With the increasing number of high-rise buildings launched in the booming UAE market, the scaffolding and formwork market has been upbeat and is expected to remain so at least in the medium term, according to Al Futtaim Engineering, a multi-disciplinary engineering organisation.

“Last year the market was extremely active and it anticipated that these levels [of construction activity] would continue for several years to come,” says Dawood Ozair, general manager of the Dubai-based solutions provider to the building industry.
The past two years have been highly successful for Al Futtaim Engineering, which has won several major contracts including the Dubai Airport expansion project, Dubai Festival City, BurJuman extension, the Bright Star tower project, Dubai Knowledge Village and the Damas Towers 1 and 2 as well as the prestigious raffles (Wafi) Hotel contract, the Old Town Development and the Ajman University project.
That the firm has penetrated the Gulf markets is almost a given and because “Al Futtaim Engineering is ideally located in the Gulf region, it is in a position to cater for a wide range of services through its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. While the key suppliers of scaffolding and formworks agree that modern formwork systems are now in play at most construction sites across the Gulf, the conventional knockdown systems are still commonplace.
“The use of traditional formwork systems is still prevalent in the UAE,” admits Ozair, “but the use of more sophisticated systems that enhance the speed of operations is slowly emerging in the market place.”
The new formwork systems that have entered the market are mainly made from lighter materials such as aluminium.
When it comes to scaffolding, there are different kinds of systems that are presently in operation which are quick and easy to assemble. The majority of scaffolding materials being used in the UAE are modular system like Kwickstage and Cuplock,” says Ozair.
Al Futtaim Engineering, which offers sale, hire and contract scaffolding services, carries a large stock of Kwickstage materials for rental.
Established in 1974, the company has been involved in numerous large-scale projects in the UAE, offering a diverse range of services from scaffolding to elevators and security systems to air-conditioning, sanitary ware and facilities management.