The five-day Saudi Building & Interiors Exhibition & Symposium ended last month after a successful run, with most of the 265 exhibitors reporting of deals worth several million dollars. With the kingdom’s real estate sector continuing to boom, the turnout of visitors was large.
Bahrain is set to host a world-class buildings and interiors exhibition early next year, enabling the kingdom to benefit from the multi-billion-dinar construction boom in the region.
After a successful performance last year, the organisers of the International Istanbul Furniture Fair are optimistic about a larger visitor and participant turnaround when the expo gets under way from September 29 to October 2, this year at the Tüyap Fair, Convention and Congress Center, in Beylikdüzü, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kuwait plans to award the contract to build a major seaport at Bubiyan Island in the northern Gulf, by the year end. The proposal to build a seaport on the island, which will help position the country as the gateway to Iraq’s reconstruction programme as well as to regain its 1970s status as a regional hub, was made last November.
Construction work on The Wave, Oman’s top tourism and seafront residential development project, has begun as per schedule, with excavation and earthmoving works commencing on site.
Qatar kicks off $6.87bn worksDoha: A QR25 billion ($6.87 billion) public works project, which includes several infrastructure development schemes, was launched by Qatar, recently. The Public Works Authority’s (Asghal) plan includes 32 road projects, 19 construction projects and seven waste disposing projects.
One of the world’s largest aircraft hangars currently under construction at Doha International Airport has recently completed an engineering feat with the raising of the roof using unique arch-shaping technology known as ‘stress erection’.
Bermuda-headquartered PVaxx Industries made two significant announcements early last month, which will boost the position of the manufacturer of shipping pallets further in the region.
Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC) is in negotiations with international firms specialised in management and technical review of giant construction projects to manage its SR10 billion ($2.7 billion) project in Makkah.
Qatar is planning to set up a Public National Library on Doha Corniche over an area of 145,000 sq m, which will boast of the latest in scientific and technology. The design of the library emanates from an idea of the famous Japanese architect, Arata Isozaki, who has designed the Louvre Museum in France.
Septech Emirates has once again been requisitioned by Omani contractors to build two additional pontoons in Al Ashkarah, south of Muscat, an additional pontoon in Lima in the Khasab region and a further two, still being executed, in Sohar.
Construction work on the the new BD45 million ($119.4 million) King Hamad General Hospital in Muharraq, Bahrain, is expected to start by August, with piling work set for completion in May. According to Works and Housing Ministry under-secretary Nayef Al Kalali, the 312-bed hospital project would be ready to open in early 2007.
Having started off its business in Bahrain a year ago, leading manufacturer of aluminium composite systems Falcon Industries, has last month extended its reach into the far and near markets of the region through concluding agency agreements.
Construction will soon begin on Bahrain’s first Marriott Executive Apartments in the Juffair District of Manama. Costing BD17 million ($45 million), the twin-towered building is all set to redefine Juffair’s skyline, says the spokesman for the developer.
Preliminary work is under way on two major real estate projects being developed by Rikaz for Development and Planning (Rikaz) in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
German high-performance sports car-maker RUF-Automobile – renowned for its craftsmanship in upgrading, servicing and restoring Porsche models – is planning to set up a full-fledged service, production and marketing base in Bahrain, its first such facility outside its home-base in Pfaffenhausen, Germany.
