Ensuring the satisfaction of clients, motivation of employees and confidence of shareholders is key to establishing a lasting presence in the market, says Tony Najjar.

And he should know as he stands at the helm of Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading, a five-decade-old company which today ranks among the top contracting firms in the region. For almost half a century, Ahmadiah Contracting & Trading Company says it has served its clients with integrity, diligence and careful attention.

As the Kuwaiti firm's managing director, Najjar is steering the company, set up by his father Nagib Najjar, Abdul Latif Al Thuwainy, Abdul Mohsen Al Thuwainy and Ahmed Al Thuwainy in 1954, to wider horizons in the region.

The company has grown continually since its inception, with it having become synonymous with reliability, style, quality and innovation. Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading is one of the oldest contracting company in Kuwait and has been successful throughout the years in building a very strong reputation for the speed of execution, exceptional quality and ability to overcome challenging technical problems and flexibility in understanding the various requirements of the clients, which has enabled it become one of the major construction companies in Kuwait.

Ahmadiah has been able to establish this reputation through the general policy guidelines set forth by the board of directors of the company. The result of such efforts has been a variety of repeat clients and an impressive record of company growth.

One of the first buildings built by the firm nearly five decades ago is still standing in Kuwait - testimony to the strength and durability which symbolises this firm. The building is the clock tower which was originally constructed for the Kuwait High School and is presently within the Kuwait University campus.

In 1994, the company was transferred to a closed shareholding company.

Today the company has an international perspective, with a substantial client base throughout the Middle East.

Ahmadiah is currently building most of the skyscrapers that are set to make a statement on Kuwait's skyline. Besides the Arraya Centre which is a 34-storey hotel and mall, these include the 33-storey Burgan Bank headquarters which will reach completion in December 2002 and the 32-storey headquarters for the Public Institute for Social Security (PIFSS) which is also in its final completion stage.

Another prestigious project in which it is involved is the Phase Five of the Waterfront project in Salmiya. The KD48 million project is being built for United Real Estate Company. The project comprises two components: inland and marine. The inland component was completed last month (November) and involved the construction of one of the largest shopping malls in Kuwait, as well as restaurants and a car-park. The offshore component will involve the construction of a marina building, hotel, recreational facilities and a marina (see separate report on pg 80).

Ahmadiah also carried out the Sharq waterfront project. "We have worked with all the leading real estate developers in Kuwait including Salhia, United and Tamdeen Real Estate companies," he says.

"We launched our business when the construction market was at the budding stage and have grown over the years. Our success can be attributed to making the right decisions at the right time and we have always delivered what we promised," says Najjar.

Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading is gearing to mark its 50th anniversary in a year's time, under the management of the second generation of the Al Thuwainy and Najjar families. Ayad Al Thuwainy and Mohammed Al Thuwainy are general managers from the second generation.

"Most of our staff have been recruited fresh from universities; we have provided them with the right training and they have grown with the company. For this reason, they share the values and commitments of the company and work as a team focusing on customer care. The commitment of our employees to their company has helped establish the company in its present form.

"Our top managers of today, started as fresh graduates over 20 years ago and gained their experience in Ahmadiah and through dealings and joint ventures with international firms from the US, Europe and Japan.

Ahmadiah attributes its successful history to it being at the forefront of innovation, and a leader in style; always meeting project deadlines; maintaining rigid, on-site quality control, through its field laboratories; keeping excellent safety records throughout the various projects and setting up efficient purchasing, administration and accounting departments to ensure the smooth-running of projects.

The group also manages the chain of A2Z Home Stores which offers a wide range of furniture, houseware, electrical accessories, plumbing and decorating and products for the retail customer.

Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading is an ISO9002-certified company delivering its promises, Najjar adds. It has an annual turnover of $150 million.

"Some 50 per cent of the company's turnover comes from repeat private sector clients who trust our quality and reputation for delivering on time," Najjar says.

Ahmadiah is active in many market segments of contracting. From the execution of large industrial projects such as Doha and Shuwaiba power plants and Kuwait Cement Factory & Grain silos, the state-of-the-art palaces such as Amiri Diwan and Bayan Palaces, sophisticated hospital projects such as the paediatric, eye and ENT hospitals, impressive array of the finest headquarters such as Arab Organisation, Gulf Investment Corporation, Kuwait Airways Corporation, high-quality five-star hotels including the Meredien Hotel and the Hilton Mangaf Resort, and other the landmark high-rise buildings in Kuwait, large and sophisticated shopping malls such as Al Fanaar Commercial Complex and Al Sharq waterfront malls, to the complex infrastructure projects such as Kuwait sanitary renovation, airport runways and motorways; all projects completed in unparalleled construction quality and substantial time and cost savings, Najjar says.

According to Najjar, given the company's proud past, Ahmadiah has a sound financial position and portfolio of prestigious projects, and with the active present, its committed staff and business philosophy, the future of Ahmadiah looks bright and promising.