DSI bags healthcare project
01 January 2015
DRAKE and Scull Engineering (DSE), the engineering subsidiary of Drake and Scull International (DSI) has won a Dh82.5-million ($22.46 million) healthcare project in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The award boosts DSI’s total project awards in 2014 to Dh5.6 billion ($1.52 billion) and the total projects backlog to an all-time high of Dh15.3 billion ($4.16 billion) across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, Europe and Asia.
Ahmad Al Naser, managing director of DSE, says: “DSI is committed to improving the quality of healthcare in the UAE, which has remained a key market for us for nearly 50 years. With the projected increase in the UAE’s population as a result of the upcoming growth in the real estate sector due to the Expo 2020, the demand for critical and quality healthcare is at an all-time high.
“MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) systems play a crucial part in core infrastructure of hospitals and other medical facilities, and DSE’s strong engineering skills and healthcare experience play a vital role in our medical projects.”
Al Naser further adds: “The medical facility in Abu Dhabi is a welcome addition to our growing projects portfolio and we hope to continue to help provide essential services to the Mena population.”
The GCC healthcare industry is expected to grow to Dh257 billion ($70 billion) by 2018, according to a GCC Healthcare Industry report published by Alpen Capital.
DSE is currently delivering crucial work on major projects such as Al Dara Hospital, Dammam University Hospital, and King Fahad Medical City in Saudi Arabia. In the UAE, the company is currently involved in the development of the Maliha Military Hospital in Sharjah and Danat Al Emarat Women and Children’s Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Previously, DSE played a key role in the development of iconic healthcare projects in the UAE such as Rashid Hospital, Latifa Hospital (previously Al Wasl Hospital), and the expansion to the American Hospital.
DSE has emerged as a preferred engineering partner of choice in the UAE with its impressive portfolio of prestigious projects, including the Mall of the Emirates expansion in Dubai, the Plaza View, the Louvre Museum, the Fairmont Hotel and Serviced Apartments in Abu Dhabi in addition to a joint venture agreement with Habtoor Leighton Specon for Al Habtoor City in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Drake and Scull International – Abu Dhabi, a subsidiary of DSE, was recently awarded the prestigious 2014 Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award under the Silver Category.
Commenting on the award, Al Naser says: “We are extremely delighted and deeply honoured to win the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award in the Silver Category. We thank the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce for their continuous support and for deeming our track record and work worthy of this prestigious honour.
“The award is a recognition of the hard work and stellar results that Drake and Scull International Abu Dhabi employees have continuously achieved since the 1960s.”
The Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award (SKEA) was launched by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) back in 1999 as roadmap and methodology for continuous improvement aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the business sector in Abu Dhabi and the entire UAE.
