Fluor bags Sipchem contract
Fluor Corporation has been selected to provide engineering, procurement, construction management and precommissioning services to Saudi International Petrochemical (Sipchem) for an acetyls complex in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

Construction began last month with a target completion of December 2008. The billion-dollar contract was booked in the first quarter of 2007.
The project scope includes the main plant, which will manufacture acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer, a high-end specialty plastic for clients, and a new utilities plant.
Fluor’s Calgary (Canada) office will provide project management, procurement and design of the vinyl acetate monomer and utilities plants; its Greenville, South Carolina, US, office will provide acetic acid plant design, and its New Delhi office will provide detailed engineering. Some 650 staff will be involved in the design and procurement work.
Impregilo wins Qatar desal deal
Italian construction company Impregilo has won a $457 million contract for a desalination plant in Qatar.
Impregilo said the plant would have production capacity of more than 200 million litres of potable water a day.
The contract brought to $1.2 billion the total worth of deals obtained this year, which include contracts for desalination plants in Dubai.
New identity for Qatar Steel
Qatar Steel, formerly Qasco and the first integrated steel manufacturer in the Gulf region, has unveiled its new corporate identity.
Qatar Steel’s facilities in Qatar and Dubai will both adopt this new image to achieve a streamlined brand identity throughout its operations and Qasco Dubai Steel will be known as Qatar Steel Company.
“Our products already boasts an excellent track record in terms of performance and reputation but our vision is to scale new heights in an increasingly competitive market environment,” said Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Thani, director and general manager, Qatar Steel.
“Communicating our plans with the help of an exciting new image will help us redefine our culture both internally and to the rest of the world,” he added.
Qatar Steel’s new brand image underscores its plans to increase its presence across the Middle East as the company continues to develop alongside the rapid growth the Qatar economy is currently experiencing.
“The unveiling of our new brand identity heralds a new era for Qatar Steel. We move forward with the aim to not only meet but exceed the expectations of our clientele and stakeholders,” concluded Al Thani.
Work set to begin on Sarab Al Areen
Groundwork for the $300 million Sarab Al Areen project in Bahrain is expected to start some time soon according to officials, who recently deliberated onsite to discuss key issues.
The project, developed by Kuwait-based Rasmal Holding Company, will come up on approximately 180,000 sq m, near the Al Areen Wildlife Park.
General manager of Rasmal Holding Company, Hani Al Meer said: “Groundwork for the project — which comprises a large shopping mall — is due to begin shortly, and the complex is expected to be operational by mid-2009. The project components also comprise luxury residential, facilities and office space elements, in addition to a world-class hotel.”
In addition to Sarab Al Areen’s world class hotel, another five-star hotel will be built nearby, as well as the kingdom’s largest recreational water park, a desert resort, and various other facilities. Furthermore, the development plans for Al Areen desert resort encompass approximately 2,600 residential villas and apartments.
Elematic wins $32m BPC contract
Bahrain Precast Concrete (BPC), a leading manufacturer of precast concrete in the Gulf, has embarked on the simultaneous expansion of its capacity in three of the region’s prime markets.
As part of the plan, the company has launched the construction of a new factory in Bahrain, one in Dubai and is in addition doubling its capacity in Qatar to meet market demand.
Leading Finnish precast specialist Elematic, a long-time partner of the BPC Group since the 1980s, has been signed to provide the technological expertise for the expansion. The contract is valued at 24 million euros ($32.44 million).
Reynaers unveils new brand identity
Leading aluminium specialist, Reynaers Aluminium unveiled its new brand identity last month which, according to the company, has been aimed to express its commitment to customer excellence, product innovation as well as to further strengthen the company’s brand image worldwide.
“We consider the redesign of our brand as an important step into the future of our company,” said company CEO Martine Reynaers.
“Our new brand identity reflects the unique personality of Reynaers Aluminium and will make the company and its product offering more recognisable to the market. By continuously innovating in our brand we strive to remain acknowledged by all players in the building industry as their preferred partner in architectural aluminium solutions,” Reynaers added.
The launch of the new Reynaers logo has been followed by the launch of the company’s new corporate website.