Issue 22
Al Faris Equipment Rentals
Providing machinery for large-scale industrial requirementsWriter: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Eddie ClintonAl Faris Equipment Rentals celebrated its 25th year of operations in 2017, having experienced a meteoric rise to the top of a competitive industry.In 1992 - shortly after the first Gulf War - the Company opened its doors with one second-hand truck-mounted crane and one trailer, tapping into the opportunity for re-growth within the UAE by capitalising on the need for construction and infrastructure equipment.“Since the early days of our Company, we have grown to become the largest crane management fleet in the region,” begins the Director at Al Faris Equipment Rentals, Keonne Pinto. “In 25 years we have grown to obtain mobile cranes of a 700-1,200 tonne capacity, enabling us to meet the requirements for the vast majority of jobs within the industry.“Building a trusted reputation through exceptional service delivery over the past quarter of a century within the UAE has ensured we are very well established; enabling us to branch into other markets of interest moving forward.”Within its highly developed service offering over the years, Al Faris has defined itself, with a main area of focus being the provision of 24-hour operations at its in-house workshop.“Any breakdowns can be dealt with in a short space of time, which is incredibly important to our customers in the oil fields that require very fast turnaround times,” explains Pinto. “We realised very quickly that any downtime would be costing companies a lot of money, therefore we provide them with a service that will save them money and…
JLT Risk Solutions
JLT Risk Solutions is leveraging its Northern European expertise, and indeed the wider JLT Group’s experience to meet ever-expanding and diversifying demands.
Tatra Trucks
Tatra Trucks has a long-standing tradition of excellence and innovation, leading the way for European vehicle manufacturersWriter: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Thomas ArnoldWith a history that dates back to 1850, Tatra Trucks can boast one of the longest and proudest traditions in automotive manufacturing the world over.The Company began when Designer, Ignác Šustala, began to work on the production of carriages and wagons in Kopřivnice, a town in the Moravian-Silesian region of the Czech Republic. Almost 30 years later railway carriages were added to the Tatra’s portfolio, and in 1897 it produced the first passenger vehicle named Präsident.“A milestone year for our company came in 1923, when our Designer, Hans Ledvinka, devised a chassis system that would go on to become the central backbone of our Tatra vehicles today,” explains Radek Strouhal, Chief Executive Officer at Tatra Trucks. “Today this system is known as the Tatra Concept and it provided us with a pivotal turning point in the manufacture of our vehicles.”Moving into the 1930s, Tatra was the first company in the world to produce and sell passenger vehicles with aerodynamic bodies, in addition to its trucks, rail vehicles and sport aircraft.Strouhal continues: “After the second World War we became a major manufacturer of heavy trucks for civil and military use in Czechoslovakia, supplying tens of thousands of vehicles to countries in almost all continents.”However, in 1998 the Company’s production of passenger vehicles came to an end, and since that point in time it has been focusing exclusively on the production of trucks and special vehicles for…
Promat Middle East
Promat has proudly developed a reputation of international quality in sophisticated fire safety systems over the past six decadesWriter: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Thomas ArnoldAs recent events all over the world have shown, the impact of fire can cause complete devastation to human life, landscapes and property. The effects on communities and economic prosperity can continue extensively for many years after the event, inspiring companies such as Promat to create a service that provides optimum levels of fire safety and a positive influence on the environment.Over the years Promat has developed extensive testing and a record of successful systems, all of which are now synonymous with international standards of quality and which set the benchmark for regulatory authorities.The sophisticated fire science technology currently being demonstrated by the Company sets it apart as a global leader, with a worldwide network attained via parent company, Etex, and a deeply-rooted presence in 42 countries.“We have achieved a reputation of international quality with our tried and tested products and systems, all of which work effectively throughout building and construction projects, marine and prominent oil & gas platforms,” begins Mark Lavender, Managing Director at Promat. “The past six decades have positioned us with the knowledge to provide in-depth expertise and protection to our customers, utilising our unrivalled knowledge centre.”As a subsidiary of the Etex Group - a Belgian industrial set - Promat Middle East is supported in providing a broad and comprehensive range of passive fire protection and installation solutions to be applied throughout buildings, infrastructure and tunnels, as well as aforementioned…
Facil
Happy Together, innovative, passionate for solutions, entrepreneurial and respectful are the core values that have helped drive Facil’s international growth in the fastener solutions market over the past 17 yearsWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Tom ArnoldThe challenge to expand at an exponential rate while maintaining core, intricate, refined values is one that very few businesses even have the luxury to negotiate, but it in fact defines the evolution of international fastener solution specialist, Facil.Borne from the minds of French fastener manufacturer, A. Raymond and German bolt and screw producer, KAMAX; the resultant joint venture manifested upon the turn of the millennium and was kick-started courtesy of the most prestigious of initial clients.“A. Raymond and KAMAX at the time were supplying to Ford of Europe, who in 1999 voiced the wish to find a supplier that could supply the bulk of fasteners needed; so by joining forces, they were able to supply Ford with many different fastening commodities through the Facil venture,” recalls Vice President, Marketing for Facil, Pieter Houben. “At that moment a new company was started and we initialised very entrepreneurially in 2000 supplying to Ford at their site in Genk.“Basically working out of a container on the parking lot of Ford with 10-15 people, we have since grown to now operate across 17 locations worldwide and after 17 years, have recently surpassed the €400 million threshold.”Such drastic and rapid growth can inevitably be attributed in some part to the Company’s successful partnership with Ford over the years, but ultimately derives from the business’s ability to…
Toyoda Gosei UK
One of the contributing factors in Toyoda Gosei’s success is the unwavering respect it has garnered from its customers over the years, achieving excellence through an innovative approach to the global marketWriter: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Thomas ArnoldToyoda Gosei UK is built upon five pillars that have led it to great success over the years, and created a reputation that is second to none in the industry. Through delivering constant customer satisfaction the Company has been able to provide both products and services that are of exemplary quality and reasonable price; both of which having been achieved through advanced research & development (R&D) and product engineering.“Alongside our extensive R&D work, we hold the importance of respect for the individual in high regard,” explains Steve Green, Site Manager at Toyoda Gosei UK. “With thanks to the innovative thinking displayed by individuals within our team, we have built a mutual level of trust between our employees and the management staff.”As a globally recognised corporation, it is increasingly important for the Company’s reputation and standing that it strives to be a trustworthy and respected corporate citizen.“We honour both the letter and spirit of the law through community-based contributions and activities and contributions to the industry we operate in,” continues Green. “Our Company has also dedicated efforts to creating a more prosperous society that supports environmental preservation.“With these aims for prosperity, we also make continuous efforts to ensure steady growth as a global leader by strengthening our corporate structure.”As a part of its mission to hold its position as a global leader,…
Njord Offshore Limited
Managing crew transfer vessels for the offshore wind market Writer: Phoebe Calver Project Manager: Josh Hyland Based in Tendring, UK, Njord Offshore Ltd. is widely recognised for its work in managing crew transfer vessels for the offshore wind farm sector, extending its operations throughout Northern Europe. The Company delivers exceptionally high standards of service through close attention to design and maintenance of its vessels, all of which are operated by a selection of well trained and proactive crews. This is compiled by a team of experienced shore-side engineers that are able to provide 24-seven technical support throughout the Company’s works in Europe. “All of the vessels within our fleet are classed with an IACS member, as well as being purpose built for offshore wind farm crew transfers,” explains Tom Mehew, Managing Director of Njord Offshore. “Each vessel is built in order to cope with a wide range of duties, with passenger comfort and transfer capabilities remaining our key focus at present.” At present Njord Offshore’s fleet consists of 15 transfer vessels, all of which are working on offshore wind farms throughout Northern Europe; the Company subsequently having carried out more than 250,000 successful transfers across 500,000 miles. The Company is making serious waves in the industry, attracting large-scale investors that will aid it in achieving a wider global reach. “PSA Marine - a Singaporean based company that exclusively controls all pilotage in Singaporean waters - has recently invested in Njord Offshore,” continues Mehew. “We believe that together our companies will be able to easily develop our…
MMH Holdings Ltd
The Mediterranean Maritime Hub in Malta serves as a safe operational haven bridging Europe and North Africa, courtesy of MMH Malta Ltd; the facilitator behind the regions’ one-stop shop industry enabler Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Josh Hyland Previously known as Ablecare Oilfield Services Group Holdings Ltd (AOSG), a successful 2016 tendering process delivered by the Maltese Government saw MMH Malta Ltd initiate its vision to develop, manage, and operate the facilities at the former Marsa Shipyard in Valletta Port; transforming them into the now-known Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH). Primarily providing manpower, support, drilling operations, rig project management, logistics expertise, terminal and yard operations, procurement, engineering and facilities management to Malta, the Mediterranean, and North Africa; MMH now leverages experience and industry knowledge from a host of contributing entities made up of former businesses, while also developing its MMH Academy to prepare for industry trends of the future. Deputy Chairperson, Angelique Maggi introduces: “The 2016 opportunity to develop the Mediterranean Maritime Hub has led MMH to reassess its operations as well as to consider potential new markets in the light of the new resources and resulting capabilities, and also to rebrand itself because of this acquisition. These actions ensure that MMH is able to keep offering its clients the expected level of engagement and resulting service level expectations which are one of the Group’s fundamental differentiators in this sector; permitting the Group to be in the market position which it is today. “Our head offices are based in Malta, which is found in the centre of…
Axios Systems
Axios Systems is changing how ITSM is viewed in the Middle East, providing a unique and flexible service for its customers Writer: Phoebe CalverProject Manager: Jamie SutherlandFormed in 1988 by the co-founders Ailsa and Tasos Symeonides – the latter an initial contributor to the foundation of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) - Axios Systems has consistently remained at the forefront of service management technology.In the present day it is predominantly recognised by many analysts as one of the leading vendors, including a top ranking from Info-Tech, and has been included in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for the past 15 years.“One of our first customers in the region was a major Oil & Gas organisation, which proved to be a very large project and provided a foundation to access the potential of the market space in the Middle East,” begins Glyn Yates, Regional Director for Middle East at Axios Systems. “From there we were able to truly open up our corporation in the region and our customer base has been growing year-on-year, which is a wonderfully positive validation of what we are trying to achieve.”Enhanced coverage and capabilitiesThe Company’s success in the region can be demonstrated by its ever-growing market share, building new customer relationships gained from both legacy and emerging players within the Middle East due to its innovative approach.“We are still relatively young in this market and therefore are continuing to enhance our coverage and capabilities,” explains Yates. “At present the Company is still on a strong growth plan and trajectory and we hope to remain…
BIS / Econocom
BIS and Econocom can look forward to a future of sustainable growth as they look to offer the most advanced technologies, via a unique user focused model, to as large a demographic of customers as possibleWriter: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Jamie SutherlandFollowing an Econocom acquisition of the Company in May, 2017, BIS has begun to lay the foundations for a concerted pioneering of a technology-driven business model that has so far been unseen on a continental - or indeed global - scale.Combining BIS’ technical engineering expertise, Benelux reputation, and extensive audio-visual (AV) experience with Econocom’s financial engineering expertise, global stature and innovative technological outlook; the culmination has found a never-explored before niche which is set to bring ultimate usability to the user.Addressing not just AV technology implementation but each solution’s integration into the wider office or building environment, the Econocom|BIS amalgamation negates the need for ongoing technological replacements for customers and instead takes the responsibility off each user’s shoulders through an ‘as a service’ model.But while, for the industry, this is a novel concept, for each of the two protagonists, it represents a complete matching of ideologies and outlooks.BIS CEO, Jean Pierre Overbeek introduces: “BIS (Business Information Systems) was founded in 1983 and over the years has shifted to being a multimedia system-integrating company. In recent years especially, we have migrated ourselves to become a knowledge partner involved in all aspects of AV in Benelux; optimising our wholly in-house approach to become innovators in everything we do.“It’s a fantastic industry to work in as it’s so dynamic…
De Watergroep
De Watergroep is adopting a circular approach to system innovation and sustainability in order to take 105 years of water provision in Flanders to the next level Writer: Matthew StaffProject Manager: Richard ThomasEvolution for any company is of course a necessity, but evolution in the midst of an industrial, technological and regional transformation and a shift in customer expectations is a different proposition altogether. However, with more than 100 years of experience in Flanders, Northern Belgium, De Watergroep is rising to this exact challenge, driven by a new CEO who is keen to balance a century of reputation with the most forward-thinking of strategies.Founded in 1913, the autonomous public water company is the biggest of its kind in the region, catering for 1.3 million connections across 180 municipalities, and serving more than 3.5 million customers. With a pipeline network of 34,000 kilometres and an annual production of 127 million cubic metres of water, the scale of De Watergroep is unquestionable, but rather than perceiving the Company as untouchable, new CEO, Hans Goossens instead intends to leverage this influence to make the business more relevant and advanced than ever before.“I have a background in the chemicals industry but I noticed that Flanders, and indeed the rest of Europe, is in for a time of change and transformation, which I think is better handled by a newcomer in the water business, rather than by someone who has been in the system for too long,” he introduces. “There is going to be a decade or more where the water sector…
Grey Matters
NRMCA and Grey Matters hosted the 9th International Concrete Technology Forum in the Middle East at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar on 3 December, 2017. The conference was a big success, being sponsored by 11 companies and with 155 personnel in attendance. For the second year in a row, Al Khalij Cement Company was the partner of the event, while Qatar Construction Specification endorsed the event. The International Concrete Technology Forum was also endorsed by the Concrete Sustainability Council. The platinum sponsors were Qatar Beton, Chryso and Doka; the gold sponsors were United Readymix, Hydronix and Simatec; and the silver sponsors were Cortec, Kryton and Ciko Middle East.Local, regional and international speakers shared the latest developments and technologies related to sustainability initiatives, new technologies, design, specifying, manufacturing and handling of concrete.The upcoming amendments of “Qatar Construction Specifications – Section 05, Concrete” were declared and shared with the industry. Moreover, the conference included a panel discussion where representatives of five different industries - in particular within the construction industry in general - constructively discussed different points of view and approaches related to acceptance and conformity of concrete. The panelists represented: ready-mixed concrete suppliers, contractors, consultants, admixture suppliers, and testing laboratories.Also, a graduation ceremony took place for the 4th batch of NRMCA Certified Concrete Professional Middle East (CCPfME). The International Concrete Technology Forum are designed to provide networking and learning opportunities, where attendees received six professional development hours (PDHs).Researchers, authorities, academics, engineers, architects, contractors, concrete producers, material suppliers and concrete industry professionals attended the International Concrete Technology Forum…
Europe’s Top 10 Christmas Markets
We travel across Europe to find the best Christmas markets on offer, from the picturesque Bruges to mulled wine in Vienna.
When Data Becomes Decisions
By Antoun MassaadThe world has opened up for business like almost never before in the past decade but with every opportunity comes risk. How do firms ensure they don’t miss a great deal and yet safeguard their money and reputation?‘Knowledge is power’, as the saying goes and the more you know about a business, the more protected you are when considering working with them. Just as no one would go into business with a partner they didn’t know and trust, so no business owner should contemplate selling to or buying from an individual or company they know nothing about.The questions any business owner should ask are, what do I know about this company’s financial status? Could my reputation be tarnished by association? Is this company held in high esteem in their own country or the wider world by officials or reputable businesses? For these reasons, it would be wise to carry out bankruptcy and reputation checks, PEP screening and global compliance checks.Similarly, don’t take appearances at face value. A company can look squeaky clean but do you really know who owns it or is associated with it? In order to get to the bottom of who really is the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) of the business you’re checking, you need to go to a reputable business intelligence specialist. Only then can you be assured that your business associates are people you really want to work – and be associated - with.Of course, the easier it is to get access to this information, the better, as every…
The Airline Engineering & Maintenance: Middle East Conference
The Airline Engineering & Maintenance: Middle East Conference, which has moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for the 2018 edition, will shine a light on the MRO outlook for the region and crucially how the supply chain can effectively support the huge projected growth. The Middle East MRO market continues to expand, with Oliver Wyman recently forecasting growth at 5.7 percent CAGR over the next decade, which would generate $10.3bn in total MRO spend. Kashif Khalid, Campaign Manager – Gulf Region, IATA who is a speaker at the upcoming conference in Dubai, commented: “Supporting the growth of the airlines in the Middle East requires a coordinated and efficient approach. The region remains a core focus market for aircraft manufacturers and operators. This event provides a forum to discuss, share and collaborate with airlines, OEMs and industry partners to showcase best practices as well as work towards fostering a culture of safety, innovation and efficiency.” With both local and international operators speaking on the agenda, delegates can hear insights and opinion on how business is being encouraged, who has the airline backing and how international market trends and MRO activity will impact regional maintenance strategies. New low-cost carrier Flyadeal, owned by Saudia, will feature on the first session of the day, the Global Leaders Panel. Nathan Smith, Senior Engineering Manager will join speakers from Etihad Airways Engineering, Pakistan International Airlines Engineering & Maintenance and Royal Jet. Other topics to be addressed by the expert speaker line up include; Supporting Projected Growth, Maintenance Costs and Workforce, Owning Versus Leasing…
Exploring Oil & Gas Opportunities
BGS Group hosts the Exploration and Production Offshore Congress Hub on March 5-6, 2018 in Rome, Italy. The closed-door environment gives a direct access to more than 200 decision-makers, including representatives from:· Exploration & Production Companies· Drilling Contractors· EPC ContractorsConfirmed speakers and delegates include Statoil, Hellenic Petroleum, Petroleb, Vitol E&P, Neconde Energy, Petrobel, Seplat Petroleum, Subsea 7, TechnipFMC, Techint, Saipem, Maire Tecnimont, Westfield Energy Resources, Endeco, CCC Sicon Oil&Gas, Energy Equity Resources, Obijackson Group, Dolphin Drilling, Halliburton, Schlumberger, European Commission and many others.The business programme is complete and available upon request at goo.gl/Bmuadj . Sessions are dedicated to:· Project management: offshore in Mediterranean· Updates on West African offshore oil & gas· Offshore drilling: Latest technologies and case studies· Strategies for increasing safety in the offshore industry· Environment, health and safety as the key elements in the offshore upstream segment· Facilities management in the offshore E&P industry· Digitalisation strategies and benefits· Subsea engineeringDuring the Congress, participants can arrange pre-scheduled B2B meetings that allows for planned negotiations beforehand; saving time and introducing you to the required people via a personal manager.To get more information, visit our website: goo.gl/BmuadjContact person: Kris Sabirova, Project Director.E-mail: kris.s@bgs-group.euPhone: +31 20 80 87 321