Not many visitors to Oman would realise that behind the serene facade of the Sultanate lies an industrial giant waiting to emerge by the end of this decade.

Designs for a new hotel resort and a new Ministry of Interior building are among the major projects taking shape on the drawing boards of Kadri Consultants. Tenders for the new Ministry of Interior complex will be issued this month (March), says Mustafa Behlim, director of Kadri Consultants.

With demand for cement having reached unprecedented levels in the region, the Sultanate’s pioneer cement manufacturer Oman Cement Company (OCC) has just embarked upon an ambitious expansion plan that will see its capacity double over the next two years.

In the face of fierce competition, Al Omania Powder Coatings (OPC) has utilised its survivor instinct to the fullest and has recently diversified into the fabrication of mild steel and stainless steel products to supplement its core aluminium coating business.

THE largest construction materials hypermart in Oman is what Bahwan Building Materials (BBM) claims to be as it continues to offer total solutions as well as the A to Z in quality building materials to the Omani construction sector.