Bahrain-based Robodh Group, a 30-year-old veteran in the construction contracting sector operating in the UAE, has joined hands with GHI – a German specialist in refurbished formwork supplier – to offer cost-effective and high-quality solutions.

The partnership – under the name of Deerherst Engineering Company (DEC) – will allow construction companies in the region to avail of restored and fully-refurbished second-hand formwork from world-renowned manufacturers and allow them to benefit from lower construction costs.
“This second-hand equipment, which is as good as new, will be backed by a high level of engineering services from the Robodh Group,” says PR Chandran, general manager of Deerherst Engineering Company, Dubai.
“There are plenty of people who are bringing in second-hand formwork equipment from European countries, following a slump in construction business there.  However, the equipment is not as good as that offered by DEC.  Bulk dealers have no engineering back-up, which is not helping the cause of construction companies,” says Chandran.
“We have an edge over the others not only because of our competitive pricing but also because of the back-up we have, both in terms of expertise and equipment.  Robodh has the capability to restore and refurbish the equipment at its state-of-art engineering facilities at Al Quoz,” he explains.
Chandran continues: “The UAE, and especially Dubai, is a prime market with an unprecedented growth in construction. However, we are keeping an eye on the other GCC countries, which have an equal growth potential and intend to expand our business across the borders in this region – ready to grab any opportunity which comes our way.”
The new company employs an aggressive strategy to market the panel formwork solutions such as Trio systems from Peri, Mando from Hunnebeck, Framex from Doka etc.
“However, we intend to market the completely refurbished items which would be of great assistance in fast-track construction jobs,” Chandran adds.
Currently, the company only handles direct sales to the clients, however, DEC is considering the option of providing formwork solutions to construction companies on a complete forming works package including labour and equipment at a later stage, he says.
“We are of the firm view that the construction boom in Dubai will last for quite sometime and this should ensure the continuous growth of DEC,” he says.
“We want to contribute our bit in sustaining this construction boom by making formwork solutions affordable.  We are providing equipment in ready-to-use condition and even our refurnished equipment comes with a guarantee for the clients,” he points out.
GHI started looking out at business prospects outside Germany with the decline in its local construction market.  The company soon spread its business to other European countries where it began the supply of refurbished formwork.  Now GHI, along with its new partners in the Middle East, is hoping to establish a firm base in Dubai to capture markets not only in this region but also in Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
“This is a region which has seen immense growth in the recent past.  There is a huge demand for technology and labour is relatively cheap in this part of the world.  This is an ideal place for the sustained growth of the construction sector.  Even if we compare it with the five-year construction boom of Germany, the boom in the UAE is far bigger and we intend to be a part of this phenomenal growth” says Ekkehart of GHI.
“The reason for establishing DEC under the wings of Robodh is to make Dubai the hub and then go into a phased expansion into markets such as Qatar, Bahrain and India. Along with our expertise in engineering and services, we would be offering our clients after-sales service,” he concludes.