Issue 18
Al-Futtaim Carillion
Making tomorrow a better place Writer:Matthew StaffProject Manager:Richard Thomas Al-Futtaim Carillion (AFC)’s long history of successful construction works in the UAE is currently culminating in one of the Company’s most high profile projects to date as it looks to apply its market-leading expertise to the Dubai World Trade Centre’s One Central Development.With roots tracing back to the early days of the region’s growth and development, AFC’s experience and local knowledge is almost unparalleled, naturally lending itself to projects such as these, and with a plethora of complex, large-scale developments under its belt over the years, this latest addition to the portfolio reaffirms its dominant market position.“The Company commenced activities in the mid-1950s under the banner of George Wimpey & Co. Ltd, then in the 1970s as Al-Futtaim Wimpey LLC,” introduces AFC’s Project Director Anil Kumar Madathil for DWTC’s One Central. “In 1994, the Company became Al-Futtaim Tarmac after a Wimpey/Tarmac asset swap and subsequently Al-Futtaim Carillion LLC after a Tarmac demerger in 1999.”Moving into the modern day, “AFC was awarded Phase 1 of DWTC’s One Central development project through a competitive tender process in March, 2014”, Madathil continues. “Our ability to deliver Phase 1 on time, and with quality delivery, enabled us to secure Phase 2 in December, 2015 and subsequently, Phase 3 was awarded in December, 2016 through a competitive tender process.”Across all stages, AFC has been able to apply its commitment to safety, quality and delivery , beginning with Phase 1 of the One Central development which included a…
Sobha Group
Where Passion Meets Perfection Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Richard Thomas Sobha Group has internal expertise and international acclaim in abundance, and is looking to leverage this perfect balance via a plethora of high profile projects in the Middle East and India over the coming years.The multinational, multiproduct Group’s more-than 40 years in the real estate domain has given it almost unrivalled experience across geographies and sub-sectors; growing to become one of the most respected names in the industry.“The organisation is one of the fastest growing and foremost backward integrated real estate organisations in the region, primarily focused on residential and contractual projects,” introduces Sobha’s Chairman, PNC Menon. “Sobha Group has developments and investments in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Brunei and India, and growing from origins in 1976 as an interior decoration firm, the Group as a brand now stands and strives for benchmark quality, customer-centricity, robust engineering, in-house research, uncompromising business ethics, timeless values, and transparency across numerous business spheres.”Subsequently recognised as a trusted brand where “quality meets excellence”, recent footprint expansions and the development of its Sobha Hartland brand - a mixed-use development in Dubai - continues to reaffirm the Company’s status in the market.Menon continues: “Sobha is an organisation where technology meets aesthetics and passion meets perfection. It expanded its footprint in 2003 to Dubai, the business capital of the Middle East, and Dubai’s world-class infrastructure, sustainable economic growth and access to international talent has made this an ideal location to establish Sobha Middle East, a privately held Company with plans to diversify across GCC…
Stewart Construction
Four Generations of Development Writer: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Richard Thomas As one of many large scale projects under its belt, Stewart Construction is currently working with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - a medical school of international renown and links to Hong Kong and Bahrain - on its hub and teaching hospital on the campus of Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland.Founded in 1902, Stewart Construction has been family run for four generations, beginning as a humble joinery, manufacturing furniture, predominantly for churches and schools - and growing over time to become the larger construction company we recognise today. In that time, the Company has received numerous awards for projects in the commercial, pharmaceutical, design and build, fit out and public sectors. Most recently Stewart Construction were announced as a Deloitte GOLD STANDARD Best Managed Company 2017, Ireland’s only main contractors currently holding the gold standard title.“As the current Managing Director, I’m the fourth generation in my family to head up the Company,” explains Paul Stewart, Managing Director of Stewart Construction. “A client focused collaborative approach while working with integrity remains at the core of our Company ethos and will remain a driving force in the way we conduct our business now and in the future.”As general contractors, Stewart Construction has kept the majority of its work in Ireland, however, plans for the future look set to tackle the UK market. Facilitating such expansion, is a concerted and continuous commitment to innovation and lean processes.“Over the years our management team has been predominantly lean, and we have…
THE Group
The Customer Comes First Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Joshua Mann THE Group’s unwavering drive for continuous improvement and portfolio expansion has resulted in offering the widest range of products in Jordan across its numerous stores, all emanating from a ‘customer comes first’ mentality. Initiating as the Jordan Centre for Trade & Investment before its later rebranding to the current guise, the journey began back in 2002 upon the acquisition of its first franchise, British Home Stores (BHS); before then launching its shopping centre, Cozmo Centre, in an attempt to rejuvenate the country’s fragmented and flailing retail scene. Since then, it’s been a case of mission accomplished with the Cozmo supermarket - housed in the Centre - especially taking off, alongside BHS and numerous fashion brands across the three floors. Chief Executive Officer, Imad Bukhari picks up the story: “The Centre, as a result of the success of the two anchor brands, BHS and Cozmo supermarket, was expanded, to double the area in 2007, and introduced its book store, Readers, and leased the top floor to a large electronics store. “In the same year, the Company added a new brand to its portfolio, the famous Hamleys toy shop. THE Group adopted an aggressive expansion plan and now owns 16 stores in Amman across all brands.” Regional expansion has since occurred via acquisitions of Hamleys in the Levant, and both the toy store and BHS in Egypt back in 2014. All told, THE Group can now boast four stores in the latter country as well…
HS Orka
HS Orka has experienced organic growth in Iceland during the 40 years of its existence; the driving force behind its success in geothermal energy being human brain power and ingenuity pushing for the better use of resources, combined with the exploration of new grounds.
Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (SEWA)
Powering the Sustainability Cycle Writer: Matthew StaffProduction Manager: Donovan Smith Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (SEWA) has witnessed massive development since its inception as an entity designed to cover the energy needs of the region, now flourishing within its role as a facilitator of the sustainability cycle.Initially founded as the private Sharjah Electricity & Water Resources Co, its ownership transference to the Sharjah Government kick-started the successful entity as it is revered today, taking the responsibility of economical, industrial and civilian enrichment through the enhancement of energy facilities upon itself.“His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah issued his visionary decree for the establishment of Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) as a financially and administratively independent entity, to distribute and generate electricity, water and gas to the nationals and residents of the emirate,” explains the Chairman, H.E. Dr Rashid Alleem. “This includes generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power to cover the needs of the customers at the various residential, industrial and commercial sectors throughout the emirate of Sharjah as well as the requirements of the public utilities such as Government buildings, hospitals, mosques and lighting of public parks, streets etc.“To provide such services, SEWA has established several generation power stations and transmission and distribution points covering all parts of the emirate.”Committed to providing a high quality of service across all strands - electric, water and natural gas - SEWA has moved with the times since its induction, adopting numerous advanced technologies and state-of-the-art processes across its multiple centres…
IPT Powertech Group
IPT Powertech Group is one of few global players to retain a consistently strong presence in multiple countries, continuously developing its service offering to meet the ever-changing industry demands Writer: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Donovan Smith The ability to combine power expertise, telecom services and managed services has become IPT Powertech Group’s defining factor, all of which has propelled the Company’s recent success in introducing and implementing the Guaranteed Savings and leading T-ESCO models globally.As the leading complete solutions provider in the market, IPT combines specialised energy and energy efficient solutions with innovative telecom infrastructure services across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.With offices in 11 countries, the Company is serving the top clients in the region, supported by the dedication of 2,500 experts across its two main divisions, IPT has expanded its portfolio to include thousands of projects delivered to more than 60 operators in more than 50 countries such as Portugal, Spain, Georgia, Serbia, Holland, UAE, Yemen, Lebanon and Morocco.Over the years, the Company has rapidly evolved into a regional power system integrator and one of the few companies in the region - if not the only one - to combine product research and development (R&D) to its assembly facilities in Romania and Lebanon.Its power division continues to develop and with that, provide the widest range of energy efficient, hybrid and specialised power solutions for the telecom industry. Parallel to this, its telecom services division specialises in site construction, managed maintenance services, and other telecom services.Nabil Haddad, the Chief Executive Officer of IPT Powertech Group explains…
TMEIC Europe
We Drive Industry Writer: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Arron Rampling Pushing the boundaries of high quality has always been of paramount importance throughout Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric’s development - prior to the joining of the two in 2003 to become Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation (TMEIC) - with the primary driver and strategy being to be industry leaders delivering world-class products.Recent years have brought about a change in product development for the Company. This drive has been based on cutting-edge power electronics for industrial applications, matched with a proven track record of delivering the highest quality standards facilitating the delivery of reliable electrical systems to all markets served.In the years since it was established, TMEIC has become the leading application expert for high performance drives, alongside photovoltaic systems and services thus combining strong global capabilities, with a flexible client-centric business approach to its work.“We tend to focus on industrial markets, as an industrial systems integrator that will bring innovation to the industry, taking positive and constructive approaches which enable us to evolve continuously with customers,” explains Mark Newman, Business Development Manager of TMEIC. “We’ve built the Company upon the combined proud history of Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric, continuing to provide high performance, high horsepower rotating machinery, variable speed drives and advanced automation systems for customers around the world.”Recent developments have realised an increase in the power density of TMEIC’s high-end IEGT based TM70e2 drive products, attaining 4.5MVA per meter of cabinet space, while maintaining the class-leading mean time between failure statistics for which we are renowned and which have…
Claxton
Make It Happen Writer: Phoebe Calver Project Manager: Josh Hyland Claxton has experienced extensive growth over the years in response to its clients’ needs, consistently striving to be better and to ‘make it happen’ across all aspects of its ever-diversifying service offering. Its client-centred approach has bestowed Claxton with an enviable reputation in the industry for providing a robust suite of products and services including risers and tension systems, well decommissioning, and structures. Drawing upon the innovative team’s passionate approach to solving operational challenges, it is perfectly placed to deliver bespoke engineering problem solving solutions. Andy Norman, Head of Brand and Marketing at Claxton explains: “The combination of our experience, coupled with in-house tailored engineering capabilities, not to mention our longstanding proven record of managing successful projects - has made Claxton the confident choice for companies. “Our growing success stories in the sector are enabling us to provide solutions that often exceed those of much larger competitors.” As part of the Acteon Global Group of companies, all of which work together across the ‘life of field’ around the world, Claxton offers a broad range of highly integrated services to meet the needs of global customers. One of these services pertaining to Claxton’s reputation is the supply of subsea and surface riser systems of which they have been delivering for three decades, obtaining experience to set it apart in the industry. “Our riser adaptor inventory extends to more than 1,000 metres of riser, 4,000 ancillary tooling items and a variety of different connection types,” Norman describes.…
Hoyer Petrolog UK Ltd
When it Matters Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Josh Hyland Leveraging the global evolution of a HOYER brand which has become one of the logistics mainstays across numerous sectors and geographies, HOYER Petrolog UK is living up to its national-leading reputation to introduce new services, attain new business, and unveil new innovations. With the German-originated HOYER Group now in its second and third generation of family ownership, the organisation’s international growth is unparalleled across the scheduling and distribution of liquids to world-renowned clients, and across each strand, the Company continues to reinvent and align itself with the future needs of its clients in mind. “HOYER is now a €1.2 billion business operating in more than 100 countries; carrying just about anything that’s liquid - from the most dangerous chemical acid, to a gas at -200 degrees centigrade, to chocolate or beer that you could drink directly from the tank it’s carried in,” introduces HOYER Petrolog’s Managing Director, Mark Binns. “Chemicals across Europe and overseas remain the biggest part of the business. Then you have fuels, lubricants, aviation fuels and bitumen etc as part of the Petrolog business, and then you have air gasses and food stuffs such as wine, beer, fruit juices and liquid chocolates comprising the rest of the portfolio. Across each division, and especially prevalent within the Petrolog business unit which began in the 1970s and took off more concertedly in the 2000s, the aim remains to innovate and to provide a forward-thinking, value for money proposition to the cream of the…
Gulfood 2018
Following a record 2017 edition that welcomed in excess of 97,000 visitors across one million square feet of exhibition space, Gulfood - the world’s largest annual food event - is placing innovation at the heart of its 23rd edition.As the global F&B community gears up for this principal opportunity to source the latest and best products at the best price, Gulfood is promising a wave of new services and innovations to reflect changes in consumer demand. The fully booked-out event will once again welcome more than 5,000 exhibitors showcasing products across eight primary market sectors.In total, buyers can look forward to meeting more than 1,000 new-to-show food & beverage producers that have been hand-selected to deliver greater volumes of consumer-oriented products. These include health and wellness categories such as organic and sugar-free plus third-wave coffee varieties and new taste and texture innovations across the board.Gulfood Innovation Awards finalists will also form an integral part of the Innovation Zone showcase, with 2018 award winners being announced during the prestigious annual awards ceremony. Additional networking features include a series of government-accredited fringe seminars running throughout the exhibition plus live pitch demonstrations from some the most exciting global startups on the scene.Gulfood Visitor Tickets went on sale at www.gulfood.com in December. Visitors who book before 1 February 2018 will save AE$ 150 against the standard onsite price, paying just AE$ 250 until the deadline expires. Convenient flight and accommodation packages are available through Official Gulfood Travel Partner, Alpha Tours. International visitors should contact anisa@alphatoursdubai.com or call +971 4 701 9111…
AP&M Europe
Aviation Week Network’s ap&m Europe (airline purchasing and maintenance expo), is a longstanding, annual networking event for the commercial aviation aftermarket, taking place on 30 May-1 June, 2017 in London, UK.The event kicks off with a one-day summit on 30 May at the Hilton Olympia, London, taking a strategic look at the European commercial aftermarket and supply chain, featuring 25 industry leading speakers.Featured speakers and sessions at the summit include:· OEMs and the Aftermarket – Market Perspectives & Strategy with Ken Aso, Director, Boeing Parts Solutions and Alistair Forbes, Services Research Manager, Rolls-Royce· Entry Into Service…and Beyond – Experiences and Results with Roland Rainer, Director, Head of Technical Planning, Swiss International Air Lines· Quantifying the Impact of Big Data and Health Monitoring for Airlines with Gary Smith, Business Lead – futureCabin and NEO, easyJetThe international exhibition attracts more than 4,000 attendees and features 200 exhibitors offering a wide range of aftermarket products and services; including MRO service providers, OEMs, parts manufacturers and distributors, supply chain and logistics and many more.A unique feature of ap&m Europe is ‘Meet the Buyers’, a speed networking format between airline/mro buyers and exhibitors. All buyers are seated in a dedicated area of the show with exhibitors taking part in a series of 10 minute meetings with buyers of their choice.The three-day event combines formal and informal networking for the entire airline supply chain, allowing attendees to develop existing business relationships and create new contacts in this fast-paced industry. ap&m Europe is sponsored by Bollore Logistics, Aerfin, Bombardier MRO, Fokker Services, TP…
Retail Pro International Warns Retailers against Digital Transformation ‘White Elephants’
Retail Pro International, a leading provider of platform retail management software for mid- and top-tier specialty retailers, is warning retailers undertaking digital transformations that they may be left with white elephants if they fail to integrate with the existing ecosystem.Having been a fixture on C-Suite agendas for the last few years, digital transformations are now beginning to be implemented by many organisations. Retailers can look to industry trailblazers such as Macy’s and The Co-Op, which have acted on the need to transform digitally to drive sales and enhance customer centricity in today’s omnichannel market. So how can retailers make turn these ideas into a reality? Thinking in strategic terms could hold the key to success: IDC predicts that by the end of the year, 70 percent of the Global 500 will even create a dedicated team responsible for digital innovation. “It’s healthy to see a real sense of urgency to leave archaic manual processes behind; digital transformations represent a chance to push the boundaries of both in-store and online shopping experiences,” said Kerry Lemos, CEO of Retail Pro International. “However, retailers must tread very carefully, because an incomplete job could do more harm than good. Using retail management systems that do not link with the rest of the digital ecosystem risks compounding existing problems by opening up new information silos and slowing the whole operation down."“A half-baked digital transformation would put a retailer at a significant disadvantage,” Lemos warned. “The message is clear: retailers must ensure that all new systems integrate with the company’s existing technology. That’s why Retail Pro International has…
UK Food & Drink is Open for Business
As the doors close on the 20th edition of the UK’s biggest food & drink trade show and the show floor falls silent, The International Food & Drink Event (IFE 2017)’s organisers can reflect on yet another successful exhibition.The vibrant four-day show celebrated the latest NPD, newest trends and in-depth insight across the global food & drink landscape. Visiting buyers witnessed huge growth in many trends including the adult soft drink category, as well as an increasing demand for convenient, alternative protein snacks. The two and a half miles of stands showcasing exciting food & drink innovations ensured that everyone left with new found business inspiration.ExCeL London welcomed thousands of international buyers, suppliers and distributors as IFE 2017 invited the world to London. Buyers came from across the food & drink industry including Tesco, Ocado, Amazon, Sainsbury’s, The National Trust, Bidfood, PepsiCo and Claridge’s who all took time to walk the aisles and sample the latest offerings across a range of categories from confectionery and snacking to meat, seafood and health and wellbeing products. The organisers were delighted that while maintaining visitor numbers, there was a significant increase in visitors with purchasing authority, rising from 65 percent to 78 percent. Meanwhile 28 percent of IFE’s audience had a purchasing authority of more than £500,000 per annum, a whopping 10 percent increase compared with 2015’s edition. International interest from suppliers continued to grow with Denmark, Singapore, Ukraine, Pakistan, Palestine and Tunisia all exhibiting for the first time, bringing the total number of countries exhibiting to more than 60.…
The UK Trade & Export Finance Conference
The UK Trade & Export Finance Conference, the UK’s leading gathering of trade and export finance professionals, business heads and trade experts will take place at The Grange Tower Bridge, London on 15 June.With discussions centred around the crucial role of trade and exports in growing the UK economy, senior figures from business and Government will take to the stage in a series of addresses and debates, with audience participation and networking at the forefront of proceedings. Three morning and afternoon streams will offer delegates the chance to personalise their experience, with sessions covering UK manufacturing, emerging markets, regulation and compliance, fintech and digitalisation, SME perspectives and more.High level representatives from the likes of JCB, UK Export Finance, CBI, Honda Motor Europe, Brompton Bikes, EEF and Heathrow Airport (plus many more) will be on stage, offering expert guidance for all attending delegates.For UK companies looking to enter international markets, source financing to grow their exports, or gain expertise from market peers, this is a key annual gathering where the right relationships will be made. More than 350 delegates are set to gather at this annual conference, a highlight for the UK exporting community.In the evening following the conference will be the annual UK Export Excellence Awards, recognising the achievements of the UK’s exporters over the last year. Judged by an independent panel of experts, these awards reward excellence in exporting across a range of sectors and regions. All companies and service providers involved in international trade and finance are invited to secure a table at this…
Gulfood 2018 Mega Show to Consolidate UAE’s Lead Role in Global Food Agenda
The 2018 edition of Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade event and the first major international food industry trade show of the year, will further strengthen the UAE’s lead role in setting the global food agenda, according to the exhibition organisers, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).Citing the long-established reputation of Gulfood as a key driver in fostering innovation across the local, regional and global food and beverage supply chain, DWTC officials revealed on-site sales generated by 95,000-plus buyers and visitors at Gulfood 2018 - which runs from 18-22 February - will contribute heavily to a global food market expected to generate revenues of USD3.03 trillion by 2020. This is according to Research and Markets, a Dublin-based market research company.With the global food market due to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5 percent from 2015 to 2020, the UAE food and beverage market alone is anticipated to reach a valuation of AE$82 billion (US$22 billion) by the end of the decade, according to Euromonitor International.“In attracting the Middle East’s largest trade industry audience, generating huge transactional volumes every year on the show floor, and setting global foodstuff commodity prices, Gulfood is the region’s premier food and beverage industry platform. It underlines Dubai’s leading role in the global food sector,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events, DWTC.“With regional investment in food production on the rise, international manufacturers see the Middle East as a lucrative market for their products. In this dynamic climate, Gulfood continues to empower the global food…