Gulf Construction Online - Keller celebrates four decades of service

Bahrain Review

Ahmed and Mannai ... taking Keller ahead.

Keller celebrates four decades of service

01 January 2013

As it marks its 40th year in the Bahrain market, leading ground engineering company Keller Grundbau Bahrain is set to add yet another prominent project to its portfolio having started work on the Muharraq sewage treatment plant (STP) and sewer conveyance project.

This follows its recent successes with a steel mill project for United Steel Company (Sulb) in Hidd where it installed thousands of piles. Samsung Engineering Company was the main contractor on the project.

“Keller’s scope of works on the project that lasted for seven months included non-working testing, piling and trimming and excavation works,” says Imtiaz Ahmed, general manager, who has been working with Keller for three decades now.

The project involved the installation of 1,028 piles with a diameter of 500 mm and measuring from 15 m to 21 m in length; 1,633 600-mm-diameter piles, 12 m to 28 m in length; and 158 900-mm-diameter piles of up to 22 m in length. About 50 piles were driven per day on the project, working round the clock.

Also part of the job was static-type compression, tension and lateral load tests on 11 working piles and on seven non-working piles. It also conducted 18 dynamic type compression load tests for the project.

Casing installation at Sulb project in Hidd.

Furthermore, excavation, pile trimming to cut-off levels, and low strain integrity testing work was carried out on all piles, as were ground improvement works for a weighbridge and ancillary buildings for 2,200 lm.

Ahmed says Keller achieved maximum output by working on a 24/7 basis while maintaining high safety and quality standards, thus achieving zero lost time incidents.

“Although we had limited site access, the approach was difficult, and had a restricted working area, most of the piles were successfully installed by the time 95 per cent of the structural work was completed,” says Ahmed.

Other challenges included pile trimming to very deep levels.

“Eventually, however, all piling and ground improvement works were completed on time,” says Ahmed, adding that Keller’s performance on the project helped it secure many additional works later on, as well as the ground improvement works for the infrastructure and buildings.

As one of the biggest piling companies providing the gamut of ground engineering services on the island, Keller has demonstrated its expertise in the numerous prestigious projects throughout its long history in the country. Some of the landmark projects it has been associated with in Bahrain include Al Salam Resort in Zallaq; Difaaf Development on Reef Island; Seef flyover and Central Market interchange; Bahrain Map junction in Tubli; Bahrain International Airport extension; Amwaj Islands development; 13 bridges at Durrat Al Bahrain; Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) headquarters; Sitra power station; Regency Inter-Continental, The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel and Spa; Al Ezzel power plant; National Stadium; and Alba extensions.

Set up in 1973 by its German parent company Keller as a branch office initially to carry out driven piling and site investigation works, the Bahrain operation’s scope of activities has grown extensively to include providing solutions to soil and foundation problems using bored cast-in-situ piling, mini piles, bored and soldier pile walls, secant piles, ground improvement with vibro techniques, dewatering, grouting and soil/rock anchors.

“Keller was also the first and only company in Bahrain to introduce the bottom feed (dry) method for ground improvement by vibro techniques, using a purpose-built ‘Vibrocat’,” claims Ahmed.

Keller Bahrain has a competent team comprising construction and project managers, design and site engineers, civil and mechanical supervisors and technical site staff. Its main office is located in Zinj while its maintenance workshop and store yard is in Al Aali. Keller has been supported for 40 years by Fawaz Al Mannai, its local sponsor and managing director of Universal Enterprises.

Commenting on prospects for the year, Ahmed says: “We expect a relatively healthy construction environment for the coming year with many private, industrial and ministry projects to commence.”

Keller offers many advantages to its clients, and so can win projects in this current tough market situation, he says. “This is mainly due to our new equipment, experienced construction management and design teams and strong customer relations. Additionally, Keller Bahrain has strong backing from our head office in Germany with respect to equipment and techniques.”

Keller looks upon each project as a fresh challenge. “This is because each project comes with its unique ground conditions, like the presence of existing neighbouring buildings and different building designs. Also, with the trend towards distinctive architectural designs, every building has very challenging pile foundation design and requires expert techniques to complete the job,” says Ahmed.

The company is now pressing ahead with work on the Muharraq STP project, which is being developed by a consortium led by South Korea’s Samsung Engineering Company and including Abu Dhabi financial services firm Invest AD and the UK’s United Utilities International.

The project is being constructed by Samsung Engineering as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor and will comprise a treatment plant capable of processing 100,000 cu m of influent per day and a deep gravity sewer trunk main and associated waste water collection network.

“We are very busy with piling work at the Muharraq STP project and are successfully carrying out the project,” says Ahmed.