A plan to link the countries of Qatar and Bahrain crossed a significant milestone with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Qatar and Bahrain Causeway Foundation (QBCF) and a consortium of five firms led by a Qatari-French joint venture late last month, and the parties announcing that work on the mammoth project could start as e

Having successfully completed a wide range of architectural and ornamental works for the first phase of The Avenues, considered to be Kuwait’s largest mall, Kuwait-based Industrial Metal Center Company (IMCC) is now working on the project’s Phase Two as well as several other projects in the emirate.

Zamil Air Conditioners (ZAC) has secured projects worth SR62 million ($16.5 million) in the educational, commercial and industrial sectors across Saudi Arabia.

UDC launches Tower31 at Porto ArabiaUnited Development Company, owner and developer of The Pearl-Qatar, has launched Tower31, one of its central towers located at Porto Arabia’s exclusive entrance.

As the only ISO 9001-2000 certified company for precast and related products in Saudi Arabia, Qanbar Dywidag Precast Concrete Company (QDC) is currently positioning itself to capture a larger share of projects across the region.

Having won a contract for the supply of piling pipes for a major bridge project in Abu Dhabi, the Korean-Qatari joint venture Hyojong Industrial Company is eyeing the supply of similar pipes for one of the longest causeways in the world set to link Bahrain with Qatar.

Bahrain Pipes and Tanks, which recently installed a new production line at its manufacturing facility in Bahrain, is targeting the Middle East markets with a wide product range that includes road barriers and large HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipes in sizes up to 900 mm.

Energy City Qatar (ECQ) has signed an MOU with EMEA Enterprise Solutions at Cityscape Dubai 2007 under which the latter will design, build and operate a security service and security operations centre for ECQ. The security project including technology investment is expected to cost 10 to 20 per cent of the $2.6 billion ECQ project.

What is expected to be the biggest glass processing, tempering and double glazing factory in Qatar is set to be officially opened when Qatar Glass Industries inaugurates its facility this month.

International Rubber Company (IRC), a subsidiary of M’Sharie, the private equity arm of Dubai Investments, has been awarded a Dh1.7 million ($463,000) contract to supply rubber gaskets and silicone sealant for the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) project, Phase One.

Albaraka Banking Group (ABG), a Bahrain-based global Islamic bank, will build its new corporate headquarters at Bahrain Bay. ABG now joins Arcapita, a leading international investment firm also based in Bahrain, in locating its new headquarters in Bahrain Bay, a project which will see the creation of a vibrant metropolis in the heart of Manama.

Crystal Fountains, a leading international water feature specialist, has won two major contracts in the region. The first will involve the design and installation of water features at Central Market in Abu Dhabi, UAE and the other at the Al Waab City Development in Doha, Qatar.

The real estate construction boom in the Arabian Gulf has broken through the $1 trillion mark, according to the latest industry intelligence on current active projects in the region, says a spokesman for Dubai-based research company Proleads.

Driven by a conviction about the huge potential for equipment leasing in the GCC, Bahrain-based First Leasing Bank (FLB) is gearing up to further entrench itself in the region through setting up operations in the UAE by early next year, with Qatar and Oman to follow suit.

Al Nasser Company, a Riyadh-based leading trading establishment, is currently promoting the enhanced series of the Master TL5 lamps and gear range from the Netherlands-based Philips Lighting in the Saudi market.