Al Wasit appointed Hyundai dealer
Dubai: Al Wasit Machinery, the flagship of UAE-based Al Wasit Group of Companies, has signed a strategic partnership with Hyundai Heavy Industries to have exclusive dealership of Hyundai’s construction equipment for UAE and Oman.

Hyundai, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heavy machinery and construction equipment, has entered into this partnership with the objective of getting a sizable market share in the booming construction industry in UAE and Oman.
Hyundai is expecting to increase its regional sales of construction equipment to $40 million this year from last year's $25 million, according to a company official.

Streetscape deploys Exact
Dubai: Streetscape International, whose street furniture is proving to be popular in Dubai, has successfully deployed a new business IT system based on Exact technology, which allows for enhanced communication between its UAE headquarters and offices around the world.
Streetscape International’s Smart pole is a sophisticated multi-function street pole, able to combine street lighting, traffic signalling, telecommunications, video surveillance and advertising in one.
It is currently being installed at the Dubai Marina and in areas across the city in cooperation with Dubai Municipality.

Sports medicine centre for Dubai
Dubai: The Dubai Sports City in association with the Helios Hospital Group Middle East – the regional arm of Germany’s leading private hospital provider– will build a specialised sports medicine hospital in Dubai to be called the German Sports Medical Centre, which is expected to open in 2006.
The centre will combine medical technology and care with five-star luxury. It will be completely wired, allowing the cadre of medical specialists based in Dubai to consult, via tele-medicine and tele-radiology, with additional experts in Germany and will feature centres of excellence for sport cardiology, orthopaedics, sports medicine, sports science, neurosurgery and rehabilitation.

Ideals launches Floaters at expo
Dubai: UK-based Ideals (GB), first-time participants at Office 2004, has launched a magical lighting product – Floaters – that can be used to illuminate office ceilings and walls. Floaters provides a vast array of shapes and designs, however, any shape that is required can be made to order.
Ideals also presented the latest innovation in flexible concealed lighting – the X-flex Xenon low-voltage lighting system – a flow-sealed xenon lamp with a 20,000-hour lamp life that will offer a variety of lighting in various colours, ranging from a subtle glow to a bright emission.

DIFC foundation goes Bauer's way
Dubai: Bauer International UAE is carrying out the foundation work of a building at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Rising 15 storeys to the south of the Dubai Emirates Towers landmark, the Dubai International Financial Centre is to become a global financial centre for the benefit of the UAE and the region of the Middle East as a whole.
The core of Bauer’s foundation works contract comprises 1,264 foundation piles of 600 and 900 mm diameter and lengths of up to 16 m; during the contract period of 130 working days up to six large-diameter rotary drilling rigs have been operating on site concurrently.
In addition, 170,000 cu m of bulk excavation had to be completed and a dewatering system had to be operated, covering an area of 84,500 sq m.
• DIFC and Nexus Capital have announced the development of the $260 million The Hexagon, high-quality mixed-use real estate complex in central Dubai.
The Hexagon, to be located at the eastern edge of the DIFC zone in central Dubai, will offer 1.4 million sq ft of premium quality commercial and residential space within the boundaries of DIFC in central Dubai, is expected to be complete in three years.

Bond lands $27m multimedia deal
Dubai: Bond Communications has won a contract worth more than Dh100 million ($27.23 million) to install what is believed to be the world’s largest and most advanced hotel integrated multimedia system at the spectacular Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi.
Advanced technology being introduced in all 390 rooms and suites at the hotel, will give guests fingertip control of everything from interactive TVs and in-room entertainment, to lighting, air-conditioning, personal computers, internet access and room service orders.
Making all this possible, and creating a luxurious, “tomorrow’s world” hotel environment, AMX touch panels will allow guests to take control of any integrated piece of audio/video, environmental or communications equipment by pressing onscreen demand buttons. Emirates Palace, opens at the end of the year.

Al Shamsi to represent Knoll
Dubai: Knoll, an international manufacturer of office and residential furniture, has appointed Al Shamsi to exclusively represent it in the UAE.
Knoll, a world design leader for over 60 years, is the recipient of hundreds of design awards, with products represented in major art museums around the world.
The Knoll Studio collection of modern classics comprises seating, tables and desks for executive offices and distinguished homes.

$12m sewer plan for Dubai
Dubai: Dubai Municipality will soon embark on a Dh47 million ($12.9 million) five-year strategic plan to set up drainage and sewerage systems to cover Dubai’s demands till 2020.
The plan includes the construction of drainage and sewerage projects covering the urban areas of Dubai.
The new projects will help the emirate cope with the increasing demand for drainage and sewage networks, so as to ensure safe disposal of wastewater and its treatment for irrigation.
The plan is expected not only to cover the new urban areas but also the emirate’s expected expansions. It also includes the construction of drainage and sewerage systems for Al Muhaisina and Al Mizhar, Al Warqa, Al Barsha and Mirdiff.

Abu Dhabi steel plant to expand
Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi steel plant has disclosed plans to expand its production capacity that will help it face growing domestic demand.
Deputy general manager, Mubarak Harbi Al Khaili, said that the capacity expansion was needed to face a steady increase in local consumption caused by a boom in the emirate’s construction sector.
According to a report, the plant, which was inaugurated three years ago, has supplied steel and other products to major projects in the UAE, including Dubai airport expansion, the Abu Dhabi Corniche development project and the expansion of the Abu Dhabi breakwater area.

Sharjah to get $27m hospital
Sharjah: A gynaecology hospital is to be set up in Sharjah at a cost of Dh100 million ($27.2 million), said a report.
Sharjah medical district director-general Shaikh Mohammed bin Saqr Al Qasimi made the announcement at a meeting of Sharjah Consultative Council.
Shaikh Mohammed, who is also health ministry assistant undersecretary, said construction work would start soon.

Community centre for Al Badia
Dubai: The designs are currently being finalised for the community centre at Al Badia Golf Resort - part of Dubai Festival City, the waterfront ‘city-within-a-city’ being built on the banks of Dubai Creek.
Due to open in Summer 2005, it will include a wide range of sporting and leisure facilities, as well as play areas for children, a kid’s pool and a crèche.
More than 70 per cent of the first phase of the residential property at the resort  is reported to have  been leased or reserved since the project’s show homes opened at the beginning of April.

Emaar launches The Views
Dubai: Emaar Properties’ exclusive apartment community ‘The Views’, with breathtaking views of the Emirates Golf Club was launched recently.
The Views development comprises one modern seven-storey, low-rise building featuring a limited number of two, three and four bedroom-apartments with contemporary architecture.
The building, designed as a master-planned community, opens out into an informal and exclusive courtyard for the residents.
This courtyard environment is further enhanced through a host of recreational facilities which include a lush landscaped swimming pool, a gymnasium, mini sports court, play areas, neighbourhood shopping areas and parks with walkways.

Pega Hoists lands $5m contract
Dubai: Arabtec Construction has awarded Pega Hoists a $5 million contract to supply 20 high-speed, variable frequency construction hoists for its various sites.
The hoists will be supplied through Pega’s newly appointed local distributor Nouman Fouad Trading (NFT).
Pega Hoists is a Czech manufacturer of construction hoists and industrial lifts based on German state-of-the-art technology.

Damas plans hi-tech unit at DMCC
Dubai: Damas has announced plans to set up a Dh45 million ($12.25) hi-tech jewellery manufacturing unit at Dubai Metals and Commodities Centre (DMCC) infrastructure.
The factory, measuring 160,000 sq ft, has been designed in line with the Arabic culture and carries all the safety precautions while protecting the environment, and is expected to be ready for operation within the next 12 months, said officials.
The unit features a remarkable design and will have four key departments: design, research and project development, diamond cutting, mould making and casting and the diamond setting and polishing.

Wetherly launched at ATM
Dubai: A turnkey furniture service for developers and individual property owners was launched at the recent Arabian Travel Market (ATM) expo.
Wetherlys Middle East introduced the service with most orders being delivered within eight to 10 weeks. It expects to sell this service out to other developers throughout the Middle East.
It also plans, within a short period, to open a retail warehouse where clients can buy furnishings and accessories at a one-stop-shop, said a spokesman for the company.

Dubai to get $54m recycling plant
Dubai: Dubai Municipality (DM) has awarded a contract to Aqua Engineering Company (AEC) to build a Dh200 million ($54.4 million) waste sorting and recycling plant in Al Aweer near the sewage treatment plant. It will have the ability to sort and recycle waste to re-use it as raw material for manufacturing products such as plastics and chip boards.
The waste sorting and recycling project will be developed as a build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme. AEC will invest in the construction of the plant and transfer the ownership to the municipality by the end of a 20-year contract.
The plant will have a built-up area of 508,000 sq m having a capacity of 4,000 tonnes of general waste, with an option to double the capacity at a later stage. It will accommodate waste from the emirate of Dubai only. An annual turnover of 140,000 tonnes of organic by-products will be available for enhancing horticultural activities.
• Dubai Muncipality’s Roads Department last year completed 10 road projects worth Dh537 million ($146 million) as well as the designing of 13 projects to serve different areas in Dubai.
Department director Nasser Ahmed Saeed said 18 road projects would be developed this year.

Emaar to announce Burj contractor
Dubai: Emaar Properties said it would soon announce the main contractor to build the Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest tower, which is designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), with Turner Construction as the project’s construction managers.
“We are into a complex but transparent bidding process and the final decision on the appointment of the general contractor is not expected for a few months,” said Emaar Properties chief executive officer A J Jaganathan.
Emaar is creating a truly international landmark with the Burj Dubai development, the city within a city, which will create Dubai’s new elegant downtown area.
The 500-acre development will comprise the Burj Dubai, the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment complex, an Old Town, Office Park and a residential complex, he said.

Study on tallest lava lamp complete
Dubai: Research has been completed on the Dh88.1 million ($24 million), tallest ‘lava lamp’ in the world. The lamp standing at 30 m will be erected in Dubai with the support of Dubai Department ofTourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and the Germany-based Media Marketing and Research (MMR) Company.
The model and designs of the lava lamp are ready for implementation and German construction materials will be used.