Gulf Construction Online

Saudi Focus

Update

01 August 2014

Accor signs Novotel Riyadh deal

ACCOR Hotel Services Middle East, a leading hospitality group, has signed a management agreement with United Youth Company (UYC) to develop the new Novotel located on Olaya Street in the fast growing northern part of the Saudi capital.

The new Novotel Riyadh Olaya is currently at the planning stage and is aimed to be completed in 2017.

“Saudi Arabia is an important market for Accor, with significant demand for hotels to meet the growing needs of business travellers,” said Christophe Landais, chief operating officer for Accor Hotel Services Middle East. “We are pleased to develop this new Novotel with United Youth Company, our second Novotel in Riyadh, and expand our midscale brand in the capital.”

The Novotel Riyadh Olaya will have approximately 215 rooms with dedicated meeting spaces, a fitness centre, wellness facilities and a swimming pool with deck.

It is strategically located within only a five-minute drive to King Abdullah Financial District and Riyadh’s main business area.

The hotel is the second Novotel in Riyadh, joining the Novotel Al Anoud (166 keys).

Orak uses Coote hollowcore machines

ORAK Factory Company in Riyadh is now producing precast reinforced hollowcore slabs with machinery supplied by Coote Engineering based in Northern Ireland.

Coote machinery help produce slabs with no camber and allow immediate demould. They require no cutting to length and heating and can be accommodated within a small factory area.

Orak Factory produces these slabs in two sizes that can be installed fast.

Meanwhile, Amiantit OCP (Oman Concrete Products) is also using Coote Engineering machinery to produce several precast products such as cover slabs, junction boxes and manhole rings. The equipment has the capability to produce many products in either wet or dry mix, such as New Jersey barriers, box culverts, parking bumpers, railway channels, and much more.

EC Harris names new executive

EC Harris, an Arcadis company and built asset consultancy firm, has appointed Hisham Malaika as city executive to lead the Big Urban Client (BUC) programme in Jeddah.

In his new role, Malaika will work closely with the Middle East leadership team to strengthen the business’ positioning across the market and help service urban clients in utilising the firm’s services and capabilities. Malaika brings with him over 23 years of leadership experience in both local and international markets. Before joining EC Harris, he led two of Saudi Arabia’s leading architecture and engineering firms and is also a licensed Saudi architect, having also worked as a consultant for Saudi Aramco and Snohetta.