by B2B Hotels & Properties, a joint venture between Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) and Al Fahim Group.

According to the contract, Al Reyadah is in charge of offering round-the-clock maintenance service to the villas in the B2B area of Abu Dhabi.

Mohammed Swairjo, general manager of Al Reyadah said: “We are delighted to be appointed by a leading hospitality group to manage the air-conditioning system at these luxury villas. The demands of customers are challenging, however, we follow a well rounded customer service system that allows us to streamline and cater to individual requests.”

Al Reyadah won the contract for its high technical expertise and full dedication, in addition to its round the clock technical support, he said.

Owned by B2B Hotels and Properties, B2B complex is 500,000-sq-ft development that includes AAA commercial tower, the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel and 19 state-of-the-art contemporary villas, strategically located at the mainland gateway to the cosmopolitan city of Abu Dhabi.

SureSet appoints agent in UAE

LEADING UK-based resin-bound paving supplier SureSet has appointed a new agent to promote, supply and install the company’s product range in the UAE and neighbouring countries.

Dubai-based Tanseeq will now be promoting the extensive SureSet range across the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and will be bringing the benefits of resin-bound paving to commercial and residential projects alike.
Resin-bound paving is proven in projects across Europe and Australasia where it has delivered a wide range of surfacing and design options for both new-build and refurbishment projects.

Highly versatile, SureSet resin-bound paving delivers beautiful and long-lasting solutions, bringing life to projects of any size, including driveways, patios, pool surrounds, roof gardens, play areas, car parks, tree pits and public spaces, says a spokesman for SureSet.

Atarfil opens new production line

ATARFIL, a manufacturer of thermoplastic geomembranes, has opened a new production line in Dubai in order to make its products more accessible to major markets in the Middle East and Asia.

The new plant has a high capacity production unit for geomembranes with a roll width of 7.5 m and incorporating the latest generation of Atarfil technology.

Atarfil also commercialises other complementary products for their application in waterproofing works within the fields of environmental protection, integrated water management, public works and construction.