Bilfinger Berger to quit Qatar
GERMAN construction major Bilfinger Berger is planning to pull out of Qatar over a dispute with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).
“The bad experience with the Doha project prompts us to reconsider our commitments in the Gulf region”, Reuters quoted Bilfinger Berger chief executive Herbert Bodner as saying.
The CEO’s announcement comes in the wake of the German construction major losing a legal battle with Ashghal over the multi-million-riyal Ashghal project, a key component of Ashghal’s prestigious Doha expressway project. Obtaining a court order in favour of it, the Ashghal has now issued orders to hand over the project work to three Qatari companies.

Schindler buys key Saudi stake
SCHINDLER has acquired a further 80 per cent of shares in Saudi Elevator Corp and now holds 100 per cent of that company’s equity. The agreement is now subject to the approval of the appropriate authorities in Saudi Arabia. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

Hill’s portfolio widens
HILL International, the global leader in managing construction risk, has been awarded a contract by the Qatari government to provide project management services during the construction of the Al Waab Mall project in Doha, Qatar.
Al Waab Mall is a $110-million three-storey retail development with parking for 1,300 cars located in the Fereej Al Amir district at the centre of Doha city. The mall will offer 425,000 sq ft of leasable space including a hypermarket, department stores, restaurants, food-court and various types of retail outlets. The project is expected to be completed by January 2012.
Hill International has also been awarded a contract by the Qatar Islamic Bank to provide its services to complete the construction of the $400-million Qatar Silhouette Tower – Intercontinental Hotel and Conference Centre in Doha. The 59-storey tower comprises 365 hotel rooms and 180 serviced apartments.

Key sectors to power Saudi growth
STABILITY across key project-driven sectors in Saudi Arabia will attract more foreign investment and help accelerate growth to put the kingdom at the forefront of the region’s recovering economies, says Collaboration, Management and Control Solutions (CMCS).
It said the Saudi’s real estate industry is expected to sustain an annual growth rate of between five to seven per cent through 2012,  adding that other growth sectors included the country’s telecommunications sector, the largest in the Gulf, and the banking industry which remains minimally exposed to and resilient against the global downturn and healthcare, and is set for 12 per cent growth through 2012.

Asry awards $80m contract
AS a major part of its expansion plan, Asry has awarded a design-and-build contract for the construction of a 1,380-m quay wall to Bahrain-based Nass Contracting. The $80-million contract comprises the construction of a 1,200-m quay wall, with a water depth of up to 12 m, designed to receive 300,000 DWT vessels as well as a 180-m berth for 40,000 DWT vessels.
The quay wall, which will have the first 400 m delivered by end of this year, will be fully operational by the end of 2011. It will be equipped with all services, utilities and craneage required for providing efficient alongside repairs.

KCIC adopts new ERP solution
EPICOR Software Corporation has said Khalid Cement Industries Complex (KCIC), one of the largest concrete manufacturing companies in Qatar, will implement Epicor’s next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution Epicor 9 to streamline its entire chain of operations. KCIC will deploy Epicor across all divisions of the company streamlining core business verticals including financials, supply chain management, production management, and customer relationship management. Based on a modern service-oriented architecture (SOA), Epicor 9 also provides complete business intelligence tools to help KCIC optimise its business operations and connect all remote locations in real-time.

Residential project makes waves
THE Wave, Muscat, a resort and residential development, has won an award for the Best International Architecture at this year’s CNBC International Property Awards. An independent panel of 52 judges considered entries from 207 countries and The Wave competed against 29 award-winning finalists from Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and The Americas to win the award.
The Wave, Muscat is a joint venture between the Omani government, Omani Pension Fund and Majid Al Futtaim Investments and the region’s first major integrated resort and residential development, incorporating more than 4,000 new homes, a marina, golf course, three premier hotels and new retail, leisure and dining opportunities.

Huntsman and Zamil sign deal
HUNTSMAN Corporation and the Zamil Group Holding Company have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the feasibility of constructing and operating a morpholine and diglycolamine agent (DGA) amines joint venture in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. According to the terms of the agreement, the joint venture would operate the proposed plant on a 50:50 basis and would use technology licensed from Huntsman, with Huntsman also having the right to global sales and marketing of products manufactured at the plant.

Oman awards $134m port deals
OMAN has awarded construction and supply projects worth RO51.6 million ($134.1 million) to international firms for its new port at Duqm. China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Company signed a RO24.2 million ($62.8 million) deal to supply and instal 14 winches, while Singapore’s Top Great Engineering & Marine won a RO7.7-million ($20 million) contract to design and instal two dry dock gates.
Britain’s Haskoning won the consultation and construction contract worth RO7 million ($18.18 million) while Korea’s LG Electric won a RO4.9-million ($12.72 million) contract for the water pumping system project, the official said. China’s Dai Hong Electric was awarded the RO4.5-million ($11.6 million) power generator project while Bioksan Engineering signed a RO3.3 million ($8.57 million) environmental contract.
Duqm is earmarked for major developments including the construction of an airport, refinery and a petrochemical plant.

DSI takes over Kuwait MEP firm
DRAKE & Scull International (DSI) said it has acquired the Kuwait-based electrical contracting division of the company jointly owned by Drake & Scull Group and Kuwait Holding Company. With this acquisition, DSI will own 75 per cent of DSI for Electrical Contracting, a leading player in mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) contracting industry.

Saudis to spend $12.3bn on health
SAUDI government has allocated SR61 billion ($12.3 billion) to boost the kingdom’s healthcare system through key projects including construction of new hospitals in the 2010 budget, said the US Saudi Arabian Business Council said in a report.
The government has allocated funds for the construction of 92 new hospitals, with a capacity of 17,150 beds, along with a number of primary healthcare facilities, it added. In addition, the government has budgeted for the establishment of a number of sports clubs and sports cities to promote healthy lifestyles.

Saudi firms eye $1bn merger
ELEVEN contracting firms operating in energy and other sectors are to merge in three years time to form a new entity worth up to SR4 billion ($1.07 billion), an executive said.
Saudi Consolidated Contracting Company will be formed from non-listed companies operating in energy, real estate, construction and maintenance work, Jassim Al Rumaihi, its chief executive said.
Consultant Ernst & Young is conducting due diligence and working on a financial plan for the firms, he said, adding the final number of contracting firms to be merged would be agreed by July.

Oman awards $134m port deals
OMAN has awarded construction and supply projects worth RO51.6 million ($134.1 million) to international firms for its new port at Duqm. China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Company signed a RO24.2 million ($62.8 million) deal to supply and instal 14 winches, while Singapore’s Top Great Engineering & Marine won a RO7.7-million ($20 million) contract to design and instal two dry dock gates.
Britain’s Haskoning won the consultation and construction contract worth RO7 million ($18.18 million) while Korea’s LG Electric won a RO4.9-million ($12.72 million) contract for the water pumping system project, the official said. China’s Dai Hong Electric was awarded the RO4.5-million ($11.6 million) power generator project while Bioksan Engineering signed a RO3.3 million ($8.57 million) environmental contract.
Duqm is earmarked for major developments including the construction of an airport, refinery and a petrochemical plant.

DSI takes over Kuwait MEP firm
DRAKE & Scull International (DSI) said it has acquired the Kuwait-based electrical contracting division of the company jointly owned by Drake & Scull Group and Kuwait Holding Company. With this acquisition, DSI will own 75 per cent of DSI for Electrical Contracting, a leading player in mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) contracting industry.

Saudis to spend $12.3bn on health
SAUDI government has allocated SR61 billion ($12.3 billion) to boost the kingdom’s healthcare system through key projects including construction of new hospitals in the 2010 budget, said the US Saudi Arabian Business Council said in a report.
The government has allocated funds for the construction of 92 new hospitals, with a capacity of 17,150 beds, along with a number of primary healthcare facilities, it added. In addition, the government has budgeted for the establishment of a number of sports clubs and sports cities to promote healthy lifestyles.

Saudi firms eye $1bn merger
ELEVEN contracting firms operating in energy and other sectors are to merge in three years time to form a new entity worth up to SR4 billion ($1.07 billion), an executive said.
Saudi Consolidated Contracting Company will be formed from non-listed companies operating in energy, real estate, construction and maintenance work, Jassim Al Rumaihi, its chief executive said.
Consultant Ernst & Young is conducting due diligence and working on a financial plan for the firms, he said, adding the final number of contracting firms to be merged would be agreed by July.