The HBK Group – a leading Qatari construction conglomerate that started out as a contracting firm 35 years ago – has just been transformed into a holding company, a move that is designed to enable it to further expand its horizons and develop the group’s full potential.

“We have just been licensed as a holding company which will enable us to expand globally by entering into partnerships with international companies, set up new companies, increase our assets and technical capacities and thus secure a larger share of the market,” says Ehab Abu Salim, procurement manager of the flagship company HBK Contracting.
Diversification and expansion has been at the heart of the group’s strategy, which – having started out as HBK Contracting in 1970 – went on to set up other independent companies that would support its core activity. This saw the birth of HBK Engineering Services, HBK Power Cleaning, HBK Trading, Alutec and the newest member of the group, HBK Readymix, which was set up last year.
Established in 1970 by Hamad bin Khalid bin Ahmed Al Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar, HBK Group is now widely experienced in the construction industry having carried out various projects, including commercial and residential buildings, high-rise towers, infrastructure works, bridge works, sewerage networks, hospital, sports, multi-storey car-parks and university complexes, electro-mechanical works, aluminium glazing works, drilling and blasting works, industrial coating and insulation works. Staffed by about 3,000 trained and skilled employees, the group owns a large fleet of construction plant, machinery and vehicles.
The HBK group operates a quality management system and its staff is well-trained in quality control and follow all the norms of quality control to ensure customer satisfaction.
Over the years, the group has executed many of the prestigious projects in Qatar for various public and private clients, notably Qatar General Petroleum Corporation, Ministry of Building Affairs, Drainage Affairs, Hamad Medical City, Qatar Armed Forces and Kahramaa.

HBK Contracting
Since its inception, HBK Contracting Company, an ISO 9001 company, has developed an impressive portfolio of clients, through a planned visionary strategy and the highest quality of service. Being one of the first locally-owned contracting firms in Qatar, the company has been at the forefront of the industry and has held a competitive edge in the field.
The company has acquired an outstanding record in providing innovative skills and techniques to the civil engineering and building industries with the successful completion of a wide range of projects throughout the country.
From its first project – the construction of an army guard post, HBK Contracting has progressively expanded its capabilities and the scale of its projects to include some of the country’s most technically-challenging developments.
The company’s growth is apparent both in terms of its working capital and annual turnover and HBK has gained experience and technical expertise that has helped classify the company as a class “A” contractor.
Commenting about the market, Abu Salim says: “The construction market in Qatar is booming and over the past year we have secured a large number of jobs including stadiums that are being built to host some of the events that will be held as part of the Asian Games in December 2006.”
HBK, which specialises in infrastructure projects and particularly pipeline installation, has wide experience in the construction of hospitals (of more than 250-bed capacity), drainage and sewerage networks, water reservoirs, high-rise towers, commercial and residential buildings,
With a management motto of “HBK’s Objective is Quality”, the company is committed to excellence and has some landmark projects in its project portfolio, including the first project in Qatar to involve the construction of a marine bridge and the Halul Island development, where the entire project was managed and executed by the company.
“The drive for providing quality services with a high degree of commitment is what differentiates HBK from other contractors,” says the spokesman.

HBK Engineering Services
Established in 1981 in Qatar, HBK Engineering Services is among the premier providers of services in the fields of electro-mechanical engineering, having gained invaluable experience and a deep understanding of local conditions of the Qatar market over the years. It is also an agent of Mitsubishi and other brands of electrical, mechanical and plumbing, fire alarm and fire fighting, building management systems (BMS) and infrastructure electro-mechanical systems.
HBK Engineering Services has seen its turnover grow multifold, beginning with an initial QR2 million, the company now boasts an annual turnover of QR50 million.
Staffed by about 400 employees, the company also has numerous warehousing and workshop facilities both on and off-site which provide clients with the assurance that it is able to handle jobs regardless of size by utilising its vast local infrastructure.

HBK Power Cleaning
Founded in 1973 in association with Power Cleaning of the UK, this company specialises in industrial protective coatings, basically for the petrochemical industries, offshore/onshore installations and marine associated coating.
According to Farook Yaseen, the general manager of the ISO 9001-certified HBK Power Cleaning, the company is now focusing on offering more high-tech services in the field of fire-proofing as well as in the hot and cold installation requirements of the oil and gas industry.
HBK Power Cleaning has in its inventory a complete range of blasting, painting, coating, wrapping, insulation, fireproofing and scaffolding equipment, and machinery capable of consistently ensuring optimum surface protection complying with the highest international standards as well as clients’ specifications, he says.
High-technology products are used to protect the substrate/surface, including painting/coating, wrapping, hot and cold insulation and fireproofing materials, while maintaining high standards of safety and care.
The company currently employs 485 personnel, all highly skilled in their particular disciplines with constant on-the-job training to upgrade skills. It also has a team of Qatar Petroleum (QP)-approved inspectors who are qualified to British Gas (painting), CITB (scaffolding) inspection standards.
A well-equipped workshop with sophisticated equipment carries out in-house repairs of plant and equipment.

HBK Trading Company
HBK Trading Company was initially launched to supply Qatar’s construction industry with its power tools and equipment requirements. In 1979 HBK Trading forged a lasting partnership deal with Hilti, a leading global manufacturer of power tools, anchoring systems and fire prevention system, and developed an enviable reputation as being one of the region’s leading Hilti dealers for industrial tools and consumables agents.
The company offers Hilti products that cover nine different segments: power tools, fire protection, insulation, anchors, construction chemicals, powder-actuated tools, diamond drilling systems, laser positioning and measuring equipment and wood-working tools.
“Our business philosophy is not simply selling the end product but consultative selling, where we work with the consultants and contractors to provide guidance in selecting the best systems,” says Lesley Padua, sales manager.
Over the years, the trading company has established itself as a highly reliable supplier to the local construction industry, providing first-class products and services and thus maintaining both its own and Hilti’s reputation. Hence, HBK Trading has prided itself on being one of Hilti’s most successful partners, having been rewarded with “excellence award” from its principal.
Business has been improving dramatically over the past five years, during which its staff has been increased from five to 40.
“We are now looking at expanding our sales and engineering team to 75 by 2008,” he says. “All our sales personnel are engineers who are trade-segment oriented, specifically servicing individual sectors such as mechanical and electrical, civil construction, structural steel and also oil and gas.”

Alutec
Founded in 1995, Alutec has established itself as a market leader and a pioneer in the aluminium and glazing industry, manufacturing aluminium doors, windows, skylights, curtain walls and cladding works at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.
Its premium products are a result of continuous partnerships and licensing agreements with leading European and American manufacturers coupled with its exacting fabrication standards.
The company offers tailor-made engineering solutions with comprehensive design and detailing to the requirements of consultants and clients. Its design and development staff comprises well-qualified and experienced engineers, technicians and CAD operators equipped with sophisticated software. Employing more than 350 high-qualified and skilled personnel, the company today is capable of executing various types of aluminium and glazing projects.
As the market’s premier provider of quality products, Alutec has been working in collaboration with leading contracting companies and consultancy firms. Among its prestigious projects is the new control tower at Bahrain International Airport, Four Seasons Hotel Doha and West Bay complex, QP central office building at Mesaieed and the Royal Plaza Commercial Centre, among others.

HBK Remix
HBK Remix is a newly-established readymix concrete company set up by Sheikh Ali Bin Hamad Al Thani in 2005. Strategically located at 47, industrial area in Doha, it has two sophisticated plants from O Coughi, Italy, one chillers plant and one ice plant, all well equipped and maintained to produce quality concrete. Its engineers and other staff are well qualified and have over 20 years experience.
The company has more than 20 transit mixers and three concrete pumps to supply concrete to projects on time.