GULF Depot for Building Materials Company is spreading its wings into Africa and is to open seven new shops across the GCC, including Saudi Arabia, next year. With its business growing by an average 25 per cent every year, the Saudi company has now expanded its product offering to include plumbing, electrical fittings and cable and door handles.

JOTUN Paints has strengthened its presence in Saudi Arabia with the opening of new offices at Bilda Mall in Riyadh. The launch of the new offices reflects Jotun Saudia’s continuing business growth in the kingdom that complements its initiatives at providing better customer service.

SAUDI ARABIA’S government has given King Abdullah Economic City’s (KAEC) master-planner Emaar EC a loan worth SR5 billion ($1.33 billion) to launch construction of the second phase of its mega project.

WORK will commence on the construction of the new Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah, Oman, in early 2012, according to a report. The new building will span 200,000 sq m and will comprise 700 inpatient beds along with observation beds and daycare beds, the World Interior Design Network reported.

SOUTH KOREA’S Daelim has received a $750-million engineering, procurement and construction contract from Sahara Petrochemicals to build a new petrochemical plant in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia, according to reports.

Oman awards smelter contract OMAN Aluminium Rolling Company has awarded Italian group Fata a $300-million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for its rolling plant in Sohar, Oman.

CITADEL Arabia, the new fit-out company of Almutlaq Group (AMG) of Saudi Arabia, is looking at signing its first contract this month. The company is in the final stages of negotiations for a few big projects in Saudi Arabia, says Raed Allahham, general manager, Almutlaq Projects.

DRAKE & Scull Water and Power (DSWP) has won a series of projects in Europe, China and the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region worth a total of $40 million, following the integration of Passavant-Roediger into the business platform of Drake & Scull International (DSI), of which it is a subsidiary.

SHAIKHANI Contracting plans to open offices in Qatar and position itself as a key player in the country’s construction boom.

KUWAIT Finance House-Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) has signed a contract with Kooheji Contractors, a leading Bahraini construction company, to build six mock-up villas in Diyar Al Muharraq. The construction will commence immediately and the villas are scheduled to be completed in October for viewing by potential buyers.

A SOPHISTICATED curtain-wall system from Reynaers Middle East has been used on a prestigious car showroom in Amman, Jordan, adding another feather to the cap of the Bahrain-based aluminium systems provider.

ABUNAYYAN Electric Corporation (AEC) of Saudi Arabia has won a major contact to supply Eaton Corporation’s busways (busbar trunking) to a Riyadh skyscraper, on the heels of acquiring the agency for the US-based manufacturer.

WORK on a major project to recyle water in Muscat, Oman, is progressing apace with construction of a new water treatment plant and wastewater network well under way.

THE recently-formed Firetrace International Middle East has appointed Jeddah-based Saudi Sicli as its authorised distributor for Saudi Arabia.

METITO, a leading provider of total intelligent water management solutions in emerging markets, will design, supply, deliver and install a new water treatment plant in Saudi Arabia, adding to its growing portfolio of projects in the kingdom.

SAUDI-BASED Al Kifah Construction Equipment (KiCE) has expanded its product portfolio through an agency agreement with Truemax Machinery and Equipment Company of China.

THE launch of Alshaya Home Store showroom in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marks Hansgrohe’s latest milestone in its steady expansion in the Middle East. Saudi customers will now have full access to Hansgrohe’s showers, mixers and shower systems through its local partner, Alshaya Trading Company.