Work progresses on Canada tower
CANADIAN real estate major Aakar Developers has announced that 30 per cent of its Dh200-million ($54.4 million) Canada Business Centre (CBC) tower in Business Bay has been completed and the project is on track for completion by the third quarter of next year.

Upon its completion, the CBC will incorporate a wide range of high-technology facilities and infrastructure designed to cater to the needs of various business organisations.

Lavish launch for Atlantis, The Palm
DUbai developer Nakheel threw a lavish party to inaugurate the multi-billion-dollar Palm Jumeirah and its flagship resort Atlantis, The Palm last month.
As many as 2,000 celebrities from across the globe attended the party including Charlize Theron, Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate Olsen, Petra Nemcova, Agyness Deyn, Dame Shirley Bassey, Rani Mukherjee, John Abraham, Mischa Barton, Robert DeNiro, Janet Jackson, Preity Zinta, Gosha Kutsenko, The Duchess of York, Michael Jordan, Boris Becker, Bipasha Basu, the Dubai Royal Family and Lily Allen. 
 The launch – which introduced the Palm brand to the world – included performances from pop icon Kylie Minogue, Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra, and a massive fireworks display which was said to be visible from space.

MAG tower on time
THE MAG 218 residential tower in Dubai, which consists of 555 apartments spread over 66 floors, is nearly complete and will be finished within schedule this month. The Dh450-million ($122 million) building was 95-per-cent sold out within months of its launch.
Mohammed Nimer, CEO of MAG Group Property Development said 45 floors have been completed, including the technical floor where the building’s chillers are now installed. The tower comes with below- and above-ground parking, swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a gym, ballroom, TV room and an outdoor terrace. The top five floors feature a full glass exterior, which affords spectacular views of the Marina, Palm Jumeirah and beyond.

RWI wins villas order
Rubber World Industries (RWI) has been awarded a contract to deliver its products for the construction of villas within the Dh1-billion ($272 million) residential project ‘The Villa’ in Dubailand.
Rubber World’s involvement with the large-scale community project has been driven by the high quality of its ‘Gulf-O-Flex’ rubber insulation tubes, a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free product designed to retard heat gain and prevent condensation or frost formation on refrigerant lines, cold water plumbing and chilled water systems.
The contract with RWI is part of the Dh20-million ($5.4 million) contract awarded earlier to Nash Consumer Electronics, which is the HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) contractor for the project.

Crane accident at Metro
PART of the Sheikh Zayed Road was closed when the mast of a crane belonging to the Dubai Metro contractor fell on the support of a directional signboard last month.Traffic was restored after five hours, after special electrical devices were used to cut the mast of the massive-sized crane into pieces so that it could be lifted. The incident did not cause any injuries or fatalities, only damage to the directional board.

RTA network to promote walking
THE Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will construct a network of air-conditioned crossings and subways across Dubai in a bid to promote the culture of short-distant walking and reduce reliance on vehicles.
Commenting on the new initiative, Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Younes, CEO of RTA Strategy and Corporate Support Services, said: “The purpose of constructing air-conditioned crossings and tunnels network is to realise the strategy of providing safe and smooth transport for all. RTA is seeking to ease short-distance mobility and make walking more attractive to the public and accordingly minimise the reliance on vehicles.”

Carillion to double revenues
GLOBAL support services and construction group Carillion, which operates through the joint venture Al Futtaim Carillion in the UAE, is on track to double  revenues from the GCC and North Africa to more than Dh6 billion ($1.63 billion) by the end of this year.
In the UAE, the group was selected for contracts worth Dh3.6 billion for major construction works in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including a Dh3 billion  contract to build the Al Muneera phase of Aldar’s Dh60 billion Al Raha Beach development, and a Dh600 million contract to build the German Business Park.
“Our order book and pipeline of probable new orders in the Middle East remains strong and we are firmly on track to achieve our objective of broadly doubling the sales revenue of our joint venture businesses in the region to an annual run rate of over Dh6 billion by the end of 2009, of which Carillion’s share will be over Dh3.6 billion,” Carillion chief executive John McDonough said.

Caparol paints Abu Dhabi mall
Caparol Dubai has completed a contract on Abu Dhabi’s Khalidiya Mall using its CapaStone range for the project, which gives the mall a natural stone finish.
The range includes five main products – Ceratone, EuroStone, CeraTile, DecoCoat and Granito – all providing different types of textures and finishes to large-scale projects.
“Granito was used for Khalidiya Mall due to its rugged feature and was applied in a three-tone effect, achieving a more realistic granite finish,” says general manager Gary Seabrook.
Caparol Dubai is a joint venture between Emaar Industries and Investments and Caparol, a market leader for building paints in Germany, Austria and Turkey.

Stromek wins enabling works
Damac Properties has awarded Stromek  Emirates Foundations a Dh12 million ($3.26 million) contract to carry out enabling work on its Burjside Boulevard Tower, a luxury residential project located in Burj Dubai District.
Under the agreement, Stromek will handle all preliminary work on the 38-storey project, including site mobilisation, fencing, excavation, shoring and piling.
“We are glad to secure this important contract from Damac Properties,” said Ahmed El Adl Derbala, general manager of Stromek Emirates Foundation. “Stromek has been aggressively building its portfolio  and we are delighted to strengthen our presence further by winning this contract.”
The tower comprises 38 floors of premium residential space which includes one, two and three-bedroom apartments, in addition to one level dedicated to leisure facilities including a gym, spa baths and sauna rooms.

Safety milestone marked
engineering, design and project management specialist Cansult Maunsell last month marked one million man-hours without a LTA (lost time accident) on the Sharjah Teaching Hospital in University City project in Sharjah, UAE.
During an on-site ceremony marking the accomplishment, Cansult Maunsell, the design consultant and project manager, presented special safety recognition awards to the client, Sharjah Teaching Hospital, and the MNJHI-ACTCO joint venture, the contractor and construction supervisor, in achieving this key milestone in site safety.
Construction work on the project began last year.

Green plan for Reem Island unveiled
BUNYA, the resident regulatory authority and regional infrastructure developer for Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, has unveiled a construction environmental management plan to ensure a sustainable urban development on the island.
The report establishes a framework of environmental management for all on-going development work on Reem Island.
Tariq Hatim Sultan, CEO of Bunya, said that the new framework was a result of months of working closely with Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council (UPC), Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD) and all relevant government departments and institutions as well as other stakeholders.

Oasis buys part of The World
Oasis Group has bought an island located close to the eastern hub on Nakheel’s The World project.
Island D43 will include a world-class hotel and fully serviced residences, alongside dining, shopping amenities, cultural centres of learning and schools, set within a luxury beach and leisure living environment.
Strategically situated off the virtual coast of ‘China’ on The World, Island D43 has a total area of approximately eight hectares, including 3.6 hectares of water areas.
Oasis Group intends to develop a total built-up area of up to 800,000 sq ft, which will include a grand boutique hotel, up to 700 units of suites, two-bedroom residences, and three- and four-bedroom water villas.
The project will also have a wide selection of restaurants, bars, high-end retail outlets, room service options and boat mooring facilities. Other features include water views of the inner lagoon harbour or stunning open sea vistas from all properties, stretches of pristine beaches on three sides, and easy access to the main transportation hub and public berths.

Sharjah chamber HQ opens
Sharjah’s Ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi inaugurated the new headquarters of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) last month. The three-storey SCCI headquarters, located in the Sharjah Expo City – which also includes the Expo Centre – will comprise all SCCI offices in addition to a World Trade Club, a permanent exhibition area for local industrial products, a conference hall, meeting rooms, the Sharjah Business Women Business Council office, and Training Rehabilitation and Commercial Arbitration Centers. Public services are also based in the building.
The structure has distinctive Islamic and Arabian cultural elements in its architecture, which in many ways reflect Sharjah’s identity and image.

Pile caps poured for mega mall
Work on the Mall of Arabia reached a milestone last month when concrete was poured to create pile caps for the mammoth mall being built in Dubai. The mall is a key feature of the City of Arabia, the spectacular $5 billion destination, which is currently under construction for the Ilyas and Galadari Group, in Dubailand.
 Abu Dhabi construction firm Dhabi Contracting is  creating more than 1,000 diverse retail outlets, a rooftop hotel, waterfront alfresco dining and entertainment for all the family at the mall, which will also feature the Restless Planet theme park and earth science museum.

Autodesk’s Revit is chosen
Omnix International has been awarded a Dh1 million ($272,250) design services contract by Al Futtaim Carillion (AFC) for the use of Revit Architecture and Revit Structure – the latest design software from Autodesk – for the Dubai Motor City project, which is currently under construction.
“With the move to Autodesk Revit, we are looking at an improvement in productivity in as much as four to six weeks off drawing production,” said Andrew Piechowiak, principle design manager, Dubai Motor City. “In addition, we are also seeing the advantages the new software are providing the quantity surveying department in finalising quantities faster and more accurately. This presents us with an enormous advantage to speed up our processes, thereby shortening the production cycles while producing higher quality documentation and improving our efficiency.”

Outokumpo opens Dubai office
Stainless steel specialist Outokumpu has opened a regional sales office in Dubai in a bid to strengthen its presence outside western Europe and to improve its ability to serve end-user and project customers globally in an optimal way.
Outokumpu has already established a major presence in the stainless steel tubular markets in the Middle East through a joint venture with Armetal in Saudi Arabia – Outokumpu Armetal Stainless Pipe Company – which produces welded pipes and tubes as well as sheet products.
Outokumpu products are widely used in projects in the Middle East, especially in desalination as well as in oil and gas and petrochemical industries. The projects include Jebel Ali L station in Dubai, Fujairah Water and Power, Al Hidd in Bahrain, Marafiq Water and Power, Saudi Kayan and Qatar Gas.

New identity for airport
ABU Dhabi’s new private jet airport has been renamed City Airport, Abu Dhabi, as part of its overhaul, the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) has said.
Formerly known as the Al Bateen airbase, the new identity was revealed at last month’s Middle East Business Aviation (Meba) show in Dubai.
ADAC is currently investing more than Dh200 million ($54.45 million) in additional facilities at the airport to turn it into an exclusive corporate jet facility offering seven-star services to all clients.

Alumco breaks into Abu Dhabi
Dubai’s Alumco has won its first mega contract in Abu Dhabi for aluminium composite cladding, aluminium and glazing works on a mixed-use development for the East and West International Group (EWIG) in Abu Dhabi.
Alumco is to begin work on the project in February and is expected to finish the contract by May 2010.
The contract will see the installation of a total of 45,000 sq m of aluminium fittings, which will include 25,000 sq m of unitised curtainwall, 16,000 sq m of stick curtainwall sliding doors, 3,700 sq m of aluminium fins and 700 sq m of louvres.
The EWIG project will comprise a luxury hotel, commercial complex and a number of residential apartments. Al Habtoor Engineering is the lead contractor of the project, Bainona Consulting Engineering Bureau the consultant, and Bayaty Architects is the architect.

Mammut unveils long-span purlin
MAMMUT Building Systems (MBS), a Dubai-based leading manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings (PEBs), has launched a new long-span purlin on the market.
The new product was showcased at last month’s Big 5 exhibition held in Dubai.
Unlike conventional purlins that have a maximum span of about 8 m, the new long-span second-generation (G-2) purlin can extend up to 12 m or more, says Bob Webster, managing director of MBS.
Additionally, MBS also exhibited its highly-successful polyurethane injected sandwich panels which can be used as wall and roof cladding for industrial buildings, at the show.

Work starts on yacht repair facility
Dubai Maritime City, the world’s first purpose-built maritime centre and part of the Dubai World Group of companies, has started earthworks for the construction of the Middle East's first-of-its-kind yacht repair facility designed by renowned maritime engineering and consultancy firm Royal Haskoning.
The new yacht repair facility has been conceptualised in line with Dubai Maritime City's strategy to expand its portfolio of groundbreaking maritime services, providing optimum value for all investors and clients within the integrated maritime complex.
The facility will be built on an 82,000 sq m plot, the largest within the city’s industrial precinct. The project is expected to be completed and fully operational within 16 months, providing regional clients an unrivalled portfolio of yacht repair services in terms of size, facilities and operational capacity.

Office expert opens shop
Makateb Holding has launched operations in the UAE, offering a revolutionary new concept designed to enhance the working environment and deliver optimum business value to office building tenants.
The company has complemented its service portfolio with a range of end-to-end office building solutions tailored to suit the distinct requirements of various business organisations, while adhering to the highest environmental standards.
The company’s new office projects will adopt green building principles and ensure cost reduction, energy conservation, profit maximisation and a productive business setting.  
Makateb Holding has forged joint ventures and partnerships with high-end specialised international companies operating in the areas of facility design consultancy and facility management.