Construction role for Omanis urged

A CALL to increase the role of Omanis in the country’s booming construction sector went out at an event held in Muscat, last month.

The joint committee for Omanisation in the construction sector called for boosting participation of local manpower in the sector and reduce dependence on expatriates.

“We need to make the construction sector favourable for nationals. By 2030, a large number of citizens will be looking for jobs and some will have to join the construction sector,” said Amer Al Sulaimani, president of the joint committee, in an address titled ‘To build an attractive construction sector for Omani manpower’, delivered at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Hence, it is important to improve working conditions, change the perception that Omanis do not fit in the construction business and encourage more business owners to employ citizens,” he added.

Hawar hotel renovations to start

WORK on Phase One of the hotel facilities at Hawar Islands in Bahrain is set to start shortly following an agreement.

Southern Area Development Company (SADC) has signed the lease agreement with VK Universal Property Management Company to lease, operate and manage Hawar Islands’ hotel facilities, which are set to be operational by end of the year.

Phase One involves upgrade of serviced apartment buildings, cleaning and modifying the existing hotel beach and landscaping and paving works.

Phase Two of the redevelopment will see a further expansion of the hotel through the construction of additional hotel wings adding a capacity of 100 keys, along with a seafood restaurant and two multi-purpose halls.

Additionally, the hotel will also contain restaurants, a gym, a number of meeting rooms, swimming pools, and access to the beach and water sports facilities.

Under the terms of the agreement, the hotel will be operated by Best Western International, which owns Best Western Hotels.

Brand-Rex in new partnership

Brand-Rex, a leading supplier of copper and fibre optic-based network infrastructure solutions for enterprises, data centres and extreme environments, is set to increase its presence in the Middle East through to a new partnership with How United Services (HUS) of Qatar.

“The appointment of HUS serves to further strengthen our commitment to developing and supporting our growing operations in Qatar,” said Brand-Rex country manager Alaa Habanjar. ‘We look forward to working with HUS on some of the most exciting projects in the Middle East and providing customers with some of the most advanced structured cabling systems currently available in the world.

Doka-Lusail in ‘beat the heat’ drive

AUSTRIAN formwork expert Doka joined forces with Lusail Real Estate Development Company in Qatar to run a heat stress campaign that aimed to create awareness among contractors and developers about safe working practices during the scorching summer months.

Thousands of onsite construction workers benefited from the ‘beat the heat’ campaign that aimed at preventing symptoms of heat stress and related illnesses. The campaign was delivered in multiple languages with banners in four languages erected along major bus routes of Lusail City sites. Reusable water bottles were distributed to all workers encouraging hydration and at various locations workers joined a mobile bus unit delivering classroom-style lectures on heat stress prevention.

Managing director Doka Qatar commented: “As a supplier to many projects in Qatar, Doka collaborates daily with jobsites and their employees with the imperative goal to provide all safety precaution information to those who are erecting our material. By partnering to execute the ‘beat the heat’ campaign, we have taken our approach one step further toward increased occupational health and safety of workers onsite.”

Two specialists join Mace

INTERNATIONAL consultancy and construction company Mace has appointed two specialists to launch a contracts and dispute consultancy service, as part of its continuing expansion.

Paul Craig, who will play the role of contracts and disputes manager, has now joined Andrew Gregory who has been head of contracts and dispute consultancy at Mace’s Dubai office as since April. Gregory and Craig have extensive experience in construction contracts and in-depth knowledge of claims management from both the employer’s and contractor’s side.

The contracts and dispute consultancy will offer input on contract formulation, contractor procurement, contract document drafting, contract risk analysis, claims preparation, evaluation, defence and rebuttal.

Exova appoints regional chief

EXOVA, the global testing and advisory group, has appointed Hicham Abdallah as managing director for its Middle East and Asia Pacific region to lead its ambitious growth plans.

Abdallah will be in charge of 10 specialist laboratories and 800 experts across the region providing testing and advisory services to leading organisations in the oil and gas, environmental, infrastructure, fire safety and health sciences sectors. Prior to this appointment, Abdallah served Air Liquide, the global manufacturer of specialty gases, industrial gases and gas handling equipment, for 12 years in senior commercial and operational roles. Most recently, he handled the company’s Middle East and Iraq operations as chief executive officer.

OTCE eyes regional growth

French engineering consultancy company OTCE (Omnium Technique d’études de la Construction et de l’Equipement), a French engineering consultancy company, is hoping to clinch a number of large projects in the region, following the establishment of its Saudi office last year.

“Having established in Riyadh in 2012 will consolidate and sustain our approach,” said Simon Daniel, general manager of OTCE in the Middle East. “2013 is a turning point for us during which we will participate to many tenders. We hope to reap the first fruits of our efforts as from 2014.”

The company has been involved in several projects in Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait as Princess Nora University in Riyadh, Towers H3 and H4 at Jabal Omar in Makkah, Al Andalus Tower in Kuwait, and Bay La Sun Business Park in Jeddah.

RSH to build fourth facility

Red Sea Housing Services Company (RSH) intends to build its fourth manufacturing facility in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) as part of its ongoing expansion strategy in Saudi Arabia. The 193,000-sq-m facility is set to increase the company’s overall production capacity by 35 per cent, to reach a total of one million sq m annually.

Mohammed Othman Mallawi, investor relations manager, RSH, said: “We look forward to commencing the construction of our SR85 million ($22.7 million) facility in KAEC, Rabigh, following the official approval we received from the Economic Cities Authority (ECA). The first phase of construction will commence in Q4 2013 and the facility is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2014.”

The firm is set to begin construction of a SR50-million ($13.3 million) labour complex also in KAEC.