German-Gulf Enterprises' association with Unimix extends over two decades and has seen it involved in some of the landmark projects in the UAE through its fleet of quality equipment.

The firm was established in 1974 - just three years after the formation of the UAE - by Abdulrahman M Bukhatir, Rudolf Eller and Peter Steigleder, as part of the Bukhatir Investments Group of Companies, with the aim of providing the upcoming construction industry in the UAE with modern equipment.

"The country still had to go a long way to emerge from the meagre desert past, into the prosperous and sophisticated present," says Eller, managing partner with German Gulf. "At that time, life was very simple in the region. There was lack of adequate housing, hospitals, schools and hotels, hardly any roads, very limited electricity and water - too little of almost everything!

He continues: "Independence and a sharp rise of oil prices in the early seventies triggered off a boom in constructional activities. Every emirate was booming, in particular the capital city Abu Dhabi and Dubai and Sharjah as the traditional business centres. It was the right time to introduce to the fast-developing country, modern construction equipment, thus offsetting ancient laborious time-consuming methods.

"The introduction of modern techniques, know-how and efficient machinery, enabled the contractor to perform faster, improve quality and achieve economically better results."

German Gulf Enterprises was the first importer of concrete pumps from Putzmeister, Germany.

"Until then, nobody believed that one could pump concrete under such extreme climatic conditions with temperatures rising up to 50 deg C," he says. "Thanks to the advanced concrete technology using chemical additives, this problem was overcome. Today, placing concrete without a concrete pump is unthinkable.

"An even bolder step was the introduction of various types of plaster and mortar pumps also from Putzmeister, using ready-mixed materials from Conmix, an associated company of German-Gulf Enterprises."

Later on, German-Gulf Enterprises took over the agency for Liebherr batching plants and truck mixers, offering now a complete package especially for ready-mix concrete companies.

Atlas excavators, truck-mounted hydraulic cranes and skiploaders also have been among the machines first imported by German-Gulf Enterprises.

The company says it also specialises in the field of hydraulics and has added on a division for selling, repairing and testing the full range of hydraulic pumps, hydraulic motors, hydraulic valves.

It represents reputed companies such as Mannesmann Rexroth, Brueninghaus, Hydromatik, Commercial Hydraulics, Sauer-Sundstrand, Meiller and other manufacturers of hydraulic components.

German-Gulf Enterprises has expanded its portfolio by entering into an agency agreement with Messer Cutting & Welding/Gri-tec for welding equipment, electrodes, alloys and powders.

The company further diversified by taking on the agency of Sulzer Metco for thermal coatings, Kemppi Oy's welding machines, and other related manufacturers.

Over the past few years, the company has constantly increased the range of products and further acquired representation for various internationally-renowned manufacturers.

An equipment hire division has also been added on with a fleet of Atlas excavators, ranging from mobile units with 13-tonne capacity to tracked units upto 30-tonne capacity equipped with bucket, clampshell, grab, pile cracker or hydraulic breaker/hammer as required.

The hire division was recently extended with Putzmeister mortar pumps for special plaster spraying, screeding and grouting jobs.

Eller continues: "After a few successful years in importing and marketing construction machinery, it was realised that a well-equipped workshop with qualified and experienced personnel was necessary to offer professional after-sales service.

"The workshop facilities have continuously improved and expanded, and now handle not only a huge number of machinery sold through German-Gulf Enterprises, but also offer service and customer support to almost any other brand/make of mainly construction related equipment.

"Qualified engineers, a skilled labour force and an extensive inventory of genuine spare parts ensure high standard repair and maintenance work. German-Gulf Enterprises dedicates itself to render its customers a reliable after-sales service.

"German-Gulf Enterprises is thankful especially to its employees and management for their dedicated hard work, and to its customers for their loyalty, and the trust they have placed in the company.

"Over the years the UAE has emerged to a modern state, and German-Gulf Enterprises carries on contributing to its further development and growth and promises to continue its dedicated service in the years to come."

"Since over two decades, we are pleased to be associated with Unimix, contributing to the concrete readymix industry.

''Being agents for Putzmeister concrete pumps and Liebherr batching plants, we are also proud of being part of major prestigious projects like the Burj Al Arab Tower, the Emirates Twin Towers, etc, in the field of quality concrete production and high-rise concrete pumping," he concludes.