Tekla Middle East, a supplier of model-based operational software for the construction and energy sectors, has received a profile boost with engineering construction firm Bechtel Corporation selecting its Xsteel product as its central modelling and detailing tool.

Bechtel joins several major engineering companies including Al Habtoor Construction, Cleveland Bridge, Emirates Building Systems, Headline Engineering, J Ray McDermott, Hidada, Arabian International Company and Zamil Steel as Tekla's partners in the Middle East's construction sector.

The new alliance with Bechtel will extend to the Middle East, where Bechtel has been involved in a number of significant construction initiatives, including in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi Onshore Gas Development 2 Project; and Sidi Krir Power Plant, Egypt.

Tekla's Xsteel has also been utilised in the construction of such landmarks as the new Grand Hyatt Hotel and The Tower in Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Trade Centre, and the Kingdom Centre in Saudi Arabia.

After an extensive review of several software packages, Bechtel selected Xsteel due to its advanced modelling technology and comprehensive functionality, according to Tekla Middle East, which is headquartered in Dubai Internet City.

"In the 17 months since Tekla established its regional presence in the Middle East, we have expanded into both India and Iran, and companies using Tekla's Xsteel technology have successfully bid for a number of key projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the GCC," says Paul McIver, regional manager for Tekla Middle East. "Based on the rapid increase of steel-based construction projects in the Middle East, we anticipate that Tekla's new alliance with Bechtel will enable us to further strengthen the company's position as a software supplier and partner for major engineering firms.''

Several leading Saudi-based organisations including Gulf Steel Works in Jubail, have initiated or completed projects using Tekla's Xsteel solution in the last two years.

Xsteel was employed by Gulf Steel Works to manage the fabrication of more than 2,800 tonnes of steel for the Saline Water Conservation project in Shuaiba and Shuqaiq.

Computer-generated drawings of buildings to be constructed, produced using the Tekla solution, allow engineers in Saudi Arabia to view an accurate skeleton of steel connections to ensure the correct fitting of joints, as well as reduce the possibility of steel wastage.

These 3-D drawings then enable Tekla's clients and their end-users to "see" in a realistic manner how exactly a building fits together, all before the groundbreaking begins at the construction site, Tekla explains.

Tekla Corporation's products, used in energy sales and distribution, building and construction and public infrastructure, are said to improve commercial and operative efficiency and competitiveness.