Sweden-based Alimak, a leading manufacturer of rack-and-pinion-driven construction hoists, access and goods/passenger lifts, work platforms as well as raise climbers has been providing quality solutions in vertical movement for several major projects in the region.

Recently, the new Alimak CH 14/30 has been used for lifting duties on the five-storey twin-wing Ahli United Bank (AUB) headquarters, and on the Bahrain National Holding Company (BNH) headquarters, both in the Seef District.
Throughout the construction of the AUB headquarters, the main contractor Fujairah National Construction Company (FNC) of the UAE has relied on two new Alimak CH 14/30 passenger hoists; purpose-ordered through Dubai-based distributor Inma.  Inma also supplied the Leibherr 280 EC-H tower crane, which undertakes a wide variety of lifting duties including reinforcement and concrete, says a spokesman for the company.
Construction work on the AUB project started in August 2002, as part of the bank’s commitment to banking in Bahrain and the Gulf. The new headquarters will provide a total of 10,000 sq m of work area in two wings separated by a grand wall and a feature atrium. The two wings, designated the Sweet Water and Salt Water wings, will incorporate a 300 sq m banking hall, a safe deposit facility and a central atrium.
Initially only the Sweet Wing facing the seafront, will be occupied by AUB, which plans to set aside the other wing for letting and future expansion.
The atrium extends to the full five storeys of the building and will include two panoramic lifts and a feature staircase linking the upper offices. The working areas on the upper floors will either have a view over the sea and central Manama or onto the atrium.
To ensure parking facilities for both staff and customers more than 250 spaces are planned with both surface and multi-storey parking.
Featuring a 1,400-kg capacity, the two hoists travel at speeds of up to 38 m/min over a maximum 120 m lifting height. The hoists travel on a strong but lightweight galvanised mast. Standard 1.4 m by 3 m by 2.13 m cages are being used on the project.
Meanwhile, the 11-storey (including lower and upper ground levels) BNH headquarters is nearing completion alongside the Almoayyed Tower – Bahrain’s tallest building.
Throughout construction, the contractor has used a twin Alimak hoist installation to ease the movement of passengers and materials over the office and banking facility.
The CH14/30 twin cage unit, serviced by local distributor Mohammed Jalal and Sons, has a maximum lifting capacity of 14,000 kg and features standard 1.4 m wide cages.
Project quantity surveyor is Davis Langdon Arabian Gulf and the consulting engineer is Mohammed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering Bureau (MSCEB).
With the fit-out works in progress, main contractor GP Zachariades anticipates completion by May this year.