The Big 5 2009 Show Dubai News - Day 1

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NOVEMBER 23, 2009 [DAY 1]

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Despite economic downturn, statistics have revealed that exhibition has grown this year The region’s largest construction show, The Big 5, has staved-off the crisis by growing bigger this year, according to event organisers.

As the largest event of its kind in the Middle East, the show has quickly become a barometer for the construction industry, where the outcome is broadly accepted as a reflection of the state of the industry.

This year, in terms of exhibition space, show grounds span an area of 40,000m2 compared to 38,000m2 last year, an increase in rented space.

Exhibitor numbers have grown to over 3000 this year ranging from major global suppliers, to regional agents and distributors, compared to 2833 last year.

But the show’s most significant growth indicator has been the 52 national pavilions exhibiting from all major exporting countries, compared to a mere 26 in 2008.

Construction adhesives and chemicals specialist Mapei is par-

The Big 5 exhibition has attracted over 3000 exhibitors this year.

ticipating at The Big 5 for the fifth year running and company business development manager Laith Haboubi feels the show provides a great platform to update the industry on new products and future plans.

“Up until very recently, Mapei has been well known for being a leader in its range of adhesives and grouts,

which are used to install ceramic, mosaics and natural stone, but we would now like to emphasise other products which we excel in like building line and concrete admixtures, and the Big 5 is a great place to introduce this,” said Haboubi.

But despite the show’s popularity some companies have opted not to

exhibit this year, saying more specific industry pavilions were needed.

One such company is cladding specialist Reem Emirates Aluminium. “I would definitely participate in the Big 5 next year if the halls are divided into more specific industry sections, said company boss Derek Bruce. “For example we’re a specialist curtain walling firm and if there was a dedicated section for façade and cladding companies, it would make our presence worthwhile. At the moment we’d just get lost.”

The Big 5’s VP construction, Simon Mellor addressed the issue: “We are aware of the industry needs as we grow every year. In order to support our exhibitors, we’ve already made a few changes to the show including an industry specific listing where exhibitors can be reached more easily.

We have areas for air conditioning, marble and stone and PMV already.”

The CW Big 5 Daily can be contacted in Hall 11 (opposite Hall 4).

LAURIE VOYER

New Al Habtoor Leighton boss talks of future plans

IN FOR 28GOING GOLDEN GAIA

How the award promotes green ways in the industry

KIT WITH 49BIG BIG TICKETS

PMV on display and indoors for the first time this year

An ITP Business Publication on behalf of dmg World Media Dubai

TOP 5 RECOMMENDED COMPANIES TO VISIT • Mapei IBS is this year’s Gaia Awards Silver Winner with its product Keraflex, which will be showcased on its stand 7E291.

• Al Jazeera Factories, pioneers in manufacturing AAC thermalite blocks and the first manufacturer of lime

products in Abu Dhabi, will be announcing details of two new manufacturing facilities in the UAE on stand 4A180.

• Henkel Polybit Industries, suppliers of structural waterproofing, sealant technologies, interior and

industrial flooring, will be making an announcement on their stand 4A161 about new dust free technology and a polyureah external insulation system for walls and roofs.

• Pavitec is a distributor of leather tiles, anchor magnetic

painting on metals, rubber and metal on stand Rashid E245.

• Concrete Technology will be exhibiting, amongst other things, the Plastbau System, which is a cast-in-place insulated concrete form (ICF) system on stand 10C101

SHOW INFORMATION The Big 5 2009 show timings: 23-26 November 11am - 8pm The Big 5 venue: Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Visitors are encouraged to pre-register online at www.thebig5exhibition.com to ensure quick and easy access. On-site registration is available for trade and business professionals only. Persons under the age of 18 will not be permitted entry.

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New halls boost show capacity In a tough year for the region’s construction industry, The Big 5 still looks likely to bust a few records Stand 9D51 The single largest gathering of the construction industry in the Middle East, The Big 5, opened today in expanded facilities at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The show represents a chance for construction insiders to discuss the state of their industry with international peers, with organisers

seeing it as an important opportunity for the construction community to come together, share their experiences and look at how to deal with the year ahead.

“It was a community, in a sense, restricted by the size of the facilities,” said Simon Mellor, vice president of the construction division for DMG World Media, organisers of

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2009?

• Key buyer’s programme A ‘business class’ exhibition experience for the industry’s biggest spenders See p19

exhibitors, as the 2009 edition looks to be the biggest ever See maps p52-54

• All indoors • The Big 5 Green Stand Education and experience come together to spread the word on green building methods and materials.

Visit stand 9D51 to learn what you can do See p23

• More space, more people Four brand new halls mean there’s room for more of everything, including

Bigger facilities mean the Big 5 PMV is completely undercover, all on the same site See p14

The Big 5. “The GCC and the wider Mena region have been so positive and strong over the last five to ten years that we have been struggling to meet demand with the size of the venue.

“This year the venue has extended facilities, including the four brand new Sheikh Saeed Halls, have allowed us, to some extent, to meet the true demand and against all expectations, we will put a bigger show on in 2009 than in 2008.”

An instant benefit of bigger facilities is bringing The Big 5 PMV show indoors for the first time, where even the tallest kit can take advantage of the 14m roof clearance.

A significant educational feature of this year’s show is The Big 5 Green Stand. Experts will be available on the stand to focus on the benefits of green methods and materials. In addition to a museum-style show of educational content, seminars will be held throughout the four days of The Big 5. The Green Stand will also illustrate the benefits of building green, highlighting how some ground-breaking greener and eco-friendlier products from large and small companies have generated positive environmental benefits. This year’s Gaia Award winners will also be on prominent display at the Green Stand.

New halls have upped capacity for the 2009 show.

WIN!

• Easier access 1500 additional parking spaces in three new locations around the Trade Centre and expanded transport options making getting in and out easy See maps p52-54

Win a Yamaha Banshee quadbike when you visit the Al Yusuf Yamaha stand (11G141) in the new Sheikh Saeed Halls.

See story p49 The Big 5 Green Stand will offer an educational resource to all visitors to the show.

UAE luxury construction market world leader Stand 852 The Middle East, and Dubai in particular, leads the world when it comes to understanding the importance of luxury construction, according to a Brazilian designer.

Joller Toilette de Luxo founder Juana Oller said that

the boom in tourism projects in the region meant there were great opportunities for luxury designers to expand their business.

We know the region is still expected to continue investing in tourism infrastructure, including hotel developments,

for long term growth and sustainability,” said Oller. “For us, this represents business opportunities with companies that can see the bathroom as one of the most important rooms in the hospitality market, bringing maximum comfort to guests.”

Joller, assisted by the Brazilian government, is now actively targeting the Middle East in search of newer and larger client base.

“With thousands of new hotel rooms coming on-stream over the next two years, we are focused on Dubai and cit-

ies like Doha and Abu Dhabi, and regions like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain,” said Oller.

Oller said the region was benefiting from a high level of awareness of luxury design.

“The Middle East is one of the most promising regions in the world. When it comes

to wealthy people who understand what the luxury market is, the UAE knows that, much more than many European countries,” she said.

Joller is attempting to break into the market with a range of jewel encrusted, solid gold faucets.

Der Leitwolf. The leader of the pack – live at BIG 5. Visit us: Stand Zabeel N113

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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Strictness needed Experts say contractors should be held to higher fire standards

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Foamglas Hall 7, A305 A spate of fires across the UAE has led experts to issue warnings about the importance of selecting the right construction materials to ensure safety.

October saw several fires in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, primarily affecting densely populated labour accommodation. A labour camp in Dubai was damaged by fire as a result of poor wiring, while Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi

saw two fires, one at the top of an under-construction hirise and another in a labour camp that was mostly empty at the time of the blaze.

Meanwhile, Sharjah suffered two dramatic fires, one of which destroyed a series of warehouses, while another took hold at the top of an under-construction hi-rise.

According to figures from the Emirates Medical Association, 40 people were killed in 2,460 fires in the UAE dur-

ing 2007, while in 2008, Dubai saw an 18% increase in fires.

Experts said fire regulations in the region were improving all the time, but there is still work to be done.

“For new construction, still too many use materials not sufficiently fire safe. The regulations are getting better and better, but still they are not strict enough. Most regulations avoid going as far as prohibiting or recommending materials,” said Foamglas

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

general manger Marco Thomas Vincenz.

Experts recommended contractors go above and beyond the basic requirements.

“Go for safer materials with lower failure risk and safer equipment. Ask for higher passive fire protection, not just for active protection,” said Vincenz.

Higher-specification materials could provide those inside burning buildings with a few extra minutes to escape.

“Many of not only the tallest but the most complex projects in the world are under construction in the Middle East and the extra time our products provide to evacuate buildings in a fire emergency can mean the difference between life and death,” said Rockwool Technical Insulation (Hall11, A141) export director Peter Vinken.

Dubai fires rose by

18%

in 2008

Source: Emirates Medical Association

Experts at this year’s Big 5 say higher fire protection standards need to be enforced.

Water-scarcity becoming priority Rashid Hall, A198 Future projections indicate that demand for water in the UAE will rise from five billion cubic metres to seven billion cubic metres in 2020, raising concerns about water scarcity in the region.

At the IDA Congress held at the start of November, UAE officials said that companies should increasingly look at ways of conserving water in their businesses, in order to reduce demand on desalination plants.

“Governments, private organisations and individuals alike must conserve water irrespective of its source, including desalinated water, through encouraging

research and scientific experimentation to develop new designs for desalination plants that are cost-effective, technologically-advanced and environment-friendly, so we can achieve desalination for a better world,” said UAE Minister of Energy Mohammed Bin Dha’en Al Hameli.

Manufacturers of waterless products have pointed out that reducing water usage is a smart business move.

“Conservation not only makes good business sense, but is also the only responsible way to guarantee a safe and secure water supply for our region,” said Falcon Waterfree Technologies founder Marc Nathanson.

The firm is introducing water-free urinals into the region as a method of saving water. According to the company’s research, the Falcon water-free system can save up to 40,000 gallons per year, per urinal.

“Owners, developers and

facility managers all yearn for technologies that work, that are cost-effective and that will last,” said FM World general manager James Day, the UAE distribution partner for Design International Selections, which distributes the Falcon system in the Gulf.

Water-free urinals can cut down on a venue’s water use.

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Average pay is $6047/month Salary survey reveals pay levels and discrepancies for the Gulf’s construction industry professionals The average salary of a ‘whitecollar’ construction worker in the Gulf is US $6047 per month, according to results from the constructionweekonline.com salary survey.

This figure drops to $5190 per month if executive positions, such as CEO and managing director, are excluded from consideration.

A total of 1221 people took part in the survey, which was conducted online during April to September 2009. People selected salary windows and job titles to describe their position.

Project manager was the largest single designation of respondents, with around a quarter of those who provided both salary and job title details selecting this option to describe their role.

Results indicated that the average salary of a project manager is $7774 per month.

The next largest category was project engineer, with an average salary of $4023. The top three countries of origin for

survey respondents were India, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.

The average salary of a construction professional from India worked out to be US $4111 per month, according to the results, some $1936 lower than the industrywide average. For example, a project manager from India earns an average of $5617 per month, compared to an industry-wide average of $7774.

Professionals originating from India were the largest single nationality group identified in the survey, at 31% of respondents.

Long working hours were also revealed, with more than 50 hours a week being the norm for 38.5% of the industry professionals who took part in the survey. Salary, position, age, country of origin and country of work all make little difference to this statistic. Work hours in the GCC are just long for everyone.

In fact, a huge majority (91%) work more than

Construction industry professionals working in the Gulf earn an average basic salary of US $6047 per month, says survey.

40 hours a week, confirming that the region’s construction industry is one of the hardest working.

“This has always been the case,” said Simon Hobart, managing director of Millennium Solutions, a recruitment company. “Rough hours are the norm when a proj-

ect is going on at full speed, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Hours are determined by the construction programme.

You can’t miss opportunities on site, they have to go round the clock.

“I would say the real figure is probably closer to 70-80 hours per week.”

Respondents work in all the GCC nations, but a large majority (77%) work in the UAE. Despite the impact of the recession, the results show signs of optimism. Opinions on the likelihood of securing a pay rise, or even just retaining a job, are surprisingly

positive. A staggering 61% of respondents believed they would receive a pay increase at some point within the next 12 months.

Responses were voluntary and passively solicited online.

Respondents were not asked to provide their names or any contact details.

Show sets stage for vital Balmoral ready to meet construction safety surge water storage demand Safety equipment will be at the forefront of many Big 5 visitors’ minds, following a recent spate of accidents on construction sites in the Gulf region.

Many of these accidents could have been prevented by the proper specification and utilisation of the right materials, preparation and equipment.

“As we have seen some buildings collapsing recently, I believe contractors will start to become better educated on the importance of applying high quality materials, including fasteners, rather than opting for the cheapest prices available,” said Triplefast Middle East (2B50) sales manager Shane Anderson.

6

Post tensioning and structural strengthening company VSL (2F91) explained that it will be exhibiting products that contribute to a safe work place.

“We are in a field and service where safety is of the utmost importance,” said company deputy general manager Stephen Burke.

“Our equipment and processes incorporate the highest safety features, this is also evident from our commitment to train our staff at our Dubai based Academy.”

Earlier this month, a roof of a mosque under construction collapsed in Saudi Arabia killing one worker and injuring several others. And, in August workers narrowly

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

escaped the Al Attas Real Estate building collapse in Deira, Dubai. Both accidents are under investigation.

Adel Mir Riahi, general manager for German Formwork Technology (Zabeel X83), an exhibitor at The Big 5, explained that nonstandard formwork and scaffolding can lead to building failures.

“Due to the critical market and contractors’ desire to reduce costs, lots of nonestandard materials have been imported and distributed in the market,” he said.

“It is up to the contractor to choose the right suppliers, ask for load test certificates for the systems they buy and ask for production certificates.”

Stand 2D66 Scottish company Balmoral Tanks will showcase its line of products at The Big 5 2009, as demand for technologically advanced water storage increases in the Middle East.

The company is targeting the region with its ‘climate proof ’ tanks as water becomes progressively scarce.

Balmoral Sectional Tanks and acquired company Horseley Bridge Tanks will exhibit tanks made from steel and glass reinforced plastic, which aim to store water in the most efficient and economical way.

“We are seeking agents in order to penetrate the Middle East market effectively and really build on the Balmoral

Balmoral Tanks is on the hunt for local partners.

brand,” said company exports sales director Colin Shaw.

“Exciting times lie ahead; the market may have taken a hit, however we, like many, are optimistic about the months and years ahead.”

Future projections indicate that demand for water in the

UAE will rise from five billion m3 to seven billion m3 by 2020, raising concerns for water scarcity in the region.

The company is seeking agents in the Middle East in order to strengthen its plans for expansion and growth throughout the GCC.

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With its unparalleled business expertise matched with a team of highly professional engineers and architects, Reem Emirates Aluminum carefully blends creativity and ingenuity to produce competitive products that meet the exacting architectural requirements of its clients such as: Double Skin Active Walls l Conventional Curtain Walls l Unitized Curtain Walls l 3D Metal Structures l Metal Cladding Spider Walls l Sliding & Casement Windows, Doors l Shop Fronts, Doors, Windows, Balustrades l Skylights l Domes l Grilles & Clusters Rolling Shutters Special l Architectural Featured BMS l Fully Tempered/Toughened Glass l Heat Strengthened Glass l Insulated/Double Glazed Units l Laminated Glass l Stainless Steel Architectural Metal Products

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Survey: MEWPs safest Interiors are key IPAF to promote access equipment safety following in-depth survey The International Powered Access Federation is promoting the use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), following a survey on accidents using access equipment.

The Selection of Access Equipment by Crown House Technologies (CHt) found that using MEWPs were the safest way to work at height.

“Following our study we were able to provide evidence that MEWPs are safer, more productive, ergonomic and avoid unnecessary strain injury,” said Gerry Mulholland,

HSE leader at CHt. “MEWPs are also easier for site management to maintain the appropriate safe standards on site as there are fewer options offered, therefore fewer opportunities to make the wrong choice; their automation reduces accidents caused by human error.”

According to CHt findings, just under a fifth of construction accidents are related to access equipment, with small proportion of these caused

by MEWPs (19%), compared with podiums, mobile towers,

and ladders and A-frames.

CHt undertook a series of time and motion studies using different types of access equipment. These were used to understand how long typical tasks took with the variety of equipment that had been used in the past. On average, MEWPs were found to be three times more efficient to use than mobile towers and podiums during these tests.

“The findings have led us to eliminate the inconsistent use of access equipment and standardise the selection of this

equipment,” said Mulholland.

Falls from height remain the most common cause of site accidents, according to Build Safe UAE group administrator Elias McGrath.

“If you fall from a height above 2m, the likelihood is that you will sustain serious injuries. In 2008, Build Safe UAE recorded 8 out of 20 fatalities and 81 lost time injuries (LTIs) relating to falls from height,” he said.

The number of LTIs recorded in the UAE from January to September dropped from 478 in 2008 to 329 this year.

“We have seen a significant reduction in fatalities this year, which is a sign of improvement.

But one accident is an accident too many and we need to capture more data from more main contractors operating in this region, in order to measure more accurate industry trends,” said McGrath.

part of show mix

Big 5’s show director Paula Al Chami has reminded interior designers that although the show is construction-focused, interiors remain high on the agenda.

In particular, she pointed to the Facility Construction and Special stream of the show as being of vital interest to those looking to make their mark on the insides of a project.

“The Facility Construction sector of the show encompasses manufacturers of finishes, including wall finishes, paints, ceilings and flooring.

‘Special Construction and Facilities’ covers kitchens, bathrooms, swimming pools and fountains,” said Al Chami. “There is also a dedicated area for marble, stone, ceramics, glass, metals and wood manufacturers.”

Around 5000 visitors at last year’s Big 5, were from the interior design industry.

“The wealth of product on display will certainly keep designers’ creativity flowing,” said Al Chami.

Indeed, Big 5 is being used by some exhibitors as an opportunity to launch new projects in the region. “We’re launching a new luxury range of lever handle designs called ‘The Platinum Series’, said Adam Taylor, general manager of furniture fittings supplier Hafele.

FACT BOX The UAE saw a 31% reduction in LTIs during 2009 Correct use of MEWPs can reduce accidents when working at height.

Paula Al Chami (inset) says interiors are a key part of the show.

Cost-cutting fuels fires, says consultant Concourse 325 The firm which operates the Middle East’s first furnace for testing and certifying fire rated doors and partitions has warned that cost-cutting on construction is driving contractors to build according to the bare minimums of safety.

Tom Bell-Wright, CEO of Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants (TBWIC), said that contractors needed support from architects and project managers to ensure properly fire-tested materials were used on projects.

“The nature of low-bid, lump-sum contract awards is to discourage the contrac8

tor from doing anything more than he absolutely has to, and to turn a blind eye to anything which might complicate or slow down his work,” said Bell-Wright.

“The impetus for building to correct standards must come from either the local authority, or at least from responsible architects with knowledgeable project managers who have the necessary integrity,” he added.

Bell-Wright also pointed out ensuring materials had been tested adequately would help create safer buildings.

“Fire doors and fire rated walls are located in every

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

building with the exception of single family homes.

“Their locations are mandated by building codes, the local Civil Defence or good practice, and they are critical for protecting the occupants in the case of a fire, either in containing the fire within a specific area, or in providing a safe exit-way for people to evacuate the building,” he said. “Every ‘demising’ partition in a commercial building separating one tenant’s space from another’s should be fire-rated, and if it is restaurant kitchen, for example, it needs a higher rating,” Bell-Wright added.

October saw TBIWC’s lab receive accreditation from the Emirates National Accreditation Service (ENAS).

“There have been many major fires over the last few years and hopefully the presence of this testing furnace will now make it easier for builders to comply with the regulations and help make our buildings safer to live and work,” said Bell-Wright.

He added that the lab was accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service in addition to ENAS, meaning test certificates from the lab are acceptable to any authority, anywhere.

ENAS chairman Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad presented the lab’s accreditation to Tom Bell-Wright in October.

Green Building by Uponor – groundbreaking solutions BIG 5 Show Visit us at the .2009 23.11. – 26.11

2 Booth no. N12 n, Zabeel Hall, llo vi Pa an m lio Ger sive portfo our comprehen and get to know

Sustainability has become one of the strong assets in Germany ’s economy. And with our comprehensive solutions in sustainable building technologies, we are at the cutting-edge of this development.

Thanks to our leading position in the market, our long-term competence, and our great deal of international experience, we are the partner of first choice when you ask for true excellence in Green Building. At Bangkok ’s new international airport, for example, we combine the biggest underfloor cooling project of all times with a state-of-the-art solution in terms of energy-efficiency.

However, we do not confine ourselves to Green Building. Our offering covers the whole spectrum of cooling, including also sophisticated control systems. And of course, we provide you with tap water installation from the source up to the latest tap – including our new Riser system. To find out more about Uponor, just visit us at the German Pavillon.

For more information, just contact Mr. Andre du Preez: Phone + 971 50 734 28 31, e-mail andre.dupreez@uponor.com www.uponor.com/international

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Germans clean up at Abu Dhabi New launch for a drainage solution with a racing heritage developed especially for use in the region Stand Zabeel F111 Sebastian Vettel may have been the big winner at the very first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held earlier this month, but another group of Germans were also cheering the Yas Marina track’s debut.

Hauraton produces necessity-driven drainage channels that use PE-PP channel bodies with slotted covers made from an extremely rugged ductile iron; the very channel product that snakes its way 5.55 km around a 170 hectare area at the Yas Marina track.

“We’re going to be launching our ‘recyfix-hicap type-G drainage channel’ [at the Big 5], the world’s first slotted channel with unique ductile iron slots, specially developed for the requirements on the new F1 circuit,” explained senior export manager Dirk Sander.

“It’s the world’s first slotted channel with ductile iron slots, drainage and retention in one assembly, tough PEPP, highly corrosion-resistant, lightweight and extremely robust. There’s no mechanical lifting required and slots blend in with all surface materials.”

Sander is keen to emphasise that not all Hauraton’s products are destined for the race track alone: “No, you can expect to see innovative drainage solutions for all applications.”

Naming the Yas Island project as his favourite to date, Sander claimed that previous editions of The Big 5 were responsible for Hauraton winning such high profile clients.

“The excellent quality of the visitors makes it a special show. The Big 5 is the place where the top decision makers of the region come.”

Hauraton drainage channels were an integral part of the Yas Marina F1 circuit’s design and construction.

Two companies join forces to Spray system to produce turnkey steel solution reach all corners Stand 8F339 Two companies have joined forces to present a unique turnkey solution for visitors at this year’s Big 5 show interested in constructing their own steel factory.

Rakmetal, an expert in materials and steel building, is partnering with machinery and equipment technology

specialist Formia, to produce a method of profitably manufacturing steel buildings.

“Our concept offers an ideal solution for Greenfield customers in particular,” explained Rakmetal Oy sales director Esa Virrankilpi.

“It is vital that new business activities receive support right from the outset. Having

just one phone number for the customer to call in all problem situations speeds up the problem solving process.

“We take social responsibility for the project and give our customers peace of mind.”

The steel buildings produced by the joint venture are designed according to the requirements of the market

Teamwork, like the JV between Rakmetal and Formia, is a big part of show success.

area and the package also includes management of the factory throughout its commissioning, launch, operational support, service, maintenance and the delivery of raw materials.

“Everyone involved in the order-delivery chain has the desire to deliver well-designed and high quality products as cost-effectively as possible, to the right place at the right time,” said Formia Technology Group Oy executive vice president Petteri Korpioja.

“Steel has achieved extremely high credibility in the building industry and using steel instead of wood and concrete enables efficient and profitable manufacturing.

“We offer our expertise to the customer so that they can achieve an efficient and ideal factory for processing steel in accordance with our Smart Flow mission.”

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention and that is exactly what US-based drywall and insulation contractor Westside Drywall discovered when a scheduling problem left the firm with an insulation job to complete at a community college, but no foam truck available to do it with.

Fortunately, the company had just bought a Touch ‘n Seal CPDS (constant pressure dispensing system), although it had not yet been used.

“We weren’t sure that the machine would coat the two-storey ceiling but it was great,” confessed Westside Drywall insulation manager Josh Kernan.

“The constant pressure machine was turnkey and simple to operate,” added Kerman.

“With just a couple of quick directions, we figured out how to use it. It didn’t take

a highly-skilled technician to operate and we were very pleased with the results.”

Given its small size and light weight, Touch ‘n Seal thinks the CPDS will be ideal for the Middle East market, lending a portability and mobility to awkward jobs and villas, as well as affordability for smaller contracting firms.

The system dispenses a Class I fire retardant, thermal insulating and sound attenuating two-component polyurethane spray foam twice as fast as from standard foam kits.

“Because it’s smaller and more maneuverable than a big truck, we’re using the CPDS to prep homes and get all the nooks and crannies covered. Then we bring in a big truck to do the large areas. It keeps our truck moving without wasting time,” concluded Kernan.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

11

UPDATE BIG 5 NEWS

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Call to enforce asbestos bans Consultants suggest new policies to drive need to eliminate use of asbestos containing materials Stand 7E313 The subject of the continuing use of asbestos throughout the construction, industrial and manufacturing sectors in the GCC has been a hot potato in recent months.

And the topic once again came to the fore when WSP Environment and Energy Middle East consultant Charles Faulkner called for an end to the use of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in the UAE at an Emirates Environmental Group lecture last month.

“With continuous use of ACMs on a large scale in the construction sector, it is expected to increase the number of illnesses related to asbestos. As such, new poli-

cies should be set in place to enforce the ban on all kinds of ACMs, while safer alternative materials must be identified to encourage construction firms and companies dealing with this substance to refrain from using ACMs,” said Faulkner.

Turkish-based Onduline Avrasya, part of the French Onduline Group, may have the solution – or part of it, at least, thanks to its innovative line of roofing and waterproofing products.

“This region presents numerous opportunities to replace old asbestos roofs with asbestos-free roofing sheets, such as our Onduline HR and Onduvilla roofing tiles,” said Onduline Avrasya Middle

East area sales manager Erturul Kucur.

“Our Isoline undertile system is also very attractive with the use of ‘trendy’ clay tiles in today’s housing in Gulf countries, and the use of APP (atactic polypropylene) or SBS (styrene butadiene styrene) modified waterproofing membranes is a requirement in all new construction projects.”

The fight against asbestos products seems to be gaining momentum, according to Kucur.

“We have encountered vast demand from Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran, Qatar and Bahrain, in both housing and industrial projects.”

Asbestos-free roofing sheets offer a safe alternative to asbestos containing materials.

Booth bonanza as companies keep coming back for more Many exhibitors have claimed that The Big 5 is the most important show in the calendar; so much so that each year most increase the size of their stand or offering.

In 2008, for example, Babini Office (9A61) made its Big 5 debut when it partnered with three other companies; this year, however, the office sup-

12

plier returns and will share the limelight with just one partner, Ancona Promuove (6B241).

The German thermal insulation manufacturer KraussMaffei (D110) is no stranger to The Big 5, but in 2009, the company will have its own booth to showcase its reaction process machinery division and its innovative double band system

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

for automated production of insulated panels.

“The building and construction sector right across the Middle East is a potential growth market,” explained KraussMaffei area sales manager Maximilian Wankerl.

Rebar software giant aSa (6B251)has a long history but this is its first Big 5.

“As we continued to gain new international customers, it became increasingly apparent that we needed to establish local offices to provide the high level of personal support and customer care that aSa software users have come to rely on,” said Middle East director Rabee El Mohammadi.

KraussMaffei will be demonstrating its machinery.

UPDATE PMV NEWS

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GCC growth attracts Asian firms South Korean firms use PMV show to exploit a gap in the market PMV hall Trade relations between the UAE and South Korea and growing signs of recovery in the Middle East construction industry, is drawing many South Korean construction machinery heavyweights to the region for business.

One of them, rock crusher manufacturer Power Technology and Quality Company (POQUTEC), has just forecast Middle East sales of US $4 million for 2010.

“We’re already active in Iran, Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East, and our expected sales volume for the region in 2010 is $4 million,” said company managing director, Min Seok Song.

FACT BOX

He will launch the PBS 210–II Hydraulic breaker and pedestal boom breaker at show, where the South Korean presence will be reinforced by MSB Corporation, C&OH Company, Dahil Corporation, Original Korea Technology Company, Jab Company, Kukje Hydraulic, Sewoo Metal Industrial and Torpedo TNA Company.

More widely known brands such as Hyundai and others will be represented by their local dealers.

Arriving in higher numbers than in previous years, the Koreans are encouraged by the large number of projects that are currently underway across the region, despite the

BILLION Value of contract to build a nuclear power station in the UAE

doors for South Korea to enter a competitive $40 billion bid to build the UAE’s first nuclear plant. The project is one of the largest deals in the sector and signals South Korea’s first nuclear agreement with a country in the Middle East.

Seung-cheol Lee, responsible for planning at the Korean Construction Equipment Manufacturing Association said: “Dubai is a strategic location for our member companies. Taking part in the Big 5 PMV offers our members unique opportunities to meet with buyers and dealers, not only from the Middle East but also from Africa, Russia and India.

Asian firms see a lot of potential in the Middle East market.

Industry sees shift to Chinese equipment better HSE practices face new challenges PMV hall

US $40

global economic slowdown.

Research by consultants BNC has revealed that around $1.3 trillion worth of projects are currently underway in the UAE, while the value of projects in Bahrain have doubled to almost $8 billion and those in Qatar have increased 71% over the last year.

The UAE is the second largest oil and natural gas exporter to South Korea and the country’s construction firms have played a key role in the UAE’s industrial infrastructure development.

The countries have been strengthening their relationship in recent months with the signature of a bilateral nuclear agreement, opening

Investment in health, safety and welfare, and raising awareness of potential risks, can save the lives of machinery operators and have a positive impact on construction frims’ bottom lines, according to Dubai-based not-for-profit organisation, Build Safe UAE. The group’s administrator, Elias McGrath, said: “Mindsets are changing and organisations are realising the true value of investing in health and safety, as a way of improving the bottom line. The benefits include completing projects on time, building a good reputation, ensuring quality of build and boost-

ing the morale of workers,” said McGrath.

While construction activity in the region may have slowed down, contractors now have a chance to refine processes and become more cost-effective. “Downturns give organisations an opportunity to correct old, ineffective or non-productive business practices, and look for ways to become stronger for the upturn,” McGrath said.

“The topic is making its way to the top of corporate agendas. We want to get senior managers to start doing business the right way.

Construction stakeholders in this industry will be taking an

expressive interest in plant, machinery and vehicles that incorporate measures which reduce or eliminate risk of accident, injury or harm.”

The event has attracted global safety firms like the International Powered Access Federation, which is participating in the Big 5 PMV.

BSU’s Elias McGrath.

PMV hall The market has not been kind to the makers of new brands of construction equipment over the last year, with sales of Chinese equipment falling in the Middle East. But, there are signs that there is still a market to be had, as the firms diversify into new sectors.

China based Liugong machinery representative Tang Longgui said: “This year we are mainly selling our stock through our dealer due to the economic crisis and there are very few purchases from the factory from the Middle East.”

As the market was down for construction equipment, the firm concentrated on its line

of forklift trucks, which resulted in a good growth in sales during 2009, with Longgui attributing this to the fact that there was no heavy stockpiling of the equipment in 2008 At this year’s exhibition, the group will be displaying a total of eight models, including its largest wheel loader, the 862. This loader draws power from a 176kw Cummins turbo diesel engine, and boasts 3.5m3 bucket and 6000kg load. Additionally, the group will have several excavators on display, as well as a backhoe loader and a number of forklift models that have proved successful this year.

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Asphalt plant market heats up Demand for road building machinery rises as infrastructure spending increases throughout the GCC PMV hall Demand for the equipment used to make road coverings is increasing, due to the number of infrastructure projects in the region according to industry experts. Antonio Alvarez from Mexican crushing and asphalt plant maker Triaso is optimistic about breaking in to the Middle East market.

“We feel that our participation at this year’s Big 5 PMV will allow us to become better known in the Middle Eastern countries. We know the economic importance of the area and the efforts been made in matter of road construction and road maintenance.”

He added “We feel that our products can help develop

FACT BOX

these countries by delivering top quality machinery at very competitive prices. Also, we know that we are prepared as a company, to provide and share our expertise so that the companies which obtain our machines can be more efficient and productive.”

As the road building industry shows signs of recovery, Italian asphalt plant maker Marini, is forecasting US$20 million sales in the Middle East in 2010 and US$29 million in 2011.

The company’s sales forecast is due to an increase in regional demand of its ‘Ultimap’ 2700 200 t/h asphalt plant, which the company say can provide an ‘advanced’

dryer and dust collection system in any environment and has become the firm’s flagship product in the region.

Alessandro Camerini, a sales manager from the company said: “(We have) been present in the Middle East for almost 40 years. It is one of our most important markets, representing 15 per cent of our global sales, and we expect to further increase our market presence in the next two years.”

The company is present in 142 countries and is participating says it is in the Big 5 PMV to meet new customers and endeavour to secure new contracts for work in the region.

Triaso has already installed several 200t/h machines in Doha and Muscat.

Dancing diggers line Italian companies up take a bow in Dubai show tech skills PMV hall A mechanical dancing troupe is set to wow the crowds as they take their first ever bow in Dubai at an upcoming trade fair.

The ‘Dancing Diggers’ comprises of a dozen JCB 3CX backhoe loaders. Formed some forty years ago by the Staffordshire firm’s founder to promote the versatility of the hydraulic system, they have curtsied for the Queen of England. pirouetted for TV,

and appeared at countless machinery and agricultural shows across the UK. The JCB Dancing Diggers will make several appearances per day at the Big 5 PMV show, working through an intricate routine set to music.

Due to the scale of the show, each performance will take centre stage at The Plaza, an area at the immediate entrance to the new halls.

Apart from the diggers – more correctly known as

model 3CX backhoe loaders – the firm will also be demonstrating a number of new products from its heavy excavator line.

Nick Webb, director of Streamline Marketing Group, organisers of the Big 5 PMV said: “The Dancing Diggers will perform in Dubai for the first time. JCB’s participation highlights the importance of the event, and the interest of major manufacturers in the region’s construction industry.”

US $3.06 BILLION Value of roadbuilding projects in Saudi Arabia throughout 2009 JCB’s dancing diggers will be putting on a display throughout the show.

16

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

PMV hall Italian firms are hoping to get a slice of the Middle East construction market – quite literally in the case of aSa, a company that makes computer-controlled rebar cutting equipment.

Rabee El Mohammadi, the regional director of the firm explained: “With concrete construction on the rise in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world, we see an incredible opportunity for construction companies in the international market to save time and money by implementing aSa solutions.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to introduce our products and services to the Middle East market at the Big 5 PMV trade show. We expect that the show will open the door to mutually beneficial business opportunities and partnerships with companies in the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, another Italian company is preparing to set up a major manufactur-

ing plant in Dubai to produce eco-friendly homes, tailor made for the UAE market. In a bid to expand beyond its established Italian market, Beton Costruzioni will use the new 90,000m2 manufacturing plant to produce pre-fabricated, pre-stressed energy efficient industrial buildings. aSa is one of several Italian companies exhibiting at the Big 5 PMV. The Italian pavilion, will, include OCMER, a maker of batching plant and Cismac Auto, a firm that produces items for concrete protection. Nick Webb, Director, Streamline Marketing Group, organisers of the event: “Many Italian companies are taking advantage of the show to capitalise on the lucrative construction industry and to expand within the region. The show has created an ideal platform for them to meet with the region’s leading contractors and developers, and showcase their innovative products and services.”

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INTERVIEW LAURIE VOYER

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CHANGE IS HERE ‘Catch them when they’re young.’ Or in the case of Laurie Voyer, new.

Voyer has taken over as MD at Al Habtoor Leighton and has promised to take the firm to new heights in his first exclusive interview in the region.

By Conrad Egbert

‘W

hen one’s in the presence of ingenuousness, you know it. The smiles are different, the handshake’s firm and most importantly, you’re looked straight in the eye, unabashed, with nothing to hide. And that’s Laurie Voyer for you – an honest man who seems like he’s not afraid to take on the world or answer an impertinent question.

“I love pressure,” laughs Voyer when asked if he felt a little in awe of the job he’s taken on.

“It doesn’t frighten me.”

His reputation for health and safety standards precedes him and it is also one of the many changes he’s here to make.

But all work and no play is certainly not what expatriates in Dubai are known for, so it’s good to know that Voyer is destined to fit in perfectly. Fresh off the boat from Australia, he says his fascination for the Middle East is probably the main reason why he accepted the job.

“I suppose from my point of view I was very happy to continue working in Australia but the Middle East has always fascinated me beyond a work career. I guess what drew me here was the director of Al Habtoor Leighton Group, but also in my own space, I thought it was a part of the world that I’ve never fully understood. And quite honestly, the only way you can understand a place is if you’ve been there.

“I want to be here; I want to work here; I’ve got an opportunity to be here for the next four to five years and it’s not just for the work – I’d like to understand the whole place, the

I’d like to understand the whole place, the culture, the religion, how things work, so I’m excited to be here.

Voyer is the new MD at Al Habtoor Leighton.

FRESH BLOOD As managing director of HLG, Laurie Voyer will oversee the operations of the company. He has over 35 years’ senior management experience in the construction industry. Prior to relocating to Dubai in July, Voyer was deputy managing director for Leighton Contractors, the Leighton Group’s flagship operating company. He was also in charge of the company’s construction and mining operations across Australia and New Zealand. Al Habtoor Leighton Group’s work in hand currently exceeds US $6 billion (AED22 billion).

culture, the religion, how things work, so I’m quite excited to be here.”

The tie-up between Al Habtoor and the Leighton Group happened like “magic” he joked. Leighton was looking to expand its presence world wide and similarly, the Habtoor family and shareholders were looking to couple-up with an international contractor. The Leighton group had worked with Al Habtoor group in the 80s, both CEOs met, discussed it and boom! Al Habtoor Leighton Group emerged. Magic.

A positive outlook could possibly be Voyer’s most valuable asset in a market, which is still struggling to cope with the widespread damage the economic downturn has caused.

And this is probably why he’s able to take things in his stride.

“It was inevitable,” he says looking unaffected. “But having said that the construction industry worldwide continues to function like a roller coaster – sometimes it seems to go deeper between the troughs and then peaks again at various points, so it’s pretty natural in this industry to see things like this, however, I think Dubai has probably got a long way to go. I mean all the units still being built and the amount of confirmed residential units to come online within the next six months, will continually keep the market constant for the next five to six years maybe.”

And that’s pretty much the most honest and feasible answer anyone in the industry has ever given. He continues: “Infrastructure has got a long way to catch up, a lot of road works and support structures for all those developments still have to be done, whether it’s power, water or sewer. Transportation still needs to catch up to the building activity that is going on. I think there will be spot opportunities around.”

So has the region seen the end of projects like big residential communities and crazy structures that have defined Dubai in the past? Voyer says yes and no.

“We’re still involved in some early feasibility works on some major opportunities but I don’t think they’ll be building anywhere near like the crazy record that they’ve been attempting to. Instead of taking three years like before, I might take five years now to build and it’s a much steadier, safer and simpler way of doing things. And it makes more sense. It’s considerably more practical as well.”

The Al Habtoor Leighton Group’s work in hand is currently around the US $6 billion (AED22 billion) mark. In addition, it is chasing about $3 billion in Qatar alone.

Voyer shines the light.

“There’s a people mover in the education city that we’re looking at. We’re in consortium with Siemens there, to provide a transportation system for Education City.

We’re also very active in the bidding for the Doha Port. I’m sure you know, we just won a Kahramaa (Qatar’s general water and electricity corporation) water reservoir project, so we’re looking to grow in that area and that type of activity, which we probably haven’t been traditionally known for in Qatar or even here for that matter. So that’s a part of the Leighton stable, I suppose, together with Habtoor Business, that we see the Habtoor Leighton brand beginning to deliver.

“We see great opportunities in the oil and gas market in Qatar and we’re probably going to struggle a bit, but we’ll make some inroads there in the next four months I think.”

Guessing that Qatar is the Group’s focus is a no-brainer. But Voyer dismisses it, saying it is the kind of work that is the focus rather than geographical location. Despite many of the biggest firms attempting to break into the Saudi Arabian market, he says it’s not a sole focus for him. But he also doesn’t deny that Al Habtoor Leighton has its eyes peeled for work in the kingdom.

“I think the greatest opportunities lie in the work, rather than the place, and I think a lot of the Gulf countries have under spent in the last 20-odd years or so, in terms of infrastructure resources. So each of those particular GCC countries and their capitals, we look at, where they may be wishing to go with expanding or improving their infrastructure. So all the places you care to mention, we’re looking at and we want to probably get in there first, rather than follow.

Maybe the action is in Saudi today but there could soon be more action in Kuwait, here BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

19

INTERVIEW LAURIE VOYER or Bahrain. All those places are all looking as optimistic, so maybe we can jump ahead.”

It seems mister Voyer has a lot on his plate and much chalked out for his time in one of the hottest seats in the region, probably even the world. First on his agenda is to understand better the contracting opportunities available to him. A shift from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and Qatar is also on the cards and could see some more job opportunities open up – an idea that would be more than welcomed by many in the current employment market.

“We feel that we’re a little under-resourced at the moment in some more technically challenging projects. There is a lot of university work and hospital work coming out of Abu Dhabi. And because there hasn’t been much of that sort of work being done in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, the job market is mainly unskilled in those areas and we’re actively campaigning at the moment to reinforce our professional staff in technically challenging projects like hospitals and universities.

“There’s a lot of hospital work coming out of Abu Dhabi, but we’re not focusing on that alone, we’re focusing on other markets as well. We don’t ever want to be caught over-exposed to one particular market or one segment of that geographic market, so we’re looking at the complete geography that is available to us. We’re going to be far more strategic in where we take our business.”

Voyer’s reputation in the areas of health and safety and labour rights precedes him. The boys at Build Safe UAE seemed to know more about his safety record than he probably would. According to Voyer, labour reforms take up a large part of his professional agenda.

20

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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Al Habtoor worked on the Sorbonne dome.

“I think we have a reasonable approach to health and safety. We like to ensure that our labour are efficiently suitable for the task and are motivated to do the task because that makes sure we get a quality output and we deliver on time. All human being are entitled to go home safely at the end of the day. So from my point of view, whether

Voyer says third party reviews are vital.

I think the greatest opportunities lie in the work, rather than the place.

I’m in Australia or Kuwait or downtown Dubai, standards should be no different.

In our experience in Australia we’re seeing a significant improvement in output and productivity of our workforce when we’ve got a very safe site. Motivation makes a huge difference. We’re all human beings at the end of the day.

“We’re also reassessing our labour agreements and all the conditions of our workforce and I strongly believe we’ve got an adequately skilled workforce. We should be able to produce better quality work, more safely and on time and we’re going right back up the whole supply chain to refocus on the inputs into our business, which is labour, and

many other things, to understand that we can perhaps get a better output if we concentrate on our inputs better. We are reassessing everything right now.”

Being in a tight spot is part of the game and Al Habtoor Leighton has been up against a few more walls than most have. The company has, in the recent past, faced a corruption scandal, had issues with Sama Dubai, faced construction problems with the Sorbonne University dome in Abu Dhabi and recently suffered a labour strike, but Voyer says it’s all going to change and despite bad press, the company is running at a high.

“We weren’t particularly happy with what happened about three or four weeks ago

when we had those riots, but we were already starting to look at various matters inside the workforce anyway. It clearly brought about an embarrassment and brought forward our plans for the whole evaluation of our supply chain particularly in the labour market. So we’re probably a few weeks away from having those matters solved.

“There are still some issues with Sama Dubai; Sorbonne – we handed phase one over on time, the issue of the roof has been dealt with and we have a satisfactory solution there. I think the team has done an extremely good job of dealing with that.”

During Al Habtoor Leighton’s time as contractor on the Sorbonne University project in Abu Dhabi, the dome of the main structure faced a few construction problems that were eventually ruled out to be design flaws.

“There seemed to be some design issue that weren’t perhaps fully analysed at the time but it’s been rectified now and we’ve got a course of action in place to make it more stable now and in the future,” explains Voyer.

Many contractors in the industry feel that designs in the region, sometimes, over step the practical line and need to be revisited but Voyer doesn’t think that view applies to him.

“I wouldn’t say that’s right,” he argues. “I guess the problem we would see in some of those situations, and of course beyond the dome at Sorbonne, is always this continual pressure to try and reduce costs and to make it look architecturally more elegant. But there is a balance somewhere, and you say enough is enough; we need robust designs that will operate under any conditions. Probably this needs to be done in more technically challenging structures like the dome at Sorbonne, where you need a third party review from what I can see looking back.

“Maybe the third party review process wasn’t thorough enough and perhaps it should have been. In the future though we will always look at independent third party reviews of our designs in those sorts of structures. Habtoor Leighton will insist on third party reviews.” 5

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Vist us on Stand 121, Hall 3, Row D and see what Wales can offer you.

KEY BUYERS PROGRAMME

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Business class show for big spenders A new key buyers programme offers a business class experience for those with the most to source

I

n a typical year The Big 5 will have more than 15,000 products and services on show. Getting around to everything you need to see can be a tough job, but it’s one that show organisers are making easier for those with the most to source.

The Big 5 Key Buyers Programme is acknowledges the vital role of the deal makers in making the show a success.

“We’ve invested a lot of time and energy into creating a key buyers programme,

actively looking to service upwards of 700 leading projects throughout the Middle East and Africa region,” said Simon Mellor, vice president of the construction division for DMG World Media.

“We’re looking to give key buyers a business class experience of the show, to help their needs be met as accurately, quickly and comfortably as possible.

“Our exhibitors want to see the key buyers and we’re excited to see what the results will be this year.”

Organisers expect deals to be made live at the show.

We are an excellent opportunity for companies to introduce products and test consumer reaction. We are very well known as a buying show.

Simon Mellor

Adding to the impact of the new programme is the fact that the show has a reputation for attracting buyers ready to give exhibitors an ‘instant response’.

“We’ve always attracted a broad audience from right across the Mena region and exhibitors have always been successful in promoting a strong community,” said Mellor.

“Trade shows tend to fall into two distinct categories; those where people come and chat, and shows where they buy and specify. We are an excellent opportunity for companies to introduce products and test consumer reaction. We are very well known as a buying show.”

TONIGHT: EXHIBITOR DRINKS RECEPTION Location: The Plaza, Dubai World Trade Centre Date: Monday 23rd November Timings: 8pm - 11pm Dress code: Smart / Casual Enjoy live entertainment, refreshments and snacks The event is strictly by invitation only. Guests must present their invitation on arrival

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

23

BUYER’S GUIDE INFO

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EXPERT TIPS ON FORMWORK The CW Big 5 Daily spoke to a group of industry experts about what to look for when specifying formwork

By Sarah Blackman

F

ormwork - a term that describes the temporary or permanent moulds into which materials are poured to form structural elements of a building - sounds simple enough. Formwork makes up about 1.2% of the total costs of the entire structural work of a building – just a small percentage.

But although it may seem simple and represent a small cost outlay, formwork is not to be taken lightly.

Buy the right formwork system and the construction of a building could be a complete success. Buy the wrong formwork system and the building could literally come tumbling down.

Devastating accidents have happened when forms were removed too soon before the building materials were set.

Poor and under-designed formwork has also been known to bend or even break during the filling process because it had a minimal load capacity.

The use of counterfeit products is one main reason why such accidents occur and therefore it is important to know

the difference between a genuine product that will give your clients peace of mind and a faulty product, which could have dangerous consequences.

According to Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG) chairman Omar Shteiwi, the Middle East is a target for counterfeiters due to the high number of importation and exportation that goes on in the region.

The BPG and the Intellectual Property Forum work towards protecting companies brands and designs, which are often copied by counterfeiters, produced in China and brought to international parts of the world like the Middle East.

Recently the BPG signed an agreement with China’s Quality Brands Protection Committee and the BPG and the

With any system it is always important to know how to spot the most reliable, safe, easy to use investment for the client.

International Intellectual Property Protection Forum of Japan to fight for the protection of intellectual property.

“Both our companies are seeking full implementation of intellectual property protection laws and regulations in the region,” Shteiwi explained.

He urged buyers and developers who come across a counterfeit product to complain straight away, and said that they need to be aware of the difference.

“There are lots of toll free numbers within the law enforcement authorities out there; we have the ministry of

economy, the department of economic development; we have the police and customs who are all willing to help,” he said.

“Using counterfeit products to construct a building would be a huge disaster.”

With any system it is always important to know how to spot the most reliable, safe, easy to use investment for the client.

To guide buyers through this challenge, we’ve gathered expert advice on what to watch for with formwork.

Quality is key The quality of the product must be considered in the decisionmaking process. For example, steel-framed wall formwork with standard plywood facing, requires more maintenance and repair than a hot-dipped galvanised steel frame does, with specially manufactured plywood designed for longer life.

To determine the most efficient solution for a project, a contractor will evaluate several options. However, among

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the many considerations, the choice of formwork is of prime importance. High quality, faster and safer formwork ensures the overall success of a concrete construction project.

To rent or buy?

Whether it’s better for a company to rent or purchase formwork items and systems basically depends on two criteria.

The first one is project related, so what kind of project is the formwork for and how long will it take to be completed?

The second main criteria are the future plans of the company.

If the company needs formwork for a major project, which will be completed within 24 months, it probably makes more sense to invest and purchase the formwork.

If the company doesn’t want to maintain the formwork in the future and wants to avoid going through the hassle of storing it in a stockyard, renting is an easy alternative. If the company is awarded a small project, it might make more sense to rent the formwork material for the duration of the project. On the other hand, the company might see the project as an investment opportunity, and purchase the formwork to be ready to use if the next project is awarded to them.

Look out for industry expertise and affiliation Watch out for suppliers with a limited product range. Very often they will cut prices on the standard forming jobs but will have to quit when it comes to the more challenging part where know-how is needed. By contrast, a manufacturer with an extensive range will supply custom made forms. There are numerous European quality control associations whose

BUYER’S GUIDE INFO membership signifies that the company is respected, accepted and trusted in the industry.

To mention two: The German Quality Control Board (GSV) for formwork implements and controls quality standards in formwork rental, to which members are formally bound.

The American Concrete Institute is the US equivalent to the GSV. Members are screened carefully. This reflects on their expertise, which the contractor might need.

Look for the best When buying and leasing formwork, look for the best value products with the best quality and top safety standards. Only buy from reputed companies. Many formwork companies copy from established brands and manufacture cheaply.

This can never provide the safety and peace of mind that formwork, manufactured with first grade materials, can. Also, make sure the company you select provides professional and on-time design. Customers need to rely on the expertise of the company who manufactures the formwork to help them finish the job in a safe and reliable way.

When to buy…

Contractors, as a general rule, should buy formwork when they anticipate that their alternative spend on rental for a particular project is estimated at 60% to 65% of the purchase price. Having taken the decision to invest, they should buy a system that is capable of doing anything and everything on their project irrespective of slab thickness, propping height and moving from floor to floor, while providing at least 10 years of typical site use. 5

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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Visit the Green Stand in Hall 9

Are you carbon neutral?

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS HOW TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL EcoVentures offers a collection of practical tips on how to make your visit to the show more environmentally friendly.

The Big 5 has gone carbon neutral, and it has teamed up with EcoVentures to find a few ways to help you to do the same

By Matt Warnock

T

he Big 5 show 2009 will take its first steps towards becoming a carbon neutral event, organisers have revealed. dmg world media will work with Middle East emission reduction firm Eco Ventures to ensure that eventrelated emissions are reduced, with the aim of reaching a net zero.

“The Big 5 is already well known for working with the construction industry to set the agenda for the future, as it is a unique forum which brings together key players from across the world. This year, we aim to go beyond exceptional, and will be the first show in the region to take steps towards becoming carbon neutral,” explained dmg world media VP of construction Simon Mellor.

“Environmental issues are here to stay and The Big 5 wants to help the construction industry ensure that it places itself in the best possible position now to meet any challenges in the future. We aim to lead by example, taking the first step towards becoming carbon neutral ourselves.

“If we can then educate even a small percentage of our visitors and exhibitors about the ways in which they themselves can reduce their carbon footprint, we will have been successful.”

This is the second major environmental initiative introduced by The Big 5 in as many years, as last year the Gaia Awards were launched to honour those in the construction industry that sought to improve environmental practices.

“As one of the region’s premier emissions reductions firms, it is inspiring to see this gathering of thought leaders in the construction-related industries setting such a great example for all industries in our region,” said EcoVentures director Armen Vartanian.

Dubai World Trade Centre – the venue for the region’s biggest construction show – will also be part of the drive.

“We are delighted to be hosting The Big 5 exhibition again this year and to be a part of the carbon neutral initiative,” noted Dubai World Trade Centre VP Peter Sutton. 5

FACT BOX Each Dubai resident produces roughly

44

tons of CO2 each year

HOW TO SAVE CARBON IN CONSTRUCTION Energy and water savings are two important drivers of adopting green construction products and processes. Both of these savings can directly be translated into reductions greenhouse gas emissions.

A recent estimate of the embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with construction is 300kg of CO2 per m2 of built up area. To reduce this figure to 200kg, a portfolio of green building methods could be employed as follows: • Concrete with fly ash (not available yet in UAE at scale) = 30kg reduction • Recycled steel = 20kg reduction • Insulated enclosures = 10kg reduction • Fibreboard = 10kg reduction • Recycling of waste = 5kg reduction • Renewable fuels for transport and onsite = 25kg reduction These alternative, carbon-efficient methods and materials can make a significant difference in emissions. Measurement of reductions in carbon emissions creates an immediate, double benefit: points toward green building certification, and a new benefit for customers.

Source: EcoVentures

At your hotel Switching lights off and other electrical appliances when the room is not being used Turn down the air conditioning temperature to 23˚C

Reducing laundering of linen At the event Ideally, promotional materials etc should be reusable items or items made from recycled materials.

It is good to collect business cards or post a sign-up sheet for those interested in more information so that you can email it to them. Distribution of brochures and handouts should be limited to those with a genuine need or interest. Avoid mass distribution of handouts and allow attendees to order copies or take only what they need (this will save on printing and transportation costs).

Take into consideration that national and international visitors will be attending the conference and weight restrictions are quite strict on airplanes. Realistically, delegates do not want to fly home with heavy paper-based information.

Create signage or posters that can be reused at future events.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

27

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JUDGES DAVID BAGGS CEO, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF ECOSPECIFIER GLOBAL David is a multi-award winning chartered architect, sustainability and energyefficiency consultant with over 30 years experience in green buildings and products.

He is a Leed and Green Star accredited professional and Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) Independent Professional. He has recently assisted Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council in the development of the ‘Estidama Pearl New Building Rating Method and Design Guide’, as well as training more than 300 green building professionals in the emirate in the integrative design processes now required, in Abu Dhabi, for development approval.

ARMEN VARTANIAN DIRECTOR, ECOVENTURES Armen Vartanian, director at EcoVentures, has been involved in venture capital and entrepreneurship his entire career. Prior to joining EcoVentures, Armen was a vice president with Manara Capital, a Beirut-based investment company investing in public and private companies. Besides working at a venture capital firm investing in environmental technologies, Armen has founded and worked for several technology companies, including Office.com, Service-Planet.com, and SideTalk. He has a BS in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Johnson School at Cornell University.

DR ASHRAF HEGAZY CHAIRMAN, SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ALDAR Dr Ashraf Faisal Hegazy is a certified international design and art consultant and received his doctorate in engineering projects management and Master of Architecture from Elmhurst University/ Illinois, US. Ashraf has practiced for over 20 years in the Gulf and North Africa, where he has involved extensively in numerous leading-edge civic projects. He is the author of numerous published works, including technical papers and articles related to sustainable architecture and bio-mimicry architecture, plus he is an advisory professor for degree programmes in sustainability.

DR BASSAM ABU-HIJLEH

AWARDING GREEN EXCELLENCE The Gaia Awards are meant to promote environmentally sound products and services

By Stuart Matthews

T

he preservation of the environment has surged up the agenda for many industries, including construction, which has traditionally been seen as one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

The Big 5 has supported the greening of the industry through its Gaia Awards programme, which made a successful debut in 2008. Now in its second year, the awards showcase products and services featured at this year’s Big 5 exhibition, which help mitigate the impact of construction on the environment.

The awards were designed with two simple objectives in mind. The first was to raise the profile of green or environmentally sound

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

building products and services in the GCC, reflecting the desire to ‘build green’.

The second objective was to enable visitors to The Big 5 exhibition to easily locate and evaluate these products on the exhibition floor. This is a key part of the event’s role as a buying show, where exhibitors can get an instant response from potential customers.

The awards were decided by an expert panel of judges, assembled with the support of ecospecifier International.

It featured senior experts from local developers, contractors and the government, each of whom applied strict selection criteria to decide on the winners.

Awards were made in gold, silver and bronze categories, with all finalists certified. 5

ATKINS CHAIR AND HEAD OF THE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME THE BRITISH UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI Professor Bassam Abu-Hijleh is currently assigned as the Atkins chair and head of the Sustainable Design of the Built Environment programme at The British University in Dubai. He holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University. His 20 years of post-PhD career include industrial, educational and research experiences. Some of his main research interests include computational fluid dynamics, simulation and optimisation of heat transfer, experimental and simulation study of solar energy and energy sources.

HOLLEY CHANT CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR, KEO INTERNATIONAL Holley Chant, Leed AP, is KEO International’s corporate director of sustainability and has more than ten years experience working on the built environment. She is a frequent international speaker on sustainability in the built environment as well as corporate social responsibility. Currently she is the supervising consultant to Taahud Construction for Sustainability Management at Masdar City for Project 1. Prior to joining KEO, Holley worked for the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council as Estidama Planning. She is strongly committed to excellence in sustainable design.

SAMUEL KEEHN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER, ENERGY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INTERNATIONAL Samuel Keehn was raised in California, and graduated from the American University in Washington DC, with a masters in Global Environmental Policy. His master’s thesis research addressed the existing and emerging green building and Leed certification market in Washington, DC. In his time with EMS he has grown the green building department, which now has projects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain. He is also working with clients and project teams on a number of Leed buildings and other sustainable master development and sustainable projects.

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DID YOU KNOW?

FRESH WAY TO CLEAN WATER

In total there were one gold, six silver, 10 bronze and 15 green awards made, covering 32 products and services, all of which are on show at The Big 5.

Sustainable water treatment solution bags Gaia Gold Award for 2009

WINNER

Susan Rae, on be Australian Inno half of vative Systems, colle the Gold Gaia cts Award from The Big 5’s Simon Mellor at the Construction Week Awards

THE WINNERS The 2009 Gold Award went to Australian Innovative Systems (AIS) who beat off stiff competition with its Ecoline technology. Ecoline is an on-site, in-line chlorine generation plant capable of producing chlorine in fresh water from the small amount of natural salts and minerals already present, providing sterilised, healthy natural water, free of complications and risks of manually adding chemicals.

“Winning the Gaia Award has been the most rewarding accolade in our company’s achievements and great recognition for the tremendous work we have done as a team,” said Elena Gosse, executive director at AIS. “It provides an excellent platform for AIS to be profiled as one of the world’s highly innovative

companies and will further the credibility of our brand in the Gulf. The team at AIS feels that winning the Gaia Award has bestowed a responsibility on them to continue their hard work, delivering further innovation and quality that they are renowned for.”

Presenting the awards to the winners at the Construction Week Awards ceremony, dmg world media’s vice-president of construction, Simon Mellor said: “The entries this year were all outstanding and competition was fierce. With an increasing awareness of the importance of environmental responsibility in the construction sector, the technologies being submitted were highly advanced and it has been fantastic to see the initiatives being applied by so many

companies around the world. The Big 5 will provide a showcase to help raise the profile of the winning green solutions, and we know from previous Gaia Winners that the awards can make a real difference to their business.”

Read about the silver award winners tomorrow.

142 The number of entries the Gaia Awards attracted this year, with all participants being certified.

THE PRODUCT Ecoline is a fresh water chlorine generator, which eliminates the need to use salt as well as to accumulate, store and mechanically dose hypochlorite.

Ecoline can be used for applications such as drinking water treatment, food processing plants, water features, cooling towers, fresh water swimming pools, and irrigation water.

The chlorine is activated from the small amount of natural mineral salts present in fresh water.

This is in-line chlorination technology, so fresh water passes through the cell and the required amount of chlorine is produced from the water itself and diluted

immediately into passing water.

Only six watts of energy is required for every gram of pure chlorine, compared to the 13 watts per gram of chlorine used by other chlorination technologies. The amount of chlorine is controlled electronically and there are no mechanical dosing pumps and are no tanks required to store chlorine.

Fresh water chlorine generators destroy chloramines, so it isn’t necessary to install other UV treatment systems or ‘super chlorinate’. However, fresh water chlorine generators will also work with a UV system if it is already installed.

Cell module assembly with multiple electrolytic cells on a single skid can be built as large as 152kg/hour of chlorine.

Water is the source of

DID YOU KNOW?

life. Preserve it.

As part of its steps towards carbon neutrality The Big 5 will be offsetting its carbon emissions by contributing to a Waste Heat Recovery Based Captive Power project in Chhattisgarh, India.

6wts energy needed for 1g pure chlorine

Welcome to Swiss Building & Construction Solutions!

Hall 7 – Booth No. 7A301 – 7C302 of switzerland

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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MENA REGIONAL VIEW

MENA Region Companies with great expectations What do two of this year’s exhibitors, Knauf and VSL, hope to achieve at the 2009 edition of the Big 5 show?

Knauf manufactures of drywall building materials such as gypsum boards, metal profiles, joint compounds and insulation materials with a history running all the way back to 1932. In the Middle East, Knauf currently employs more than 30 staff, based in Dubai, while the firm is the largest investor in the RAK Free Zone for its upcoming production site and also has established representatives in Doha.

VSL is a specialist in the post-tensioning of buildings, bridges and other civil structures. It also provides pre-casting solutions and segmental bridge erection launching gantries, retained earth, stay-cables, heavy lifting, strengthening and repairs, foundations and bar systems with more than 50 years’ experience. Middle East operations are managed from a new, centralised facility in Dubai Investment Park 2.

Find them at: Knauf – Zabeel U30

Which products, systems and technologies will you be exhibiting at the Big 5 show?

Knauf - marketing manager Kerim Caglar: We’ll exhibit a series of our products over a space of 100m2. These include drywall partition systems, drywall ceiling systems, Knauf wall lining systems, aquapanel cement board systems and Knauf Cleaneo acoustic ceiling systems. In addition, we will be exhibiting Knauf gypsum boards, joint compounds, drywall accessories, drywall hand tools and Knauf access panels.

The newest feature at the Big 5 from Knauf will be the metal profile range manufactured at our new production plant in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. VSL - deputy general manager Stephen Burke: This year, we will display our own range of products, technologies and capabilities in post-tensioning, heavy lifting, structural strengthening and repairs, and ground engineering. We are introducing NSM (near surface mounted) carbon fibre rods in this market, which are used in structural strengthening works. We are already using this product in a number of high-rise building projects in the region.

What do you expect to achieve from the show?

Calgar: The show gives us an opportunity to showcase our product range and also to improve our contacts in the Middle East market.

Burke: We are well known internationally and locally in the construction industry as a market leader in the field of post-tensioning. However, we are also into other value-added related engineering works, which some of our customers and clients may or may not be aware of. Our objective is therefore to keep existing clients updated of our value added services and also reach out to new potential clients.

Will you be exhibiting any products that contribute to successful green building?

Calgar: Our metal profiles are produced locally. Projects in the UAE that use these products will, for logistical reasons, earn Leed points that will add to their overall score.

Burke: VSL Post Tensioning Technology directly contributes to the environment by

Find them at: VSL – 2F 91 reducing CO2 emissions in the construction process. By using post-tensioning instead of reinforced concrete on a typical highrise tower, you save on structural concrete cross sections, allowing for thinner floors and slabs and thus giving rise to immediate reductions in concrete volumes (and the related CO2 from the cement production).

How do you think this year’s show will compare to last year’s?

Calgar: The economic slowdown did affect everyone in every sector. I am expecting to see more economically feasible material and solution providers at this year’s exhibition. That is why we are displaying

We expect visitor traffic to be more or less the same as last year – maybe more UAE based visitors.

our drywall systems, which enable projects to be completed faster, on time and within their budget.

Burke: This years’ show is four days compared to five days last year. So we expect the visitor traffic to be more or less the same, as last year. More UAE based visitors may be expected as many potential delegates are not as busy as last year. Regarding international overseas visitors, we need to wait and see, as many of them may be cutting back on overseas travel.

Do you expect to see an increased demand for your products after the show?

Calgar: Certainly. After meeting new contacts in the industry, we expect to see a good increase in the demand for our products.

Especially once the local market sees the quality of the metal profiles produced here in the UAE, they will want to use these in their projects.

Burke: Realistically, we don’t expect an immediate increase in demand, but we always focus on the medium to long-term business relationship horizons. 5

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

31

MENA REGIONAL VIEW

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TEKLA HAS SINGLE RAK Freezone growing SOLUTION FOR ALL into a major business hub 3D BUILDING DESIGN Find them at: Concourse 521

Building Information Modelling can manage all your construction workflow, says industry heavyweight Find them at: Knauf – Zabeel U30 With more than 20 years of experience providing steel software detailers and fabricators in the Middle East, Tekla will be one of the most familiar names at The Big 5. Concentrating on Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools for the whole construction workflow – from the owner to the architect and the engineer, right through to the manufacturer – Tekla’s software provides one tool rather than several tools for each phase of construction.

It is also ideal for storing all structural data from preconstruction, construction planning and site management, as well as monitoring performance from the design stage to supply and installation.

32

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

Over the last two years, the Dubai Internet City based company has tripled its number of employees to meet industry demand. At the same time, Tekla has expanded throughout the Middle East, opening offices in Abu Dhabi and, earlier this year, Damman, Saudi Arabia.

This year, Gulf Steel Works has signed a deal to implement Telka’s technology in order to reduce wastage through better management of information and maximise the profit by minimising the risks, while Tekla has also introduced a module for construction management to help its customers to manage the preconstruction, construction planning and site management. A tool that can be used to create, store and manage scheduled tasks.

Established in 2000 and already home to 7000 companies, Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) is one of the fastest growing industrial hubs in the Middle East.

Boasting 100% tax exemption and foreign ownership, no restrictions on capital and profit repatriation, transparent laws and regulations, as well as an excellent location, RAK FTZ enjoys a reputation as a welcoming place to do business.

“Global awareness of RAK Free Trade Zone is gaining ground. Business people across the globe are beginning to realise that doing business in the United Arab Emirates does not necessarily mean doing business in Dubai,” says RAK FTZ chairman HH Sheikh Faisal Bin Saqr Al Qassimi.

“There are ample business opportunities in the neighbouring emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, as well. Our ambition is to become your business partner and help you to achieve your goals, on our way to becoming a one-of-akind investment hub in the region.”

RAK FTZ CEO Oussama El Omari claims that the free zone is growing, not only in size but in the scope of its offering too.

“By introducing new services in 2009, we hope to better satisfy the needs of our clients and to keep our record of commitment to excellent service spotless,” he comments.

Sheikh Faisal points to October’s opening of the new German desk at the RAK FTZ Business Park – which aims to assist all German companies within the free zone with quick information and an extended service centre – as an example of the way in which the free zone works.

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ADVANCES AT EMIRATES STEEL INDUSTRIES The UAE’s biggest steel manufacturer is moving forward with new plants and mills coming online Find them at: 9 A81 Government-owned Emirates Steel Industries (ESI) has its HQ in Abu Dhabi Industrial City. Since being established in 2001, this year ESI became the owner of largest steel plant in the UAE when its total capacity jumped from 770,000 tonnes to 1.84 million tonnes.

The plant utilises the latest technologies available to produce rebar, in straight form, coiled form and wire rod form.

The steel is then supplied to the construction, oil and gas and shipping sectors.

Emirates Steel has three rolling mills in which to carry out the procedure, holding a capacity of 480,000 to 740,000 tonnes.

The company has secured a Quality System Certification from the UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steel.

Chairman, Hussain Al Nowais, is highly regarded in the industry for his focus on the training and employment of local talent, as well as forming partnerships to foster interest for steel and metals within the youth of Abu Dhabi.

The rust-proof alternative to rebar Pultron Composites general manager Salwan Al-Assafi explains the reinforcement applications of fibreglass Salwan Al-Assafi is originally from Iraq. After he completed his PhD at the University of Florida in 1995, he followed his family to New Zealand, where he joined Pultron Composites. There, he employed his technical expertise to run the company’s R&D programme. He recently moved to Dubai to set up Pultron Composite’s local operation for the manufacture of Mateen-Bar. The company’s new facility is located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

of the start of production. One of the main reasons we are here is the corrosion issue; there is plenty of demand for corrosion-resistant rebar and Dubai offers a business-friendly location.

Is your product competitive?

Find them at: 8 E348

What does Pultron Composites do?

We manufacture high-performance concrete reinforcement rebar. It is called Mateen-Bar, which means durable in Arabic. It is made from fibreglass, so it is corrosion resistant. It is basically designed for harsh environments, which is what we have here in the Gulf. The product contains no metal, so in terms of durability, it will last a lot longer than metal equivalents in corrosive environments.

glass is pulled through a resin bath and then a dye. We’ve done a lot of research and development on developing new resins, high performance resins, and high durability resins. We’ve worked with other companies and universities to develop the product’s tensile strength, modulus (a measure of elasticity) and durability. The focus is really on the tensile strength, which is higher than 1000 mega pa, and the modulus.

These are the two critical measures.

What is it used for?

It is only used in special applications, such as marine structures, where you have issues of corrosion. The product has been used in things such as bridges, highway barriers, tunnels and aluminium smelters.

How was the product developed?

Pultron Composites is a pultrusion company.

We developed an automated process for the production of fibreglass reinforcement. Fibre-

WA Series Super Low Noise Technology

How strong is Mateen-Bar compared to steel rebar?

The strength of the Mateen-Bar rebar is about

twice that of steel (1000 mega pascals, based on a 20mm diameter).

Where is it being used?

We’re currently supplying Emal, the aluminium producer, but that is for different reasons, not corrosion. Because our rebar is not metal it is not magnetic and does not conduct electricity. In locations such as smelters they use very strong currents, so an insulating rebar is required; otherwise you may have arcing issues.

Another application is in hospitals, where MRI rooms need non-magnetic materials.

How long have you been operating in Dubai?

We’ve been supplying to this region for the past six or seven years. Our first facility will open in December. Initially, we will be producing between 150,000m-200,000m of rebar per month.

This output will be doubled within six months

Our product has one of the highest performance-to-price ratios on the market. There is only one competitor with performance close to ours, but price-wise it’s twice as much. Other competitors’ prices are still higher, but in terms of performance, they’re 30% lower.

What makes it better than the alternatives?

The main issue, as a corrosion resistant rebar, is durability. You’d want to use it in places where you might otherwise have to use stainless steel. You can have issues if you just use standard rebar, and you’d have to concrete over it to provide protection, so total cost is lower.

The fibreglass rebar is more expensive, but you use less concrete. Fibreglass is much lower priced than stainless steel. One thing we’re pitching is the reduction in handling costs. There are quite a few companies building retaining walls using heavy concrete cover. If you use our rebar, everything is smaller, thinner and lighter. 5

KX Series Industrial Tower

P.O. Box 28078, Dubai, U.A.E. Tel: (+971)4-2729 711 Fax: (+971)4-2729 622 Email: tti_dubai@yahoo.com Web: www.ttiuae.com

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

33

MENA REGIONAL VIEW

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What can save the Focus on MEP real estate market?

Green Precast chief executive officer Salvatore Saker Will the GCC’s oversupply of residential units continue over the next two years?

Taking the UAE as part of the whole equation, globally there is an underlying demand that is far greater than the ongoing supply.

I have read a report that has stated we need to build, on average, 30,000 houses a day to catch up over the next three years.

In which GCC markets do you see the most demand in the foreseeable future?

Find them at: 10 A97

Can a focus on governmentfunded projects pull the industry through the downturn?

The government-funded projects are pretty much holding the economy together. In times like this, where the private investor hangs onto his cash, it is the leaders, in many markets, that realise it is up to themselves to keep the economy thriving and providing work. Housing in most countries dominates between 30% and 60% of any economy and it certainly will for the next 15 years.

We are about to start operating in Saudi Arabia and in Qatar, where we are negotiating contracts. We also want to be in Kuwait. We were amazed by the number of consultants within these markets that came to us with half of their questions already answered, through their research. We have received more than 20 invitations to-date to start work in these three markets. 5

In every country, developed or nondeveloped, there’s a huge demand for housing supply.

When do you think we will see an upturn in building material costs?

Based on all the research and developments that we conduct on a daily basis, the cost of construction materials will definitely go up in the next 12 to 16 months for many reasons. In every country, developed or non-developed, there is a huge demand for housing units and supply. Take the UAE out of the equation and there is still an underlying demand that is much greater then the supply.

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

Green Precast provides a 3D modular precast system that, the company claims, can save: 80% on construction times 50% on material and labour costs 90% of environmental waste

BMC GULF TRADING & CONTRACTING LLC Category: Waterproofing, Membranes Where: Stand 4 D171 Claim to fame: BMC was established in 1998, providing the GCC and the Middle East with specialised engineering solutions in the field of geosynthetics and plastic products for environmental protection, industrial applications and commercial projects. It offers turnkey solutions, including design, material supply, site supervision, installation and welding services and training and certification, as well as testing and quality control through its experienced team of engineers and technicians.

Through strategic co-operation with manufacturers of polyethylene (HDPE) pipes and fittings, welding machines for plastic materials and accredited research organisations for plastic technology, BMC is well-positioned to deal with projects involving water and gas supply networks and drainage applications. It boasts over 40 million square metres of successfully completed projects in various applications.

Reference projects include the Jumeirah Islands (lake lining), Palm Jumeirah (tunnel waterproofing), Burj Dubai (artificial lakes), Gateway Towers (foundation waterproofing), Business Bay (underpass) and Emirates Hills (golf course lakes).

What to watch out for: Geomembrane liners, concrete protective liners, rubber gaskets and hydrophilic seals, geosynthetic clay liners, geotextiles and geogrids.

Web site: www.bmc-gulf.com SCHINDLER UAE Category: Elevators, Escalators Where: Stand 7 B301 Claim to fame: Branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, owned by Schindler Pars International Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Swiss-incorporated Schindler Group, present in more than 140 countries. It designs, manufactures, installs, services and modernises

elevator and escalator systems for almost every building type.

Schindler supports sustainable urban development with safe, reliable and ecologically-sound mobility solutions. Its expertise and its pioneering role in the development of traffic management technologies make it an ideal partner in a region with such intensive construction activity, especially in high-rise buildings.

What to watch out for: Schindler Miconic 10 is the industry’s original destination control system, proven in buildings all over the world with more than 2000 elevators in service.

Web site: www.schindler.com

THERMILATE MIDDLE EAST FZ LLC Category: Insulation Where: Stand 2 F77 Claim to fame: Thermilate Europe Ltd. is the supplier of the world-leading insulating paint additive Thermilate, which makes paint insulate, thereby saving heating and cooling time, and hence cutting costs.

Thermilate Europe holds the exclusive licence for Thermilate for the UK and across Europe, Scandinavia and the Middle East.

The product is actually an offshoot of NASA’s space technology.

What to watch out for: Thermilate will launch a range of wood wool insulation boards used for concrete casting insulation, flooring and roofing insulation, internal and external facings, sound absorption, false ceilings and acoustic insulation between floors and adjacent rooms. The company is on the look-out for prospective distributors within the GCC. Web site: www.thermilate.com

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UPDATE PRODUCT SEMINARS

Stick to schedule Technical talk Construction adhesives and chemicals specialist IBS Mapei played a crucial role in delivering the GCC’s first metro on time. Company business development manager Laith Haboubi tells CW Big 5 Daily about the company’s future plans like now to emphasis other products, which we also excel in including building line and concrete admixtures. We will use the Big 5 to announce that Mapei is introducing a wide range of high performance waterproofing membrane systems following the late 2008 acquisition of Polyglass.

Meet the experts face to face at The Big 5 Product Seminars, running throughout the show Need detailed product information before making a decision? Need to know exactly how something will work for you? The Big 5 Product Seminars give you an opportunity to get face-to-face with manufacturers and suppliers of a range of construction products and services.

Speakers will be presenting concise and detailed information about what they can offer, so check out the timetable and find time in your show schedule to learn something new.

LOCATION Seminar Rooms Dubai D, 1st Floor (above Sheikh Maktoum Hall), Dubai World Trade Centre

Which GCC country is your focus?

Speaking on Nov 23, 3pm

What are Mapei’s plans for the region, over the next year?

Locally, Mapei seeks to consolidate its leading position in the tile and finishes installation market and also expand its other business lines. The Mapei group has consistently outperformed competitors worldwide and continues to grow in line with the vision of its chairman, Giorgio Squinzi. Within the past 12 months a number of strategic acquisitions have been made, including Polyglass (one of the world’s largest waterproofing membrane manufacturers), Apac (a US based adhesives company) and more recently Betontecnik, a leading Austrian concrete admixtures firm.

How will the Big 5 benefit you?

Up until very recently, Mapei has been particularly well known for its world leadership in its range of adhesives and grouts, which are used to install ceramic, mosaics and natural stone, but we would

Although the UAE has always been a focus for Mapei, Abu Dhabi has a special focus now.

Mapei has been involved on many prestigious projects in the region over the past 20 years or so, but it is only in the past two years that it has established an operating company in Dubai, which primarily serves the UAE market. Other GCC and Middle East customers are served through an established network of distributors. I must emphasise that although the UAE has always been a focus for Mapei, Abu Dhabi has a special focus now. With prestigious projects such as the Emirates Palace Hotel and the Grand Mosque in our portfolio, we already have an impressive track record. However, we have started winning more commercial work there recently. We are currently working on a number of prestigious hotel projects such as Al Gurm Resort, Between 2 Bridges (B2B) hotel, two of the new Rotana’s as well as the Marina Bay hotel which supported the highly acclaimed 2009 F1 event. These projects are under pressure to complete on time but without compromising quality. This is where we are seen to add a lot of value.

Have non payment issue affected your plans here?

No, payments have certainly posed a challenge to the way any company operates in this region, but we have strong financial systems in place, and strong relationships with our customers have resolved many of the payment issues that we faced.

Has the downturn hurt?

Obviously the market is tough and it has its challenges but as a relative newcomer in the market, we possibly have a few more issues than more established players, but we are making progress and our customers appreciate that we not only provide quality products, but a high level of technical support. We are seen to add considerable value by either reducing project timescales or by a ‘right product, right first time’ approach. 5

DAY 1: Monday 23rd November Innovation and New Releases 12.00

Topic

Speaker Company

13.00

Topic

Speaker Company

14.00

Topic

Speaker Company

Decorative concrete and stone floors Industry - Innovative High Tech Solutions Open New Perspectives!

Visually impaired people’s ground tactile indicators - A New Solution!

Mrs luliana Morar, President Stonetec Experience Sustainable Technology: A guildeline to transfer the Middle East façade market from preaching to realization.

Mr Lars Anders, Managing Director Priedemann FZCO Innovative cool roofing solutions using advanced waterproofing membranes Mr. Andrea Storani, Export Manager for Polyglass Mapei SpA

Cost Saving Products & Services 15.00

Topic

Speaker Company

16.00

Topic

Speaker Company

The avoidance of tile installation problems through correct specification and classification of adhesives. In particular focusing on the new GSO:ISO 13007 standard Mr Laith Haboubi, Business Development Manager Mr Enrico Geronimi, Technical Services Innovative Building Solutions(IBS) and Mapei SpA Thin, light adhesive installation technology for stone. Save Time and Money!

Mr Scott Worthington, Technical Director - Asia & Middle East Custom Building Products / Aqua Mix

17.00

Mechanical Rebar Coupling System Ms Shari Robitaille TECNIA GmbH

18.00

Corrosion; Its Impacts and Methods to Prevent it Mr Ahmet M.Aksayli, PMP, Managing Director Foretrade Import-Export FZC

Topic Speaker Company

Topic Speaker Company

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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CONSTRUCTION ICONS

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GULF CONSTRUCTION ICONS The Gulf is home to some of the most incredible construction projects the world has ever seen. We take a look at the ‘Big 5’ projects we think are among the best of the best

By James Boley

SAADIYAT ISLAND ABU DHABI, UAE Abu Dhabi Tourism Development & Investment Company’s (TDIC) astounding US$28 billion project will redefine tourism in the UAE and sets a precedent for the rest of the Gulf.

When it’s completed in 2018, there will be seven districts; Cultural District, Saadiyat Beach, South Beach, The Wetlands, Island Lagoons, Al Marina, and ECO-Point. The Cultural District has been grabbing most of the headlines, featuring five museums, each designed by a Pritzker Prize-winning architect.

Meanwhile, for those more intrigued by the great outdoors, golf legend Gary Player has designed the Saadiyat Beach course.

While the completion date for the whole project is still another nine years away, major steps towards completion are already underway.

October saw the Sheikh Khalifa Highway link Saadiyat to the Abu Dhabi corniche, representing a key progress marker as the project becomes Abu Dhabi’s cultural hub.

Contracts are also being picked up thick and fast, with Al Jaber winning the deal to build the Saadiyat Beach Residences in August this year, while Hilalco are handling the $61 million, 18-month infrastructure contract.

DESIGN NOTES The Burj Dubai was designed by Adrian Smith, who drew inspiration from Islamic architecture and the Hymenocallis flower.

FAST FACTS Saadiyat’s museums are icons of design. Who’s done the drawings?

Maritime Museum - Tadao Ando.

Sheikh Zayed National Museum - Foster + Partners Guggenheim Abu Dhabi - Frank Gehry Louvre Abu Dhabi - Jean Nouvel Performing Arts Centre - Zaha Hadid

SHEIKH RASHID BIN SAEED CROSSING (6TH CROSSING) DUBAI, UAE A bridge could be a rather functional way of crossing a creek, but the design for Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Crossing shows that a bridge can be a landmark in its own right.

Commissioned by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and designed by architects FXFowle International, the project will be the world’s longest arch bridge, with an arch standing 205m high and 667m long

Over 818m

The bridge itself will span 1.7 kilometres, with 12 lanes and a metro line track.

The project was originally announced in 2008 with an expected completion date of 2012. The construction contract has yet to be awarded, which makes this project particularly interesting from the point of view of a contractor. In fact, the project forms part of the largest ever single road project, with 12km of new roads and 22 intersections planned for the surrounding areas.

The crossing will link Al Jaddaf and Business Bay at Bur Dubai with the road separating The Lagoons and Dubai Festival City, and should carry 20,000 cars per hour.

FINAL HEIGHT

BURJ DUBAI DUBAI, UAE You can’t talk about incredible construction projects without talking about the Burj Dubai. A consortium of Samsung Engineering, BESIX and Arabtec has worked long and hard since 2004 to create what will be the world’s tallest building when it opens on January 4, 2010.

Standing at over 818m tall, it dwarfs its nearest rival, the Taipei 101, by at least 309m. A project of such magnitude is bound to face some challenges during its

construction, as has been reflected in the shift of the opening date from December 2 to the following month, but the fact remains that the Burj Dubai has set a whole new standard for construction in the region.

When the building opens, visitors will be able to get a bird’s eye view of Dubai from the 124th floor observatory, after having travelled along 65m travelator from The Dubai Mall to a double-deck lift. It’s an outstanding project – and we can’t help but wonder, in time when every business needs to tighten the belt, how long it will be before we’ll see a project like this again.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

39

CONSTRUCTION ICONS

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FAST FACTS The Burj Mubarak Al Kabir will stand 1,001m tall when built

DURRAT AL BAHRAIN BAHRAIN MADINAT AL HAREER KUWAIT It’s easy to get blasé about megaprojects in the region – after all, it’s not as if anywhere in the GCC is short of the kinds of construction projects that dwarf anything, anywhere else in the world. However, Madinat Al Hareer stands out as

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something outstanding, where amazing is the norm.

At present, the project only exists on paper, but with Kuwait’s considerable financial clout, that could all change by 2020.

Designed by Eric Kuhne and Associates, the development is the single largest real estate development in the Middle East, and will include

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

a nature reserve, homes for 700,000 people and the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Mubarak Al Kabir. The Kuwait government has in principle approved the project, although little has been heard since May this year. The sheer scale of the project means it’s unlikely to be very visible until around 2016, but also means that there are many contracts up for grabs.

It’s not just Dubai that can build impressive artificial island projects. The $6 billion Durrat Al Bahrain project will add an extra 13 islands to the coast of Bahrain, covering an area of over 20,000,000m2. The mixed-use city will include Durrat Marina, an 18-hole golf course, five-star hotels and landscaped public spaces.

Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company was awarded the $105 million dredging and reclamation contract in 2004 and these works were completed by 2007. Durrat Al Bahrain is owned by the Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain Company, in which the Bahrain Government and Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain (together with its investors) each hold a 50% stake.

The entire project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2015.

Atkins was appointed as an environmental consultant on the development.

UPDATE CONFERENCES

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Conference sessions start Two days of informative conference kick off early tomorrow, but you can still register to attend now.

THE BIG 5 BUSINESS CONFERENCE Tuesday 24th November 2009 09.00 – 17.15 The Monarch Hotel Once again The Big 5, in conjunction with Proleads, have exclusively brought together the Region’s most influential and distinguished industry leaders for the building and construction industry.

The quality and breadth of experience of our speakers ensures that each of the conference sessions are relevant, timely and structured to deliver maximum value.

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunit

Building Future Cities of the Middle East: Opportunities, Challenges & Lessons Learned 8:00 Registration opens. Coffee on arrival 9:00 THE VISION Is it important? Is the vision sustainable? Is the vision crisis proof?

CHAIR: Mr Simon Azam, Chief Executive Officer Canterra H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Mr Mohammed Nimer, Chief Executive Officer, MAG Properties

10:25 Networking Break & Mid Morning Coffee 11:00 BUILDING THE VISION

CONFERENCE LOCATION THE MONARCH HOTEL JUST ACROSS SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD FROM THE TRADE CENTRE

Can the dream become a reality? What are the challenges?

How can we build better?

CHAIR: H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Mr Ziad Makhzoumi, Chief Financial Officer, Arabtech Holding Pjsc Mr Euan Mcewan, Chief Executive Officer, Currie & Brown Mr Kez Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Alec

Once again The Big 5, in conjunction with Proleads, has brought together some of the region’s most infl uential and distinguished industry leaders in the building and construction industry.

12:30 Networking Lunch

Day one – Tuesday 24th - sees The Big 5 Business Conference address issues vital to the way businesses perform in the industry. It will look at the overall vision for the industry and the challenges it faces, examine the impact of escrow and discuss what needs to happen along the road to recovery.

Day two – Wednesday 25th - is The Big 5 Technical Conference, designed specifically for professional engineers. Leading technical fi gures have been invited to speak on sustainability and green environmental engineering, energy saving solutions and district cooling and project management.

14:00 SUPPORTING THE VISION How does escrow affect the outcome? What have we learned from litigation?

Can we afford going green?

CHAIR: H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Mr Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director, Fimeche, Peng, Leed Faculty Member, Green Technologies Mr Nigel Truscott, Partner, Trowers & Hamlins Mr John Cowling, Risk Manager, Faithful & Gould

15:30 Networking Break & Afternoon Coffee Both days get an early start, with conference programmes kicking off at 9am sharp.

Each day’s discussions are scheduled to finish at 5:15pm, leaving plenty of time for a few hours at the exhibition too.

The conference sessions will be held at the Monarch Hotel, on Sheikh Zayed Road, a short walk from the Trade Centre.

Attendance is free and registration can be completed at onsite registration desks or you can reserve your space ahead of time online at www.thebig5exhibition.com.

15:45 THE ROAD TO RECOVERY Can the economy sustain the vision? What challenges lay ahead?

When will we get there?

CHAIR: H.E. Khalfan Saeed Al Ka’abi, Chairman Construction & Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) Dr Imad Al Jamal, Vice Chairman, UAE Contractors Association Mr Michael Stephen Small, Partner, VSM Consultants

17:00 END 42

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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UPDATE CONFERENCES

tomorrow, register now!

Attendance is completely free, so log on to www.thebig5exhibition.com and reserve your place today

THE BIG 5 TECHNICAL CONFERENCE Wednesday 25th November 2009 09.00 – 17.15 The Monarch Hotel We are delighted to introduce The Big 5 Technical Conference - designed specifically for professional engineers. Leading technical figures have been invited to speak on Sustainability & Green Environmental Engineering, Energy Saving Solutions & District Cooling and Project Management.

If you are working in an applied engineering role within the Middle East Building & Construction industry you will find considerable value in attending this programme. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity

For the Engineering Professional 08.00 Registration opens. Coffee on arrival 09.00 – 10.45 Project Management CHAIR: Mr David Dale, Partner EC Harris Dr Mamoon Atout, Project Manager Horizon Star International LLC Mr Emil Rademeyer, Director Proleads Mr Martin Seaward-Case, Director - Contracts & Procurement Chairman of RICS UAE Board Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Panel Session Q&A

10.45 Networking Break & Mid Morning Coffee 11.00 - 12.30 DISTRICT COOLING & ENERGY SAVING CHAIR: Mr Ben Thompson, Senior Editor GDS International Ms Cathy Crocker, Associate Director of Building Services Scott Wilson Ltd Mr Daryl Wilson, Chief Executive Officer Hydrogenics Corporation Mr Mohammad Abusaa, Regional Manager of Business Development ADC Energy Systems Panel Session Q&A

SELECTED SPEAKERS Khalfan Al Kaabi Chairman, ADCCI Time: 9am, 24 November Khalfan Saeed Al Kaabi is Member of Board and Chairman of the Construction and Contracting Committee of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). Being a prominent local businessman, innovator and pioneer of numerous concepts in UAE for more than 20 years, he is also Chairman of Ascorp Holdings.

Euan McEwan Group Chief Executive Officer. BSc, CA, CMC, FRSA Time: 11am, 24 November Euan McEwan is Group CEO of Currie & Brown. He has extensive experience in the real estate, construction and management consultancy sectors. Euan is a qualified chartered accountant and has a BSc in Civil Engineering. He is also a certified member of the Institute of Management Consultants and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Kez Taylor CEO, Alec Time: 9am, 24 November Kez Taylor was born in South Africa on 12th of May 1963. He studied a Bsc. Building (Construction Management) at the University of Witwaresrand in Johannesburg. Currently operating in Dubai and Abu Dhabi ALEC has delivered developments of the highest quality to key clients. Many of these developments have become significant landmarks in the UAE.

12.30 Networking Lunch 13.30 - 15.30 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR REAL ESTATE Sustainability Advocates and Green Design & Construction Professionals share their expertise in presenting and sharing their knowledge CHAIR: Mr Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director, Green Technologies FZCO Mr Ali bin Towaih, Executive Director Enpark and SEED Mr Brocas Burrows, Marketing and Sales Director Platinum Vision Mr Ray Noble, Senior PV Consultant Gulf International Trading Group - Romag Panel Session Q&A

John Cowling Risk manager, Faithful & Gould Time: 2pm, 24 November John’s career in risk management began in the Australian financial industry in the mid 1980’s. Since then his experience has included the environments of; project management, training, security, consulting and petrochemical. He has developed a holistic view in bringing risk management processes and techniques into the construction industry.

15.30 Networking Break & Afternoon Coffee 15.45 - 16.45 SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR REAL ESTATE CHAIR: Mr Mario Seneviratne, Managing Director Green Technologies FZCO Mr Alexander Volobuev, Commercial Production Manager, Australian Innovative Systems Mr Olli Vuola, Chief Executive Officer NEAPO Mr David Baggs, CEO, Technical Director and Co-founder EcoSpecifier Global Panel Session Q&A including Mr Richard Smith, WS Atkins

17.00 END

Michael Stephen Small Partner, VSM Consultants Time: 3:45pm, 24 November A ‘classically’ trained banker, who after achieving his Associateship of the Institute of Bankers (Distinction) in 1981, moved through a major US bank in London to join Credit Suisse, London. Mike formed VSM with Cyriel Varwijk and produces almost daily VSMails highlighting macro economic risks to the personal and corporate clients of VSM. BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

43

PROJECT REVIEW FIRE & EARTH

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THE FINAL STROKE Jumeirah Golf Estates opened its doors to the public just four days ago.

Find out how Leisurecorp transformed desert in Dubai into one of the region’s greatest golf courses

L

ast week saw the eyes of the world descend on Jumeirah Golf Estates. Golf ’s Race to Dubai reached its dramatic conclusion with the Dubai World Championship held at the estate, located on Emirates Road in Dubai.

At a time when projects are being delayed, Leisurecorp were understandably proud at delivering the courses on time. However, both the Fire and Earth courses have in fact been ready for around a year now.

The future of the development may differ from the original plans set forth. When announced in 2007, JGE was supposed to have courses representing four different elements – earth, fire, wind and water.

The Greg Norman-designed Earth and Fire courses are ready, but the Wind and Water

courses appear to be shelved for the foreseeable future. “Wind and Water are still part of the long-term plan, but we’re evaluating when we’ll begin on those, according to market conditions,” says DWC tournament director Colin Smith. “We haven’t started selling on those projects yet.”

The courses also had active involvement from Greg Norman right from their inception.

The former championship golfer and designer was at JGE as recently as May this year to make minor changes to the overall course.

ESTATE OF PLAY In addition to the courses, the ‘estates’ part of the development is progressing, with 2010 looking to be the year of delivery. The development is split into ‘streets’, essentially clusters of villas based around certain

themes, with enigmatic sounding names such as Whispering Pines and Fireside.

The developers are mix of subdevelopers and Nakheel Leisure, which is developing five of the ‘streets’. Richardson says some subdevelopers are expected to hand over in H1 2010.

The majority of properties on Fire and Earth have now been sold, with Smith estimating around 90% of the villas have now been purchased. “We’ll be releasing more properties in the future, but right now the priority is delivery,” he says.

Perhaps surprisingly, the clubhouse will not be ready in time for the tournament and is in fact at least another six months away from completion. During CW’s visit it was clear that work was taking place on the building, with the exterior decking currently undergo-

3,500 trees relocated for the construction of Earth and Fire.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

45

PROJECT REVIEW FIRE & EARTH ing varnishing. Smith says that the clubhouse is likely to be finished in H2 2010.

Therefore preparations for the tournament had to find temporary construction solutions in order to ensure spectators and players are adequately catered for. As a result, UK firm GL Events Owen Brown were contracted to provide a temporary clubhouse and media centre for the tournament.

The firm provided a complete turnkey solution which also resulted in the unusual sight ( for the GCC) of British construction labourers working to ensure the facilities are ready in time.

RIM Scaffolding also worked on site, having previously provided temporary scaffolding for the Abu Dhabi Golf Classic in 2008.

Smith is upbeat about the lack of a dedicated clubhouse. “It’s a temporary structure but it had everything we need for the tournament so it didn’t lesson the experience.

Of course, we’d have liked to have had the main club house ready but I don’t think people noticed the difference, in terms of experience,” he says. He explains the delay for the clubhouse is a result of focusing on ensuring the courses were delivered on time.

However, despite the focus on the courses, construction work on the villas remains in full swing. Structural work at Whispering Pines is now essentially complete, Internal plastering to the majority of villas has been finished while wall and floor tiling to more than 50 of the villas is now done. Joinery and carpentry works continue throughout the district.

Meanwhile, over at Flame Tree Ridge, basement slabs, ground floor slabs, first floor slabs, and roof slabs now cast throughout the ‘street’, Mechanical, electronic and plumbing (MEP) first fix works are ongoing throughout the district.

13

Moving back to the course, it’s impressive how well the landscaping work has been done. Looking down the 17th hole, it’s hard to believe that a short distance away is the dust and noise of Emirates Road. The course does indeed ‘feel’ like it has been there for some time.

“The consistent high temperatures are conducive for growing turfgrass. The advanced construction schedule for the Earth course has also enabled us to benefit from two full growing seasons before the tournament begins,” says Leisurecorp senior agronomy manager Hamish McKendrick. “These are grasses which are perfectly suited to the Dubai climate.

Couple the grass types with the high sand content, soil temperatures and an advanced irrigation system and you have the perfect conditions for a golf course. We’ve also been able to rescue a large number of mature trees and plants from other developments in Dubai and this is going to help give a real feel of an established course.”

Around 3500 mature trees were relocated as part of the construction of Earth and Fire.

‘streets’ or estates planned for the two courses.

TIME FOR TEE Both courses are scheduled to open to members from December 1, although it’s the Earth course that stole the limelight for the tournament. Smith explains why it was this course, rather Fire, which was selected.

“It was collective decision by Greg Norman and the European tour. They decided earth was what they wanted to go for. Fire was three months behind, but has caught up,” he says.

Nevertheless, both courses are now ready for action, and from the middle of next year, it’s hoped that the first residents will be able to move in. Having impressed the world with last week’s tournament, it will be interesting to see if Jumeirah Golf Estates can continue to deliver. 5

ON COURSE DESIGNERS ON SITE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE It’s easy to assume that having some of the greatest golfers in the world lend their name to a course might be the end of their involvement. Not so in Dubai with Jumeirah Golf Estates. Both the Fire and Earth courses have seen golfing legend Greg Norman become a construction worker for the day. Leisurecorp CEO David Spencer, had this to say while the courses were under construction: “Getting him off the golf course is the hardest thing. He loves it. He flies around on a quad bike, he’s talking about the green levels, the approach shots. He goes through every part of the golf course – every tee, every fairway, every landing area, every bunker. He’s the most prolific designer I’ve worked with. If you saw the input he has into the details, you would be gobsmacked.”

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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PMV BIG TICKET

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BIG 5 PMV’S BIG TICKET ITEMS We survey some of the big kit to keep an eye out for at this year’s Big 5 PMV exhibition

By Greg Whitaker

W

elcome to the biggest equipment show in the region. If you haven’t been before, the Big 5 PMV is an opportunity to check out some of the biggest kit on the market in a massive indoor arena. We spoke to the exhibitors, so you have a better idea of what you will see.

LIUGONG

JCB The firm famous for making backhoe loaders will be back with a new attraction – the dancing diggers.

This mechanical dance troupe will hopefully drive interest in the other products the group will have on display, which will include the JS330 30-tonne excavator as well as items of Vibromax compaction equipment (now a JCB subsidiary) and skidsteer loaders.

China is particularly well represented at the show, with more than a dozen exhibitors from the country.

One of these is LiuGong – a firm based in Southern China and represented in Saudi Arabia by Al Quatani. This firm has been producing wheel loaders since the end of the war – and can now claim to be the largest producer of the mobile shovels in its homeland.

Some years ago, LiuGong had a joint venture with Caterpillar. This has finished, but the firm continues to enjoy the stringent quality control standards and production methods born out of the union. Being a volume manufacturer, the Chinese firm produces ZF axles and transmissions under licence in an especially built facility. Recently, the firm has become the first Chinese equipment manufacturer to open a factory outside of China.

At this year’s exhibition, the group will display a total of eight models, including its largest wheel loader, the 862. This loader draws power from a 176kw Cummins turbo diesel engine, and boasts 3.5m3 bucket and 6000kg load. Additionally, the group will have several excavators on display, as well as a backhoe loader and a number of smaller products.

LiuGong will display eight models of kit, including its largest wheel loader, the 862.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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PMV BIG TICKET

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AL LAITH SCAFFOLDING This Dubai-based firm deals in, as the name suggests, scaffolding. These days, the so-called ‘cherry picker’ man lift boom has taken over from ladders and conventional towers, and as such Al Laith has become one of the main suppliers. Regional manager Tim Richards told us: “There market is increasing for access platforms. There are issues that affect which include health and safety and the speed in which contracts have to be completed.” A leading manufacturer of these lifts, Terex-Genie has recently opened a maintenance and parts facility in the Dubai Industrial Park.

WOLFFKRAN Back again in 2009, this firm is famous for making distinctive red tower cranes which are extraordinarily powerful. The 1250B model for example has a lifting capacity of 60 tonnes, while the 132 kW hoisting gear gives 20 tonnes capacity in one-fall operation, 40 tonnes on two falls and 60 tonnes on three falls. These cranes are popular where round the clock lifting of heavy sections is necessary.

It would be impractical to show the hoards of visitors up the steps into a tower crane – so Wolff kran will do the next best thing and bring a simulator of their latest cabs along with them. “It allows visitors to see how well specified our cranes are without lifting a foot off the ground” said Mark Evans, the MD of the company’s UAE operation.

PRINOTH

60 LIFTING CAPACITY IN TONNES OF WOLFKRAN’S 1250B

This firm makes tracked vehicles for moving people and heavy equipment over any terrain. There are several different product lines (one has a 46,000 lb payload capacity) while also having enclosed cabins and a host of other features that make them into very well equipped machines. The Canadian firm suggests that its go-anywhere trucks can be used for work on utility poles, inland drilling, mining or any other purpose where access to inhospitable terrain is required. At the exhibition, the group will display a Go-Tract 3000, one of several models in the range.

MSB CORPORATION

SENNEBOGEN

South Korean MSB – the current abbreviation of the fantastic ‘Master of Super Breaker’ name, imports breaker attachments including pulverisers, grabs and grapples, into the UAE through a local dealer.

With a large range of products, and several certificates awarded by the Korean government for quality, MSB has become one of the few Asian companies to import equipment into China. The group opened a sales operation in Shanghai earlier in the year.

One of the largest manufacturers of material handling equipment, Sennebogen began in the 1950s when its 21-year-old founder decided to set up a firm making rope excavators.

By the 1960s, it was clear that this technology was going the way of the dodo, so the firm started to investigate modern hydraulic designs. It didn’t take long before the excavators became ‘base carriers’ for other equipment such as piling rigs.

Later advances included elevating and tilting cabs – practically standard now in the scrap handling industry. Today the range consists of two ‘lines’ – the Green line (because they are predominantly recycling machines) and the Crane line – a range of lattice boom crawlers and telescopic booms.

MEP This Italian firm will be returning to the show with a range of automatic welding robots, mainly for the construction of piling cages. Special technology ensures that these machines have a far higher output than hand fabricating cages could ever possibly be.

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

MEP FOCUS PUMPS

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DESIGNER BENEFITS How does a manufacturer go about designing a pump to meet particular client requirements?

Axel Lüdecke, water transport GM at KSB Aktiengesellschaft, gives us the lowdown

By Gerhard Hope

W

hat does a manufacturer look at when designing a pump? What are the objectives? What are the associated benefits for the customers buying the pumps? “We are looking at the highest long-term efficiency and the maximum operational availability, which is very important in terms of service quality and especially ease of maintenance, because the equipment is likely to be used for 20 to 30 years,” explains Lüdecke.

All these objectives are focused towards providing customers with benefits in terms of the lowest operating cost, the best operational reliability and the most economic maintenance cost. What this equates to ultimately is “a commitment to a costeffective solution that provides the lowest lifecycle cost,” says Lüdecke.

Take for example a district cooling application, where the flow/head range starts from 650 m3 or 2,800 gallons/min up to 4,000 m3 or 17,200 gallons/min respectively.

In terms of head requirements, this starts from 16 m/52 feet up to 30 m for the highest flow requirements, corresponding to approximately 100 feet, up to a max of 160 m or 520 feet respectively. Lüdecke points out that these are rounded figures, and that the conversion rates may vary slightly.

assurance that they will be suitable for a district cooling application using seawater,” says Lüdecke.

At the end of the day one of the most important benefits for customers is reduced operating cost. “We perform computeroptimised flow design in order to maximise the overall efficiency. We provide replaceable wear rings on both the impeller and in the casing, which is the key element to reestablishing efficiency after a long period of operation. There may be wear due to suspended solids in the liquids. Having wear rings that can be replaced easily means it is

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

equally easy to return a pump to its original efficiency,” says Lüdecke.

PUMP EFFICIENCY While pump efficiency is a critical factor, there is an associated cost factor that customers sometimes balk at, ignoring the long-term cost-savings and reduced payback period. The simple fact of the matter is that high-efficiency pumps will incur a higher initial capital cost, just as high-efficiency motors and chillers do as well. “Superior equipment providing superior performance in terms of operating expenditure is usually not the lowest cost,” says Lüdecke.

In order to illustrate how important pump efficiency is to overall efficiency, Lüdecke uses an example of a typical district cooling installation with a hydraulic power demand of 2,000 kW, 3,000 operating hours a year, a power

PROJECTS SUPPLIED

BY KSB

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS “We meet the specific requirements for district cooling with two different pump series, namely the Omega and the RDLO. The design principles of both pumps are very similar. The materials used are cast iron with bronze and chrome steel for the shaft and shaft sleeves. The Omega type, occasionally when the pressure rating requires it, utilises a nodular iron casing, with the same material combination for the rest of the components,” says Lüdecke.

The RDLO series is supplied with a cast iron casing and bronze and chrome steel for the remainder of the components. “I gather that there is an increasing demand for district cooling plants to use seawater.

Both pump series are available in a duplex steel material combination, and have been supplied successfully to various desalination applications. This gives our customers the

An example from KSB’s Omega range.

Axel Lüdecke, water transport GM at KSB.

Contractors out to buy pumps may want to observe and monitor in the long term how different suppliers perform, what they guarantee, and what they actually deliver.

Burj Dubai Development Area Supply of up to 10,000 m3/h cooling water DCP-01: 36 pump sets in total Burj Dubai: 31 pump sets in total Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Cooling water supply to F1 stadium and other related buildings DCP-08 and DCP-09: 43 pump sets in total, 9 off RDLO at 3,450 m3/h (15,200 gpm) to 45 m (145 ft) each pump Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi RB-02 and RB-04: 54 pump sets in total, 18 off RDLO at 3,475 m3/h (15,300 gpm) to 34 m (110 ft) each pump

cost of AED0.2 kW/h and a lifespan of 20 years.

“Now suppose you have a pump with 85% efficiency and a pump with 87% efficiency. The better efficiency gives a lifecycle cost-saving of AED650,000,” says Lüdecke.

However, it is important to note that a 2% difference in efficiency is usually covered by the acceptance criteria standard. “You may be supplied with a pump with an 88% efficiency as listed in the data sheet. At the end of the day, you may get a pump with only an 85% efficiency, because that is covered in the efficiency tolerance class. Now we can tighten the acceptance class to no negative tolerance on efficiency, but this would have an adverse on the pump price, because the manufacturer may need another one or two trim runs as part of acceptance testing.

SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE “Alternatively, contractors out to buy pumps may want to observe and monitor in the long term how different suppliers perform, what they guarantee, and what they actually deliver. There may be suppliers always making full use of the tolerance band within the acceptance class, and there may be pump suppliers giving some efficiencies, but not using the full tolerance as per the applicable acceptance standard,” notes Lüdecke.

In terms of reliability and availability benefits, there are various technical solutions available to enhance these. One example is having shaft nuts and fixing the shaft sleeves on both sides, with an additional shaft nut at the very end. “The horizontal split-casing pump provided by ourselves has got full-length shaft sleeves all the way into the bearing housing. There is no shaft screw in-between, as this would mean having a thread exposed to ambient conditions such as dust and condensation water. In addition, any thread usually concludes in stress concentration, affecting the availability and reliability of the pump in the long run,” says Lüdecke. 5

RJR ENGINEERING – GLOBAL FORMWORK THE “ONE & ONLY” FOR HEAVY REPETITIVE IN-SITU STRUCTURES

COMPRISING A UNIQUE SELF-BRACING MODULAR TELESCOPIC MOBILE SUPPORT SYSTEM WITH LEG CAPACITY RANGING BETWEEN 100 - 500 KN The RJR Technique provides contractors with an innovative, iconic solution for large scale civil engineering projects. The system has been used on over 500 bridges in the UAE alone including Business Bay Bridges, Garhoud and Maktoum Bridges also Jumeirah Palm Bridges and Saadiyat Island Crossing.

Airport Terminal Buildings Underpasses Bridges Stations and Tunnels Hospitals

Multi Storey Car Parks Shopping Centres Reservoirs Tunnel Formwork

UAE GLOBAL SCAFFOLDING T&R P.O. Box 33732, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Tel: + 971 6 5340500 Fax: + 971 6 5340501

UK RJR ENGINEERING CO 5 Somerset Place, Glasgow, Scotland Tel: + 44 141 333 0974 Fax: + 44 141 332 6824

maildesk-rjreng@btinternet.com • www.rjrengineering.co.uk • GLASGOW • LONDON • DUBAI • TAIWAN • SINGAPORE • KOREA • THAILAND • AUSTRALIA • SOUTH AFRICA •

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EXHIBITOR Q&A

Strategic climbing The CW Big 5 Daily speaks exclusively to Scanclimber general manager Aamer Hammoudi, to get his insights on the current challenges facing the industry and how his company is going about dealing with them

How has the present climate affected your strategy for the Middle East region?

We are focusing our resources on our top customers in the Middle East, who generate 80% of sales in the region. At the same time, we are streamlining our operations to cut unnecessary overheads and carefully applying our resources into areas that are productive and generating business. Now is not the right time to expand, however, the time will come again when expansionary strategies need to be taken in order to secure market share. It is hard to predict when we are in clear waters, but I believe things will improve by the end of this year, if the right measures are taken.

Have you modified your business plan in light of the current climate?

We believe that our customer segment, which is mostly comprised of contractors, is taking measures to reduce risk.

We believe that during hard times, a wise decision for a contractor would be to think about renting capital intensive machinery. In that way, they can easily control costs and it also helps them when setting a project. We have introduced new pricing models that will help contractors to make better decisions.

What is your forecast for the industry for the rest of this year and 2010?

The construction industry is witnessing a slow down at the moment, but I believe that if the right measures are taken, things will start picking up towards the end of this year. The industry is heavily dependent on finance and that is what the monetary policy makers need to tackle. 5

Which projects are you involved with in the Middle East?

We are involved in Al Raha Beach, Yas Island and Saadiyat Island development projects and we are working closely with some big names in the construction industry. Large, established local contractors value high-quality productive equipment that will provide long-term sustainable value for them. Price is not the main factor for them. They have a longterm vision.

What type of machinery are you supplying to this market?

We are supplying access equipment to the construction industry, namely Scanclimber passenger hoists and mast climbing work platforms.

Are your products tailor made?

Our products are completely modular so that they can fit almost any project. The strategy of Scanclimber has always been to introduce more modularity into the design of our products so that different parts can be interchanged, and the total product can be easily modified on site to suit the needs of a particular project.

What makes your products and services stand out from competitors?

Our product specifications stand out clearly from the pack.

The reliability and quality of our products is the number

We don’t just supply equipment, we make sure that our customers get thorough training and after sales service. one priority for us. This is backed by our customer support policy. We don’t just supply equipment, we make sure that our customers get thorough training and adequate aftersales service for the equipment. This is why we have our own dedicated staff serving the local market.

Are you developing any new products?

Scanclimber invests part of it’s revenue annually into R&D. We have introduced several new models with increased payload capacities and increased platform sizes. These models are quite interesting for projects that require heavy duty machines. We also develop products that are tailored to a customer’s particular needs.

Scanclimber is a Finnish company that manufactures and sells mast climbing work platforms, hoists and access platforms. The company is represented by Al Nawi Group in the Middle East, operating out of Abu Dhabi, UAE.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

55

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RIDE OFF ON A YAMAHA BANSHEE Win a Yamaha Banshee motorbike as well as daily prizes of US $1,500 worth of Yamaha clothing and apparel when you visit the four brand new Sheikh Saeed halls

Y

amaha has joined forces with The Big 5 and will provide a special temptation for visitors to explore the four brand new Sheikh Saeed halls that the show fills.

These halls will feature over 540 exhibitors as well as PMV Heavy Construction Machinery exhibitors. On the Al Yusuf Yamaha stand (11G141) you will be able to enter a daily draw to win US $1,500 worth of Yamaha clothing and apparel. The Yamaha range of clothing that Al Yusuf promote in their stores is extensive. Winners of the three daily draws will be able to exchange the products for clothes and styles of their choosing.

With the Big 5 open for four days, once you enter the daily draw, your details will automatically be entered into the Grand Prize draw for the Banshee motorbike, which will be drawn on 26 November at 7:00pm. The Yamaha Banshee motorbike is a sought after product here in the Gulf - it has Yamaha build quality, is simple and easy to maintain and huge fun off road.

It’s easy to enter, just visit the new halls, find the Yamaha stand, and win clothing and apparel worth US $1,500 in the daily draw, or you might be the lucky winner of the Grand Prize, the brand new Yamaha Banshee bike.

The Big 5 thanks Al Yusuf for its kind support. 5

SHOW INFO SHOW STOPPERS

FUTURE SHOWS Watch out for more informative and busy trade shows taking place in Dubai throughout 2010 The Office Exhibition 9 - 11 February 2010 Dubai World Trade Centre www.theofficeexhibition.com The Office Exhibition is recognised as being the flagship show for the office sector. No longer just a furniture showcase, we now offer dedicated sectors for both technology and consultancy. We bringing together the world’s most important manufacturers and suppliers, situated at the centre of the Gulf region's construction boom.

2009 saw an increase in size of over 60%, with visitor numbers increasing by nearly 20%! Be a part of the Middle East’s largest office solutions show and book your place now for 2010… space is going fast!

The Hotel Show 18 - 20 May 2010 Dubai World Trade Centre www.thehotelshow.com Where the Hospitality industry meets...

The Middle East remains a strong market for the hospitality sector, despite the current global downturn. It is forecasted that new hotel developments across the region will be worth US $30 billion through to 2010/11.

Reliable estimates are that the UAE alone will invest $19.9bn into hotel projects already under construction in 2009, which will see fit-out and supply business continue to flourish over the next two or three years.

Four dedicated product sectors ensure that exhibitors are able to take part among their peers, and that visitors can identify their needs easily and effectively: • Interiors & Design • Operating Equipment & Supplies • Security & Technology • The Resort Experience FM Expo 18-20 May 2010 Dubai World Trade Centre www.fm-expo.com A joint venture with Streamline Marketing Group, FM Expo is a ‘one stop shop’ for everything needed to manage and maintain the built environment including: environment / energy, IT maintenance and management, property services, security and health

and safety. Co-located with the Hotel Show and InRetail, the 2008 event saw almost 100 companies take part and over 3,000 FM specific professionals attend to discover the latest maintenance, security, cleaning, information technology and/or energy management encompassed within a building.

Index 8-11 November 2010 Dubai World Trade Centre www.indexexhibition.com Now in its 19th year, INDEX is the number one business interior design show in the Middle East. With over 1800 exhibitors from around the globe, the event brings together a comprehensive collection of innovative and state of the art designs which are set to inspire. INDEX 2008 was attended by 30,348 trade visitors and industry professionals, including nearly 30% attendance from overseas. INDEX 2009 will see exciting new developments including floor seminars by renowned industry experts, stunning room sets by leading interior designers, a new VIP trade buyer programme and a lot more.

InRetail 8-11 November 2010 Dubai World Trade Centre www.inretailexhibition.com InRetail (co-located with the Index exhibition) is the largest retail design and shopfitting exhibition in the Middle East. InRetail offers a spectrum of products and services encompassing all working elements and support structures to the mall and retail sector.

From shop-fitting and visual merchandising, retail design and consulting to supply chain management technology and retail security, the event offers a complete solution for anybody involved in the retail sector. Our first class seminar programme running alongside the exhibition offers an educational look at the retail sector and its development in the Gulf from shopping mall construction to security and globalising retail.

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

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DESTINATION DUBAI

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BEST LUNCH VENUES WITHIN A 2KM-RADIUS If you’re tired of sandwiches and cheap fast food, try Time Out Dubai’s best lunch venues within walking distance of The Big 5 Blue Bar Cuisine: Bar Food Location: Novotel World Trade Centre Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; Tel: 04 332 0000 Travel: 1 minute walk Price: Dhs200-350 Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

Café Sushi Al Nafoorah Cuisine: Arabic, Lebanese Location: Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai; Tel: 04 319 8088 Travel: 7 minutes walk Price: Dhs350-500 Credit Cards Accepted: Yes Recommended: Baba ganoush, kibbeh nayeh, kebab plates, houmous shawarma.

Benjarong Cuisine: Thai Location: Dusit Thani Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; Tel: 04 343 3333 Travel: 15 minutes walk Price: Dhs200-350 Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

Cusine: Sushi Location: Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road; Tel: 04 332 5555 Travel: 5 minutes walk Price: Dhs200-300 Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

Caffè Florian Cuisine: Italian, Vegetarian Location: Dubai International Financial Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road; Tel: 04 323 1833 Travel: 7 minutes walk Price: Dhs200-350 Credit Cards Accepted: Yes Recommended: Caprese salad, pumpkin risotto, Duck tagliatelle.

E BLU BAR L OTE

NOV

For more restaurants, bars and cafés visit timeoutdubai.com

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

NAF AL OO EMIR RAH AT TOW ES ERS

OPENING TIMES 11:00 – 20:00 11:00 – 20:00 11:00 – 20:00 11:00 – 20:00

When you arrive at the venue please make your way to the registration points marked on the map. Remember to register online at www.thebig5exhibition.com to fast track your entry into the exhibition.

Monday 23rd November Tuesday 24th November Wednesday 25th November Thursday 26th November

B C D F

650 Spaces 1450 Spaces 470 Spaces 500 Spaces

BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

(behind Etisalat Building)

Multi-Storey costs AED 10 per hour or AED 200 per day Additional over flow parking Jafiliya - Free land

(behind Etisalat Building)

Multi-Storey Car Park 980 Spaces Over flow parking Jafiliya 750 Spaces

(Recommended Exhibitor Parking)

Park Park Park Park

CAR PARKING SPACES

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Car Car Car Car

EXHIBITOR DRINKS RECEPTION (invitation only)

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SHOW MAP THE ESSENTIALS

59

™

buildingSMARTT ME ®

Cutting Costs Improving Efficiency Achieving Sustainability Increasing Profits

buildingSMART ME HELPING YOUR BUSINESS buildingSMART ME is a not for profit organisation, owned and run by its members.

:

BIM Journal is an electronic newsletter. Since its launch in February 2009, the following topics have been covered: • BIM Concept • Green Construction • Integrating the Construction Process • Model Based Estimating • Interoperability • Integrated Project Delivery • BIM Health Check • The Need for Standards • The Knowledge Sharing Culture • Contracts BIM Journal is acknowledged as a source of unbiased and understandable information. Circulation is now over 170,000 internationally. It’s clear and concise style is respected by those involved in construction. It has been described as ‘invaluable’ by non-technical professionals, who at long last have access to a jargon free publication, which explains things in plain English.

The BIM Journal website provides a comprehensive reference point for solutions that can take the construction process forward, by eliminating waste and inefficiency, whilst improving productivity and quality. It does this by furthering the knowledge of and encouraging collaboration between, professionals working in the construction industry.

BIM Journal is aimed at everyone involved in the construction process - Owner/Developers, Project Managers, Consultants, Engineers and Contractors at all levels. It is managed by buildingSMART ME and subjects covered are led by member contribution, which is actively sought.

Registration is free at www.bimjournal.com

™

buildingSMART SMART ME ®

SHOW MAP THE ESSENTIALS

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USEFUL INFORMATION TAXI PICK UP AND DROP OFF Taxi Pick Up: Station E (Shuttle Bus from Ibis Corner) Taxi Drop Off: Za’abeel, Ibis Corner, Convention Gate, Hall 1

METRO There will be Free RTA Shuttle Buses from the following stops to Dubai World Trade Centre: Direction from Sharjah, Deira, Bur Dubai: Jafiliya Metro Station

VALET Pick Up and Drop Off – Ibis Corner

(Between Halls 4 & 5)

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BIG 5 SHOW DAILY NOVEMBER 23, 2009

Car Park Shuttle Bus Green Route (Free Service) Car Parks B, C, D – Hall 1 Shuttle Bus to Station E (Free Service)

Direction from Abu Dhabi, Jebel Ali: DIFC Metro Station

PRIVATE CAR HIRE Order from desk based at Al Wasl Corner

Over flow parking Jafiliya – DWTC Plaza (behind Etisalat Building)

Car Park Shuttle Bus Red Route (Free Service)

Ibis Corner – Station E (Taxi Pick Up & Dubai Mall Shuttle Bus)

Station E – Dubai Mall (From 15:00 – 21:00) RTA Shuttle Bus – Route C 045 (Costs AED 4.00 NOL card) Picks up at RTA Bus Station at Convention Gate.

Stops at DWTC (Convention Gate) – Crowne Plaza – French Connection – Al Murooj Rotana – Dusit Dubai – DWTC (Convention Gate).

Start Time 08:00 – 20:00 (Bus every 30 minutes).

Shuttle Bus to Dubai Mall (Free Service)