AHMED Mansoor Al Aali (AMA), one of Bahrain’s premier business groups, has taken up two stands at this gulfBID to showcase its prowess in both the contracting and trucks businesses.

AMA Contracting will have its personnel on hand at the indoor stand to highlight the various services while AMA Motors will impress with its latest equipment displayed at its outdoor stand.

Commenting on the event, Gerhard Cordes, COO of the contracting as well as of the structural and mechanical division, says: “As one of the largest construction and trading companies in Bahrain, it is a must to be a part of this fair. It has provided a good opportunity to introduce the new AMA and introduce our activities and products to the visitors.”

At gulfBID, AMA will present itself as a truly integrated contracting, building materials and trading company.

With regard to last year’s show, he describes the event as “quite good, well organised” and adds that the company’s stand also enjoyed a good vantage point. And though the company didn’t negotiate any deals during the event, it did, however, meet a lot of people and also potential clients.

This year AMA Contracting will be showcasing its construction and industrial services with a focus on its new partnering model in contracting.

Cordes elaborates: “AMA Contracting introduced a partnering model to clients and consultants. Partnering aims to support the client from the early stage of a project – from the design phase – to optimise the budget, construction time and quality. Partnering will result in an optimum price and the client will also participate in savings during procurement. Therefore, the contract is on an open-book basis and very transparent.”

Over the past year, the company has seen an increase in its contracting business. “We were able to increase our revenue. Business is getting better and there is more investment, not only in the public sector but also private sector as well,” he says.

AMA Contracting has been involved in a number of projects in Bahrain including civil and mechanical works worth BD7 million ($18.56 million) for JBF Petrochemicals plant; a sewerage scheme valued at BD10 million ($26.52 million) in Saar, Seef and Buri; and a $12-million turnkey project for Praxair gas plant in Hidd.

To further its growth in the market, AMA is now eyeing business in Saudi Arabia involving the supply of heavy steel structures, vessels and mechanical products.

Cordes believes that prospects are bright for the construction industry in the GCC. “During 2013, we will see a lot of projects getting started (in Bahrain) because of the Marshall Plan. The main fields to watch out for include infrastructure, housing, schools, while the main markets are still Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but Bahrain will improve.”

AMA Motors

Meanwhile, AMA Motors will once again be at a prime outdoor stand at gulfBID where it will put the spotlight on its truck business while promoting its range.

General manager Simon Keen was pleased with the response to its participation at the exhibition last year. “We were able to display a wide range of our equipment,” says Keen, adding that numerous deals were signed following the event.
The good promotion in the media prior to the event was a factor that has encouraged the company to come back again this year, he adds.

“The event gave us a platform to relaunch our key brands and definitely contributed to our 2012 success,” Keen comments.

At the show this year, AMA Motors will be launching its new MAN CLA truck range, which is a smaller unit designed to target an area of the business that MAN has previously not been represented in. This unit will give customers the opportunity to buy a premium product a lower price, he says.

AMA Motors outperformed its sales targets last year. “The results for 2012 were far in excess of our targeted budget by 38 per cent. In 2011, we sold eight MAN units while in 2012 we sold 110, predominantly by focusing on the three key areas of the business sales, service and parts.

One of its key ongoing contracts is a deal with Alba to supply prime movers for its 24-hour operation for the next two years with a further extension of two years.

Keen says now that MAN trucks are on track, AMA Motors is focusing on its other core brands including New Holland, Bomag, Liebherr and light construction equipment.

Among other developments, AMA Motors’ showroom and site has been rebranded in the new company colours and the company has plans to build a new showroom and workshop over the next two years. In addition, there are plans to set up a mobile parts delivery service and also expand into the MAN marine engine parts supply business, according to Keen.

Established in 1954, AMA has its head office and production facilities in Bahrain. The company’s scope of activities spans five business sectors: AMA Contracting, which includes construction, petrochemicals and Middle East Transport (heavy construction machinery leasing); structural mechanical division involving steel fabrication; AMA Building Materials which has a block factory, sand washing operations, crusher, ice and water plants, and a quarry; AMA Motors including MAN trucks and New Holland machinery; and AMA Sports, which includes Puma Bahrain and Qatar, and Technogym. It employs 4,000 people.

AMA will be exhibiting at the indoor stand 1C31 for AMA Contracting and outdoors for AMA Motors.