A Lebanese company is seeking a slice of the booming operations and maintenance market in the Gulf region with its debut at this month's Big 5 show in Dubai.

Beirut-based MISC (Maintenance Infrastructure - South for Construction) is involved in infrastructure maintenance and airports services.

"Our targeted market is the infrastructure and airport services business," say company officials.

They say the company will be promoting a new technique to maintain ground friction coefficient at runways.

The company offers a varied range of contracting services including cleaning of drainage systems, pipes inspection, pipe patching and lining, airfield cleaning, aprons cleaning services, rubber removing services, weeding works, civil works rehabilitation and upgrading, systems assessments with GIS (geographic information systems) integration.

It says some of its key technological developments include a GIS system, active vehicle tracking, robotics and pipe inspection and pipe lining.

MISC is a major provider of services to Beirut and the city's international airport where it has supplied pipe liners, sweepers, de-rubberisers and mowing machines.

The officials say that although the current Gulf market "is a bit hesitant, the infrastructure market, especially water, stormwater and electricity, are likely to boom".

"This will be accompanied by a surge in the maintenance market," they say.

Overall, MISC aims at four important markets: Municipal markets with all related services (municipal waste management, systems cleaning, pipes lining and replacement); private markets; overseas markets, especially the Middle East with special focus on airport maintenance works; and industrial and medical waste management.

The company which was established in 1995 today employs 100 engineers and other staff and has an annual turnover of $6.5-$7.5 million.

It says it continues to grow despite the prevailing conditions in the region with turnover increasing by 10 per cent.

"Our vision is to continually seek new techniques, develop and improve our quality performance," says the company officials.

MISC is ISO 9001:2000 certified. Its services will be showcased at stand 3A132.