Gulf Construction Online - Mabani seeks strict code compliance

UAE Focus

One of Mabani Steel’s Abu Dhabi projects.

Mabani seeks strict code compliance

01 December 2007

Mabani Steel continues to push for stricter compliance both to the customers requirements and to the latest US design and building codes in the pre-engineered buildings (PEB) sector and urges the construction industry to ensure that fabricators demonstrate transparency in their contracts.

Especially in the UAE, where the construction industry is looking to break records, be it in terms of size, height or sheer volumes in the construction sector, strict compliance is required to ensure long-term building performance and safety, while at the same time eliminate post-contract surprises to the client, the leading UAE-based PEB fabricator says.
“We are amazed by the lack of transparency practised by our competitors when it comes to compliance with customer requests,” says Muayyad Khudairi, president. “In order to achieve a low bid price they often make assumptions and omit substantial parts of the customer requirements in their proposal offers, often without a written declaration that they have done so.
“On top of that, they often base their structural design on expired (20 to 30 years old) US codes. This is because the latest editions of applicable US design and building codes – such as the Steel Construction Manual by the AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction), the Metal Building Systems Manual by the MBMA (Metal Building Manufacturers Association), Cold Formed Steel Design manual by AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute) and the Structural Welding Code, Steel by the American Welding Society – are much more stringent than their older counterparts and often require higher steel structure weights.”
He continues: “At Mabani Steel, we have made compliance one of our key strategic goals and adopted internal systems and procedures that will lead consultants, contractors and government approval authorities to recognise the company as the most compliant PEB manufacturer in the GCC.
“Compliance involves two aspects. The first is compliance with customer inquiries. The second is compliance with the latest editions of design and building codes that govern the design, fabrication and erection of PEBs.”
Mabani Steel dedicates a full section to compliance in its proposal offers (quotations) in which each assumption, deviation and exclusion from a customer requirement is clearly described together with the reason for its exclusion. Its aim is to eliminate all post-contract surprises so it can engineer, fabricate and ship jobs as quickly as possible.
“When dealing with Mabani Steel, a customer quickly feels the level of transparency and honesty that is practised by all Mabani Steel sales and head office staff. We instruct our staff to be 100 per cent transparent in their dealings with customers. We cannot always comply with all customer requirements but we do always declare in writing any non-compliance, any exclusion and any assumption that we have made to arrive at our bid price. Customers who work with us on a project often find it very difficult to work with our competitors in future projects.”
The company had earlier this year published a manual containing comprehensive technical information on PEBs.
“This manual – available as a single source document – is a great achievement for both Mabani Steel and the PEB industry,” says Khudairi. “It is the first PEB technical manual in the world that distinguishes between the two main product categories of PEBs: namely, the PEB steel structure and the panels and panel accessories.”
Headquartered in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, Mabani Steel is a designer, manufacturer and erector of PEBs and hot-rolled steel structures (structural steel).
Part of the Al Rajhi Investment Group Company, Mabani Steel has invested approximately Dh110 million ($29.96 million) in the construction of a state-of-the-art factory that has been built and equipped from the start to have a monthly production capacity of 6,000 tonnes of PEBs and 2,000 tonnes of structural steel.
Since the start of commercial production in April this year, Mabani Steel has been contracted for 74 projects of which 29 have been successfully delivered.