Construction work is under way on the Le Meridien Al Aqqa Beach Resort Fujairah which is scheduled for a spring 2002 opening.

Nitco International, a group company of UAE's Bukhatir Investments, has won a major order for an 800-unit beach resort project in Iran.

May 2002 is expected to see the opening of one of the region's most modern trade fair centres in Sharjah, UAE. The Sharjah World Trade and Expo Centre as it is called is expected to eventually offer an exhibition space of 24,000 sq m when the facility is finally completed under a three-phase programme.

Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has taken delivery of two purpose-ordered Volvo L220D wheel loaders - the first in the UAE - for the construction of a significant state-of-the-art US EPA-specifications landfill site in the most northern of the seven UAE emirates.

Dubai-based Al Huraiz group of companies, among the pioneers to set up a water heater manufacturing facility in the UAE, is expanding to meet the growing demand for its products. It is adding a second automated unit to boost its manufacturing capacity by 125,000 units per year.

The Northern Emirates of the UAE - comprising Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain - have been witnessing an upsurge in construction activity over the past year as a result of their continued efforts to boost their tourism and industrial sectors.