September 2010, Volume 4 Issue 9
Latest news (p04) Contract advice (p14) Heat survival (p43) Doha, Qatar (p45)
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001 SEPTEMBER 2010, ISSUE 9 VOL 4
10
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18 02 COMMENT 04 NEWS The latest news and updates from around the machinery, plant and vehicle industry.
10 NEWS FEATURE Engine need rebuilding? An exchange item will get you up and running faster.
12 NEWS FEATURE We examine a machine that refreshes old roads by recycling tired tarmac.
14 OPINION Two expert verdicts on when it is best to walk off a job.
18 SITE VISIT Road building in Al Ain.
45 24 FINDING FAKES The $700m trade in dodgy parts, and the dangers of using non-spec components.
28 PRODUCTS Machines and gadgets that make life much easier.
38 BACK IN BLACK The myths of the retread market exposed.
45 DOHA PROFILE Qatar’s capital comes under the spotlight as the city’s development continues.
33 ONE STOP SHOPS 48 BACKTRACK Total solution manufacturers.
McAdam’s enduring legacy
002 COMMENT
DIVERSIFY OR SPECIALISE? Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000, Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Managing Director ITP Business Karam Awad Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery EDITORIAL Senior Group Editor Stuart Matthews Editor Greg Whitaker Tel: +971 4 210 8150 email: greg.whitaker@itp.com Contributors Oscar Wendel SALES Advertitising Director Andrew Parkes Tel: +971 4 210 8570 email: andrew.parkes@itp.com Sales Manager Vipul Dilip Patel Tel: +971 4 210 8676 email: vipul.patel@itp.com Business Development Manager (Saudi Arabia) Rabih Naderi Tel + 966 50 3289818, email rabih.naderi@itp.com STUDIO Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Designer Angela Ravi PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography: Sevag Davidian Senior Photographers: Efraim Evidor, Jovana Obradovic Staff Photographers: Isidora Bojovic, George Dipin, Murrindie Frew, Lyubov Galushko, Shruti Jagdesh, Mosh Lafuente, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghav PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Deputy Production Manager Matthew Grant Production Coordinator Devaprakash V A Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Image Editor Emmalyn Robles CIRCULATION Head of Circulation & Database Gaurav Gulati
As you read this the the people those who have been there for years holy month will be as is the case in Qatar. coming to an end So what is to be done? I guess everyone needs and the weather will to specialise. There are a great number of firms in be beginning to be the region who come under the ‘jack of all trades, slightly less scorching, master of none’ category, and inroads are to be so what better time to made where firms know one particular process reflect on the progress or type of machine inside and out – particularly the industry has made in these days of high technology and on-board in the region over the telemetry. past three years? Admittedly, this seems at odds with our top list Well, it is certainly different. In October 2007 this month, where we highlight a few firms that there were deals being signed for a hundred offer ‘total solutions’ – everything under one roof machines at a time – though not at the first Big in other words. 5 PMV Expo – which by all accounts was a pretty However, what can be offered by an independent quiet affair. specialist is at odds with the product line-up of a Today, the market is far more about servicing huge machine-building conglomerate. existing customers rather than constantly finding On that note, it is time for me to sign off. This new ones – which works in our favour of course. is my last issue as editor. I do hope you have One question that I’m always asked by both found PMV interesting, useful and perhaps even readers and dealers alike is whether the boom will entertaining during my tenure. return. Truthfully, I haven’t got a clue. It probably will one day, but a housing bubble is always just that. Other local markets such as Qatar might look tempting for an enterprising soul who is looking to set up, say, a plant hire business. These fringe markets are very small and while there may have be opportunities there in the past, Greg Whitaker, Editor most of the action will have already been taken by greg.whitaker@itp.com
MARKETING Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell Marketing Manager Annie Chinoy ITP DIGITAL Director Peter Conmy Internet Applications Manager Mohammed Affan ITP GROUP Chairman Andrew Neil Managing Director Robert Serafin Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Board of Directors K.M. Jamieson, Mike Bayman, Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 286 8559 Printed by Colorline Printing Press Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details. The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.
Perhaps the definition of specialist kit? Read about the new hot-in-place recycler on P12. Published by and Copyright © 2010 ITP Business Publishing,a division of ITP Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the B.V.I. under Company Registration number 1402846.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
Do you have any comments about the PMV industry, or the magazine? Please email: greg.whitaker@itp.com or post to: PMV Middle East, ITP, Garhoud, PO Box 500024, Dubai
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004 REGIONAL NEWS
Speed Manual details Dubai safety changes ROADS A board set up to review traffic accidents across Dubai is set to recommend cutting speed limits on certain roads. The Speed Management Strategy Project has been in operation since June under the auspice of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and several stakeholders. Shortly it will release a document known as the ‘speed manual’ which will raise recommendations on which roads to change the limits, following site surveys. The manual will also include a section about ‘defining and enhancing the basic engineering elements set for addressing dangerous speeds’ – which is likely to mean the introduction of more ‘traffic calming’ measures such as road humps. However, the RTA is also keen to point out that increasing ‘urbanisation’ can play a role in reducing speeds. This concept, also known as ‘shared space’ includes pedestrian and cycle movement directly alongside traffic streams. The practice has worked well in areas such as cities in the
Traffic in Dubai may soon have to negotiate more speed humps and face even more speed restrictions.
Netherlands, which enjoy a high level of driver education, but less well in cities such as Mumbai, where the accident rate is dismal, despite the relatively low speeds. However, the RTA is also keen to point out that driver awareness schemes are critical to any schemes success.
Eng. Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency said about the contents of the speed manual: “Adhering to the fixed driving speed is one of the highly effective measures in minimizing traffic accidents. Speed fixing mechanism is based on accurate engineering
standards including the designed driving speed, actual driving speed level observed by most drivers, urbanization level on both sides of the road, pedestrian movement, schools & mosques, traffic volume, and the high possibility of sustaining [multi-car pile up] accidents.”
Fall in Kuwaiti accidents attributed to traffic jams TRAFFIC A reduction in the number of serious injuries on Kuwait City’s congested roads is due to a rise in congestion, according to one government expert. Adel Buta Iban, secretary of the Kuwait Society for Traffic Safety believes the average speed has reduced to the point where drivers are less likely to pile into each other in the city. However, the jaywalking remains a very high concern. “If you build one bridge, sixmetres high, at a distance of every one kilometre and expect people to walk all the way to it, and climb it to cross the road you will be mistaken,” PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
Kuwait’s congested roads mean fewer pedestrians are being run over.
he explained to the daily Kuwait Times. He added that better design and more construction will make the roads a safer place. “[We should] shade these bridges by air-conditioning them, and introduce escalators so that people do not feel lazy to go up. This way, you will attract more people to comply with the law. It has to be attractive; otherwise people will simply not do it” he added. Adel’s comments were made ahead of the publication of a new report which urges the need to modernise the road network, and to educate all road users about safety.
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005
REGIONAL NEWS
Equipment rental rates rise in the UAE MACHINERY Average monthly rental rates for construction vehicles have increased by as much as 33% since the start of the year in the UAE, according to official statistics. The Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi, which collects data across many industries as well as economic surveys, has found an increase since January of monthly rentals from trucks to excavators, as the levels of building activity remain patchy across the country. A Loader 950 has seen the biggest rise in rental price, with an average of AED10,000 swiftly rising to AED13,375 from January to July, up 33.75%. An excavator with a capacity of 230-290m3 rose about half that amount in percentage terms, with
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Rental rates for heavy plant are on the rise for UAE contractors.
an average price of AED15,000 swiftly rising to AED17,000 in May and then AED17,500 in July – up 16.6% in seven months. A standard truck with a capacity of 20m2 saw the next biggest rise, up 8.7%, from 16,000 to AED16,500, followed by a Loader 966 (6.6% increase), a standard truck with
a 30m2 capacity (4.6%) and a bulldozer D9 (3.5%). All rental prices exclude the price of diesel, SCAD told PMV. The price change for vehicle rental is more regular that the fluctuating price for materials, the SCAD results have also found. A tonne of ordinary Portland cement
from Al Ethad, for example, has fallen from AED280 to AED260 between January and June, forced down by fierce competition among suppliers for fewer projects. The average price of flat steel from Turkey has fallen for most of 2010, from AED3,000 per tonne in February to as low as AED2,650 in June. Flat steel from Dubai, by contrast, rose 5.6% to AED2,850 between February and March before falling to AED2,600 in June.
33%
Average amount the cost of hiring a Caterpillar 950 wheel loader has increased in the UAE
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
006 REGIONAL NEWS BUSINESS BRIEFS ME is ‘big tech playground’ The Middle East region is “the biggest technical playground in the world,” says Marshall-Tufflex international technical sales manager Svetislav (Bata) Bulajic. “The largest international consultants are present in this market – that means that they should bring their experience to the region and specify the best solutions available globally for their clients. At the same time, existing client requirements, cost expectations, local experience and local regulations, as well as climate, can sometimes slow down the adoption of alternative technologies.”
Schneider Electric flood relief Employees from Schneider Electric have lent their support to the flood relief effort in Pakistan by holding a charity drive for victims of the disaster. The campaign was spearheaded through the Schneider Electric offices in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, with staff members collecting a total of 1,600 litres of water, 700 kilograms of rice and 300 blankets, as well as medicine, tents, a variety of baby items and other general products. Similar efforts were also made by employees from Schneider’s offices in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
More land released for housing projects in Kuwait More than 350 housing plots will be made available for new projects in Kuwait’s Al Qairawan area after the government struck a deal with the Kuwait Oil Company to release the land. The decision came after a meeting between KOC officials and the joint committee charged with locating suitable lands for housing development.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
Two week traffic jam on China motorway TRAFFIC Truckers in China have been waiting for almost ten days in a traffic jam that spans two provinces and stretches more than 100km. Thousands of trucks bound for Beijing have been caught up in the jam, which officials estimate could last another two weeks because of construction work on the road. In a similar scene on the ChinaTibet Expressway in July, traffic was reduced to a crawl for nearly one month. A publicity officer with the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau told state media last week that the road could not accommodate the increasing amount of drivers between Beijing, China’s capital, and the northern provinces of Heibei and Inner Mongolia.
“Insufficient traffic capacity on the National Expressway caused by maintenance construction is the major cause of the congestion,” he said. Stranded drivers have been passing the time playing cards and eating instant noodles, which are being sold at a huge mark-up by crafty nearby villagers, who have moved towards the highway in an effort to profit from the traffic problems. Others joke about the enduring congestion on the Beijing-Tibet Expressway – one of the busiest in the country – suggesting that concerts should be held by the side of the road to entertain gridlocked drivers.
Playing the waiting game in China as traffic has come to a standstill for two weeks.
Workers risk lives by moonlighting PEOPLE Labourers who “moonlight” by working in other jobs during the hottest part of the day while on their enforced midday work break are risking their lives, says a medical expert in Bahrain. Nineteen workers have been treated for heat exhaustion at Salmaniya Medical Complex in the last three days, chief of medical staff Dr Mohammed Amin Al Awadhi local reporters last week. He also said that employers were sending their workers home between noon and 4pm while the midday work ban, designed to protect outdoor workers from the heat of the day and reduce workplace injuries by reducing the risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, was in place. But some were slipping out to other jobs to earn extra money. “We have had cases where, after leaving their places of work, people have been washing cars, watering gardens and running errands on bicycles, only to go back to work at 4pm,” said Dr Al Awadhi. Some of the 19 workers had admitted they regularly engage in additional work during the midday work ban. The ban was introduced to protect workers health.
Mixed news for Dubai real estate prices HOUSING Real estate prices have fallen slightly in Dubai through the year, but have increased since the same period last year, according to a new report. The document, released by analyst firm Colliers International noted a 4% decrease in house prices since Q1 2010, the first quarter-on-quarter contraction to be registered by the index in 12 months. Compared with the same period in 2009, overall
prices are up about 7%. Additionally, number crunchers at the firm worked out that the price per square metre had dipped to AED 10,915m2 down from AED 11,420m2 in the first quarter. However, the report’s authors caution that housing supply and declining rental incomes are likely to put downward pressure on house prices moving forward. “We anticipate a further slowdown and we have an ongoing concern of
the new supply entering the market, which will further impede recovery,” said Ian Albert, a regional director at Colliers International. “There are more than 340,000 residential properties in Dubai with an average occupancy rate of 87%, with further declines anticipated. The market simply cannot absorb the additional supply unless the population grows and/or the release of stock is slowed down.”
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008 REGIONAL NEWS
Firms select hire gear during economic recovery EQUIPMENT Qatari specialists United Equipment Group says it has seen a marked increase in the number of firms opting for hire equipment over new plant. UEG, Qatar’s sole Liebherr tower crane dealer, keeps a stock of around 40 new cranes on its books, but it’s the hire fleet of 30 additional cranes that has kept the company during the global economic downturn. Company managing director, Samir Al Mughanni, said, “We recognised that contractors did not want to purchase new cranes in uncertain times thereby reducing a risk factor - we were, however prepared to take this risk and enter the rental market.”
The United Equipment Group has surge in rental patronage fleet during the downtturn.
In order to meet the boom years of 2006 and 2007 in the local market, everyone started to turn
Bauer completes piling for Louvre Abu Dhabi PLANT Bauer International, the German foundation specialist, has completed the final pilings for the Louvre Abu Dhabi as work continues on Saadiyat Island off the coast off the UAE capital. The company has been working on the site of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District since March to place 4,536 pilings, around 100 kilometres of steel and reinforced concrete pile sections, according to the Tourism Development & Investment Company, the state-backed master
development in charge of a number of big projects in the emirate. Lee Tabler, CEO of TDIC, said the company is “delighted” to see piling work near completion on schedule. “This is a significant moment in the delivery of this monumental institution as we look ahead to completion in 2013,” he said. “The next key milestone will be the development of the substructure beginning in the last quarter of 2010, along with the main contracts works.”
Bauer has finished piling work on the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
to Chinese manufacturers with lower prices and faster deliveries. “Since then, following the
downturn, everyone is beginning to look for quality, reliability and good back up services,” Samir said. “Up to the cutbacks we had been unable to develop a clear strategy for future growth. Already it is much calmer and clearly beneficial. And as Government projects in the Ports, Petrochemical and gas related industries go ahead, it will generate confidence in the private sector, leading to a clear pick-up by 2011 – but the days of the past booms, with mega demand for equipment are clearly past.” A constant stream of housing and private developments in Qatar has kept contractors busy.
Expo space at China fair in demand PLANT Demand for exhibition space at the upcoming Bauma China 2010 international International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Construction Vehicles and Equipment, is so fierce that organisers have built an outdoor site that can be used on a temporary basis. The event, to be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) this November, has added an extra 10,000m2 of exhibition space, bringing the total area for the event to 230,000m2. Construction work on the new halls at the north end of the SNIEC is also moving ahead at full speed. Two of those halls are supposed to be used for the first time ever during Bauma China 2010. Approximately 1,700 exhibitors from 37 countries will occupy all of the available exhibition space. Amongst others, they include
Bauma 2010 in China should be huge.
well-known companies such as Beijing Shougang Heavy Duty Track Manufactory Co., Ltd., CSR Times Locomative & Rolling Stock Machinery Co., Ltd., Kaeser, Keestrack and Quingdao Ketai Heavy Industry Machinery Co., Ltd., which are participating in Bauma China for the first time ever. The event drew 112,674 visitors from 124 countries in 2008, and organisers are expecting a massive turn out from exhibitors and attendees at the Shanghai venue this year.
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010 NEWS FEATURE
Power plant swap shop Is your old engine in need of some rejuvenation? You may want to consider an exchange unit. What’s the worst sound in the world? We could pontificate all day, but somewhere near the top has to be the ominous knock of a doomed piston followed by a cloud of black smoke. The sinking feeling is followed by the realisation, or at least a new engine. Happily though, there is a more wallet-friendly approach of buying a remanufactured exchange engine. Interestingly, while the ‘exchange’ method (so-called because you exchange your old unit and some cash for one that has already been rebuilt) is has been known for many years in Europe and elsewhere, with stand alone ancillaries such as radiators and alternators available for exchange the process appears to be relatively new everywhere else. In fact local company Taurus Engines, under the banner of Technical Solutions and Services, has been rebuilding engines for well over twenty years,
but they have only been offering an exchange programme for four of those and a fully branded operation only begun in 2008. We have come across exchange programmes many times before, but wondered what the actual process is. So what happens when your dud engine comes in for an exchange? For a start, the firm refers to engines before refurbishment as ‘cores’. While the majority of stock comes from the locally exchanged units, a surplus of stock is kept by buying in extra cores, mostly from America, where re-use is surprisingly uncommon. Another source is from individuals who wish to sell their dud motors.
MISSING After being taken in, the core is inspected for broken or missing parts. After inspection, the unit is logged on a database, and joins the queue for refurb.
Engine power and torque is measured on a dynomometer to match factory specs.
The outlet we looked at dealt with four major brands of engine: Caterpillar, Perkins, Cummins and Detroit Diesel – though they have plans to also include Deutz and John Deere. In this workshop, all engines are for non-road uses such as bulldozers and excavators, though a few are for marine use. It is worth noting that a boat engine may look the same as its landloving counterpart, but its internal components are often more lightly engineered, so it is important not to mix the two up. Once brought into the stripping room, the engine is picked bare. Even the core and the galley plugs (stops that were put in the engine during the manufacturing process) are taken out. The head, block, camshaft, crank and sub assemblies go their separate ways to different workshops within the remanufacturing complex. A decade or more of grime and contamination is then removed in parts washers before any machining can begin.
BLOCK Once rebuilt, the engine needs to be mounted on a rig for testing.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
Each cylinder block is checked for cracks, while all required
dimensions are recorded and measured for machining purposes. The block is then linebored to ensure the main journal bearings are on the main centre line. Doing this reduces bearing wear and improves oil pressure and performance. The cylinders are then bored to spec and then carefully honed to perfection. The block is then de-burred and all holes re-tapped. After this kind of attention, it is reasonable to assume there will be a certain amount of swarf, so the block goes through a high pressure wash to clean all galley holes. The casting is then processed up to the original spec. Each crank is checked for cracks, while oil holes are cleaned out. The prop shaft is then checked for alignment, while any that won’t grind are discarded. Meanwhile the heads are rebuilt with new guides, valve seats and copper tubes. Meanwhile, the injectors and fuel system will also need specialist attention. The workshop that we visited had a whole unit dedicated to refurbishing the high-performance items.
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012 NEWS FEATURE
Pavement recycler in the UAE Vast new ‘road train’ reprocesses and relays asphalt on the fly. Did you know that there is more than 15 million kilometres of paved roads and highways worldwide? That’s about twenty trips to the moon and back. Equally, governments and local authorities worldwide spend an estimated US$100 billion every year in an attempt to keep the roadways functional and safe, or at least, they should do. In fact roads everywhere are left to crumble or simply patched-up with corrections being left until it is too late. Of course, uneven and pot-holed roads are not good for any vehicle, and can be downright dangerous when run over by trucks. The condition of the tarmac is also affected by the climate. In answer to this, a special asphalt recycling machine has landed in the region.
Built by Canadian firm Martec, the hot-in-place road ‘train’ reduces, recycles and re-lays blacktop on the fly. The equipment was revealed in the scorching afternoon sun in Jebel Ali on Monday. Already popular in both north and south America, the makers claim that the machine can slash repaving costs by more than a third, and over half the amount of time, without sacrificing road quality. The core of the recycling machine is the AR2000 Super Recycler, which comprises of a pre-heater unit to melt the tarmac. The product is then milled on the machine while hot, and various admixtures are introduced as required. From there, the mix goes through a post-heater and dryer which ensures the mix is consistent, and has no excess
water in it. From this point, the mix is relayed directly to a paver.
HOT IN PLACE The leviathan hot-in-place paver is the first in the Gulf, and has arrived in the UAE as the county’s first generation of macadam roads are in need of resurfacing. Initially, the equipment is to see service in Abu Dhabi, and then, the maker hopes, the technology will be taken up across the rest of the GCC. Martec has formed an alliance with local firm Bund Contracting to bring the machine to the Middle East. Speaking at the launch, Vincent Barboza, an executive manager at the Martec-Bund corporation said: “The machine will reduce time and costs – and in most cases actually increase paving quality.”
Industrial recycling for the municipalities has come a long way in 2010. Apart from the tarmac machine, we have also seen the launch of a tyre recycling plant in Sharjah. The plant run by environmental body Bee’ah also turns waste material into road surface – in this case by turning rubber crumb into blacktop. Elsewhere, a building waste reprocessing plant has opened in Abu Dhabi. Among other roles, the Lippman-powered plant turns rubble into hard core for use in road beds.
15 million Length, in kilometres, of paved roads worldwide
The Martec AR2000 Super Recycler processes old tarmac in to new paving.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
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014 OPINION
Time to down tools? If you haven’t been paid for months, when do you know it’s time to suspend or terminate a project? Often, legal advice is not sought soon enough, writes expert Drew Baiter. In today’s market, cash is a precious commodity. Many contractors and consultants in the UAE have overdue certified payment certificates and some have not been paid since last year. So what do you do when payment from the employer is well overdue? How long must you fund a project before suspending or terminating your work? Can and should you terminate your contract? These are questions that many in the construction industr y are facing today. Understanding your contract’s suspension and termination provisions and relevant UAE law is paramount to protecting yourself from exposure to liability and preser ving your rights to pursue claims for the money you are due. It is always advisable to attempt to negotiate an acceptable payment plan with the employer before resorting to suspending or terminating a construction or consultancy contract. Suspensions and terminations strain relationships, create legal risks and uncertainty, and often lead to formal legal proceedings. If all else fails, however, suspension or termi-
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
nation may be the only remaining option. Sometimes the mere act of ser ving a notice of intention to suspend or terminate is enough to prompt a resolution, and it never hurts to approach your client one last time before terminating.
RISKS You should consult your legal advisors before deciding on either course of action. If you
resentatives designated in the contract. Always keep proof of deliver y of your notices. If you end up in legal proceedings, you will need evidence that you complied with the contract requirements. Also, be aware of life safety issues and the protection of the works when winding down your site operation. As you demobilise, make ever y effort to minimise costs to yourself and the employer, and
“Sometimes the mere act of serving a notice of intention to suspend or terminate is enough to prompt a resolution”
do not follow the contract procedures carefully or other wise suspend or terminate your contract improperly, you may be held responsible for delaying the project and exposing yourself to significant damages. Read your contract in full and follow the procedures in the suspension or termination provisions exactly. Be certain that your notices are sent to the proper rep-
to cause minimal disruption to the project.
BARREN Sometimes, the only option open is to walk off the job.
CODE So what does UAE law say about suspending or terminating a consultancy or construction contract? The Civil Code does not directly address a party’s right to suspend work, but it does provide that a party to a contract may refuse to perform its obligations, if the other con-
tracting party does not perform its own obligations. The Civil Code also directly addresses the termination of a construction contract. It states that construction contracts shall terminate upon the completion of the work agreed or upon the cancellawww.constructionweekonline.com
015
OPINION
tion of the contract by consent or by order of the court. As a result, some may argue that a party to a construction contract may not unilaterally terminate the contract. Another article of the code, however, permits parties to agree to a mechanism for termination when a party is www.constructionweekonline.com
in default, whereby one party may terminate its obligations without a judicial order upon the failure of the other party to perform its obligations. The code further provides that if one party does not do what it is obliged to do, the other party may, after giving notice
to the obligor, require that the contract be cancelled. Suspension, and especially termination, should not be taken lightly, but sometimes they are necessar y when you are not receiving payment and the prospect of future payment is uncertain. If done properly,
you will have ‘stopped the bleeding’ and won’t be incurring additional costs performing work, for which you are not being paid. In addition, you will have preser ved your claims for payment. Drew Baiter is a senior associate for Kilpatrick Stockton.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
016 OPINION
Can disputes be settled like gentlemen? Dr Chandana Jayalath discusses why settling disputes out of court is better for everyone In Qatar’s public works, the employer and the engineer mostly operate as the same entity, although they are two different entities in the strict contractual sense. As such, the dispute clause, which is available in any typical infrastructure project in Qatar, generally considers both the employer and the engineer as one party to the dispute. This may be why the dispute clause talks about disputes between employer or engineer and the contractor. Although the majority of disputes are related to amounts or values in terms of Qatari riyals, and the quantity surveyor is the first to debate the issue, the dispute clause is silent when it comes to the quantity surveyor’s input and his capacity. We assume that the quantity surveyor operates as the engineer’s representative, so a dispute between the quantity surveyor and the contractor is, in fact, a dispute between the engineer and the contractor by definition. Disputes shall in the first place be referred to and settled by the engineer. A period of 90 days is allowed for his decision, which shall be final and binding upon the employer and contractor
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
until completion of the work. It is not a matter for the contractor to stop work even in disagreement with the decision or whether the party’s intent is to refer the case to court. If the engineer fails to comply with 90 days allowance or if the employer or contractor has a reason to dispute the engineer’s decision, either party may refer the dispute to the Qatari Competent Court of Justice, subject to 15 days notice of intent. The contractor may only refer the matter to the court within six months from the issue of maintenance certificate, termination, abandonment or breach of contract, whichever is the earliest.
DISPUTES Court action is costly, and ruins business relationships.
Such a court reference does not, however, invalidate the contract. It also provides no grounds for the contractor to cease work or for the employer to terminate the employment of the contractor. However, Qatari law requires proceedings to take place in Qatar in Arabic, unless the court decides otherwise. Although the Qatari courts are generally regarded as reliable, their expertise to deal with construction issues is questionable. This may be considered a drawback in the context of a highly technical, multi-milliondollar, hotly contested dispute, and as a result, Qatari courts
may eventually rely on court-appointed experts. Apart from the above provisions, the parties sometimes refer the disputes to the Claims Compensation Committee at the Ministry of Finance. The jurisdiction retained with this committee to adjudicate construction disputes is not clear for many practitioners. Arbitration is not so promoted in Qatar public works but the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry is instrumental in setting up arbitral rules for disputes in Qatar. However, there is no clear reason why the parties do not pursue arbitration since Qatar is signatory to the 1958 Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, making foreign arbitral awards enforceable in Qatar. However, there is a tendency for employers to look for alternatives, one of which is an amicable settlement. It gives extra contractual opportunity for the disputants to revisit the issues with their in-house expertise and arrive at an amicable settlement at the employer’s level. This is an important step especially in the public interest. The author is a contracts specialist for the Public Works Authority in Qatar.
www.constructionweekonline.com
018 SITE VISIT
Road building in Al Ain We drop in on a site employing new tech to its pavers PAVING A continuous flow of asphalt keeps road construction moving.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
www.constructionweekonline.com
019
SITE VISIT
G
reen is a word we hear banded about too much at the moment, but the inland city of Al Ain can use it both literally and figuratively, as despite recording the highest temperatures in the UAE the inland oasis enjoys an abundance of fresh vegetation all year round. On our visit, the city could hardly have been described as ‘hectic’ as little more than a few dusty pick-ups rolled down the palm-lined avenues. However, the government is planning for the future, and so it has decided that traffic will get a boost with the widening of the current four-lane carriageway in and out of the city.
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Already work is well underway, though as the project includes a 50km stretch from the Abu Dhabi border and right into the centre of town, where it connects to a new ring road. The road widening is welcomed, but with so many millions of dirhams being poured into the project, everybody wants to be assured of getting a top job – and the contractors want to be sure of delivering it. Unlike many desert highways, it isn’t simply a matter of widening a road over dust and sand. In fact the road spans over a number of bridges, which all need substantial engineering work, before passing through the existing road
network that skirts the city, resulting in a lot of urban re-planning.
MACHINES There is a lot to do, and one of the contractors, Mohammed Abdulmoshin Al Kharafi and Sons, has tracked in a lot of heavy equipment. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but on a trip along the worksite we saw lots of excavators, mostly Komatsu PC200s, as well as a number of Cat 966 loaders of various ages and the usual mix of trucks. At one point various mobile cranes, including a medium-weight Lorain, were gathered, presumably as part of one of the various bridge-widening projects.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
020 SITE VISIT
RESULTS Smooth results rely on constant care and attention.
Needless to say, for a road building site you’ll also want motor graders, and we saw lots of the ubiquitous Cat 14G and H series roaming the site, as well as a couple of Mitsubishi graders. Over on the ring road site it is Bin Dawish Contracting handling the road building works. However, it is the road laying kit that we are most interested in looking at. Laying a macadam road is pretty much the same everywhere, but a long straight road designed to be navigated at high speed is particularly sensitive to slight undulations. You might be familiar with the nagging sensation that you are steering a boat on the sea rather than a car, as it pitches up and down on an apparently flat road. This is because the top surface is not perfectly smooth – at speed even the slightest wrong grade can make the
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
ROLLER A Hamm GRW 18 waits in the wings for deployment.
vehicle pitch like a boat on choppy waters.
TECHNOLOGY Both contractors mentioned have bought technology which will help eliminate this problem. Previously, the site surveyor would have to mark out the land with stakes and twine, while simply knock-
ing the stake in to the ground another ‘notch’ to adjust the elevation. The paver operator would then have to do his best to keep in line with the wire – and given the speed road contractors were expected to work in the past, it is no wonder there are more than a few rather bumpy main roads around the region.
LOADING A constant supply of asphalt keeps pavers running.
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021
SITE VISIT
CONTROL Key operator controls are
FEEDER Hot asphalt is feed to the
kept close to hand.
paver by an Archimedes screw.
Getting the top coat right is the most important thing, according to Mickey Hales, general manager for local Topcon dealer TMAG. “It is critical that you get the smoothness on the final grade, it’s the other layers that should concentrate on the surveyor’s elevation and the thickness of the asphalt” he explained. “On the last two layers you should concentrate on ride-ability and smoothness. It’s like painting on the final coat.” The contractors on this project have turned to new technology to help solve this problem. PMV has reported before on how machine control using a mixture of GPS and laser tech can help, but on this occasion, the attention has been turned to the pavers themselves. On the Bin Darwish site, the Vogel pavers are as wide as you can buy them, yet it is going
to take three of them running side by side to lay each carriageway of the new super wide road. As we went on site, the machines had temporarily stopped – never good while pavers are rolling, but they needed to refill with asphalt. This at least gave us a chance to speak to the site foreman, Noah, who explained that the sonar system had made the operation much faster. “We think that we cut the amount of time paving by almost half,” he said, adding that the old method of using stakes with wire was incredibly difficult for the operators to follow. Fitted to the pavers is a series of sensors that each emit an ultrasonic signal that bounces from the ground, telling the machine operator exactly what the road profile is. To achieve a perfectly smooth road, the operator only
A STICKY SITUATION Tar was first used to coat the streets of what is now Baghdad, however modern asphalt is very different to the old goo. For a start, the modern material has a compound of aggregate in the mix, to help keep it bound together whatever the heat. Asphalt is typically stored and transported at temperatures around 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150°C). Some dump trucks route the hot engine exhaust through pipes in the dump body to keep the material warm. The backs of tippers carrying asphalt, as well as some handling equipment, are also sprayed with a releasing agent before filling to stop it sticking.
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September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
022 SITE VISIT
BASE Correct preparation of the base layers is key for smoothness.
needs to simply follow an arrow up or down. This can be used in conjunction with a laser level.
PAVERS At the Kharafi site, very similar equipment is used. Two extrawide pavers are both equipped with the sonar guides. A Vogel machine leads the way, flanked on the nearside by an ABG machine (now part of Volvo CE). These machines are making stately, but steady progress over the blacktop as the project advances. As Hales points out: “You really want to keep these things running for as long as possible – 18 hours a day preferably as stopstarting will put bumps in the road, though the actual run time is going to be determined by the amount of asphalt supplied,” he explained. Hales said that the technology behind the pavers themselves has remained similar since the concept was invented – after all, the Archimedes screw,
6
Number of sonic sensors fitted to each paver
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
“The last two layers should concentrate on ride-ability and smoothness.” – Mickey Hales central to the paver system, has quite literally, been around since the time of antiquity.
TRUCKS Speaking of which, there is a constant flow of trucks in and out of the job site. These tend to be rigid U-body heavy tipping trucks, and it appeared that most older units were based on Mercedes chassis, while newer looking units were invariably Renault. A couple of small bowser trucks also came and went from site during our visit – one water truck and one apparently carrying diesel for the site vehicles. Interestingly, these units were Bedford TKs – a British model which hasn’t been built since 1981, so somebody must have a keen mechanic. Behind the pavers, no less than four pneumatic tyre rollers are waiting for the surface to stabilise enough in order that they
can operate. All the pneumatics we saw are German-made units is Hamm, and like all tyre-rollers the condition of the rubber, right down to the tyre pressures needs to be exact to ensure good compaction. Also waiting in the wings is a Bomag steel drum finish roller, to ensure a top job.
The other big news in the road roller market is the development of ‘oscillating’ rollers in place of standard vibratory compaction rollers. These new machines are in demand on road building projects all over the world as the technology allows high compaction performance without producing damaging vibrations. The design also allows the roller to be used on bitumen at lower temperatures than previously possible. These roadworks to go yet but thanks to modern technology, pavers are able to cover huge distances and provide far better results than ever before.
IINTERFACE Paver operators follow sensors readings for best results.
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H Hoou ussee ooff E Eqqu uiippm meen ntt LLC LLC
8 x 100 Ton 4 x 100 Ton 4 x 100 Ton 2 x 100 Ton 2 x 100 Ton 2 x 50 Ton 2 x 50 Ton 2 x 40 Ton
240 m³/h 180 m³/h 160 m³/h 120 m³/h 90 m³/h 60 m³/h 45 m³/h 30 m³/h
Silo Acc. 8 units WAM 4 units WAM 4 units WAM 2 units WAM 2 units WAM 2 units WAM 2 units WAM 2 units WAM
Cement Silo 2 x 100 Ton 2 x 100 Ton 1 x 50 Ton Telescopic 2 x 40 Ton 2 x 40 Ton
Capacity 120 m³/h 90 m³/h 60 m³/h 45 m³/h 30 m³/h
Silo Acc. 2 units WAM 2 units WAM 1 units WAM 2 units WAM 2 units WAM
Mixers
1 unit.Twin Shaf 4500/3000 1 unit.Twin Shaf 3000/2000 1 unit.Planatery 1500/1000 1 unit.Planatery 1125/750 1 unit.Planatery 750/500
Mixers
2 units.Twin Shaf 4500/3000 1 unit.Twin Shaf 6750/4500 1 unit.Twin Shaf 6000/4000 1 unit.Twin Shaf 4500/3000 1 unit.Twin Shaf 3000/2000 1 unit.Planatery 1500/1000 1 unit.Planatery 1125/750 1 unit.Planatery 750/500
MOBILE CONCRETE MIXING PLANTS
Cement Silo
Capacity
STATIONARY CONCRETE MIXING PLANTS
024 ANALYSIS
FINDING THE FAKES
The growing market in counterfeit automotive spare parts requires diligent attention and regulation, reports Ben Roberts
E
ven today, the spare parts trade is healthy. The trade in components both aftermarket and original is bearing up well, and there is a rivalry between international brands to get a toehold in the GCC. In construction too, the ‘hidden machine’ trade – by which we mean the valves and motors that operate inside the building – are covered by a variety of suppliers. But for some building materials and auto part suppliers there is a
significant downside to this international mix and healthy competition – fake and dodgy copy products. Just to be clear, we are not talking about pattern parts or generic products here. We mean fake products which illegally bear the brand name and packaging of a legitimate firm.
SHARJAH Sharjah last month saw a dramatic example of construction’s
black market. Following a discovery by Italian electric pump manufacturer Pedrollo that products bearing its name were offered in a showroom in Dubai by Chinese firm Shano International, with its main storage in Sharjah, the Economic Development Departments of Sharjah and Dubai swooped on the outlet, claiming and destroying 13,750 pumps based on the Pedrollo design. The value of the pumps was estimated at US$1 million,
according to Pedrollo’s general manager Joseph Gomes. Gomes says this is an issue the company has fought for a number of years in Italy, and that the only resolution is a collective effort from all companies affected by counterfeit parts. “After 15 years the problem is yours, the problem is mine, the problem is everybody’s. It has become a global problem, and we need to fight it globally, not individually,” he says.
DANGER Fake parts lack the quality of genuine, tested components.
SWOOP A recent bust in Sharjah
RUBBISH The only safe use of
uncovered $1bn in fake car parts.
these pumps is as paperweights.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
www.constructionweekonline.com
025
ANALYSIS ANALYSIS
Pie chart total value: US$1.329 trillion
$2 billion – (billion) terfeit airline parts counterfeit $51.4 – (billion) software piracy acy
other othe err
$60 – (billion) web video piracy $200 – (billion) in $20 pharmaceutical p pha h drugs d dru
$64.82 – (billion) prescription drugs ugs
$100 – (billion) (b bill illion io o counterfeit electronics rfe rf feit eitt el Source: Havocscope Black Market Products
RISKS The impact of counterfeit goods goes beyond the loss of sales, or even the infringement on copyright, manufacturers say. Low quality copies of products can present significant risks to the end user. Pedrollo points out that a genuine electric pump from their factory contains a copperenamelled motor winding part at the centre. The fake versions contain motor winding parts made from aluminium. “If electricity is passing through inside the motor and the copper is not high quality then automatically the motor will burn, then fire,” adds senior sales executive A N Natesan. Gomes adds that the pumps are subjected to a year of internal testing before they are brought to the market. When fake versions appear on the market soon after an official launch, they typically lack any such procedures or international standards. It was the second major haul from the Sharjah department in the last quarter. At the beginning of April inspectors destroyed thousands of expired and defecwww.constructionweekonline.com
$700m Estimated value of black market products in UAE
tive LPG cylinders. The consequences of one of those failing through defective parts or manufacture is alarming. H E Ali bin Salem Al Mahmoud, SEDD general manager, at the time outlined the three-point approach by the department that resulted in the successful claim. “Firstly, we monitor the market and seize any LPG cylinders flooding in through a variety of unauthorised distribution channels; secondly, we regularly check the cylinders in the market and exchange the defective and expired ones; and thirdly, we launch awareness campaigns to raise public awareness on the safe use of LPG cylinders, and to educate the public to reject defective and expired cylinders,” he said. These are no means the only fake busts that have happened in
Sharjah recently. Last year some 30,000 fake truck parts, mostly bearing the Bosch brand name were destroyed. The raids resulted in the confiscation and destruction this week of more than 30,000 counterfeit auto parts of various German brands. In addition, the counterfeit dealer was banned from participating in a major regional automotive exhibition. It was revealed that the authorities who carried out the raids found that some of the fake prod-
ucts were already packed and ready to be shipped to a neighbouring GCC country. “In our bid to fight counterfeiting, we have been working closely with our service providers who regularly update us and the municipalities with information about potential counterfeiters,” said Volker Bischoff, GM of Bosch ME. “We believe that this successful raid in Sharjah will send a strong message to those involved in dealing with fake auto parts that the UAE Govern-
SPOTTED Fake products are hard to spot, often boxed in OE packaging.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
026 ANALYSIS
ment will not show any leniency towards offenders.” Bischoff pointed out that counterfeiters are taking advantage of Bosch’s reputation of manufacturing top quality auto spare parts. “Motorists around the world know that the Bosch brand stands for excellence and quality, and unfortunately this is what the pirate manufacturers are capitalising on,” he said. “However, in recent years we have introduced several measures to combat product piracy, most importantly the keySecure label.” Elsewhere in Sharjah a number of construction tools were seized, this time bearing the Stanley brand, though on this occasion the raid was conducted by the Dubai Economic Department. The haul of some 14,000 products included levels, snip cutters and chisels. However, despite the raids the trade continues. Perhaps one of the reasons why is the level of fines in Sharjah. Back in 1992 somebody caught selling dodgy goods in one of the emirate’s souks could expect an AED5,000 fine or face prison. That was an ample punishment then, but the law has not been updated since and it is little more than a slap on the wrists for offenders who rake in thousands through fake parts.
JUNK Sharjah authorities destroyed the haul of fake parts.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
BUST The haul revealed 13,750 parts, ready for distribution.
“After 15 years it has become everyone’s problem, and we need to fight it globally,” – Joseph Gomes
BLACK MARKET
15-30% Counterfeit goods in KSA – Hemaya Universal
Black market opportunities arise when providers cannot fulfil orders at the official market price. The size and speed of growth seen in the last decade in places like Dubai increases the need for quick and cheap products that can be sold on. Even in markets that have seen slower growth, such as Oman, a deficiency of supply leaves holes for rogue traders, especially when they are one step ahead of authority action to balance the market. From 2007 to 2008, the country had suffered a shortage of cement as development in Oman increased. In 2008 two Asians were arrested for counterfeit cement above market rates in the Wilayat of Ibri in the Sultanate. It was less than ten days after the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
announced it was considering a revision to its import duty to help reduce the local cost.
SAUDI Saudi Arabia has not been immune to fake goods. Ahmed Al-Dedy, a manager at Exova Company in Saudi Arabia, revealed in a whitepaper earlier this month that Saudi Arabia loses more than SR41 billion from commercial fraud. In the first half of 2010, eight million counterfeit items were confiscated, he found. In UAE, Gomes says it is important that contractors are aware of the proliferation of fake merchandise, but, adds there needs to be a better regulatory framework to act as both protectorate and deterrent. An AED 5,000 flat fine for rogue trader is too low and needs to be proportionate, and traders found guilty should have their licenses revoked, he added. “A trader may have sold ten containers and may be losing a small amount of money [in fines],” he adds. “[The authorities] are on the right track but not much is done to safeguard the companies that are investing millions into Dubai’s economy.” www.constructionweekonline.com
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028 PRODUCTS
NEW PRODUCTS
Tools and toys to help you with the job in hand
BRUSH SAW Korean-owned compact equipment firm Bobcat has launched a new attachment known as a ‘brush saw.’ The saw has an operating weight of 268kg though a special applications kit is required for use on the loader when operating the brush saw. Steel deflector shields protect the operator and loader from flying debris. The saw is approved for use on all of the maker’s skid-steer loaders from the S100 to the S330, including the new generation models. The attachment is also approved for the entire line up of Bobcat compact tracked loaders. www.bobcat.co./eu
SILVER COMPACTION The maker of walk-behind compaction plates is bringing its wares to the Middle East. The Silver Fox compaction range comprises of the SFA3500, which is designed specifically for work on asphalt. Other models include a small 33 cm (13 in) wide compactor; and for larger dirt jobs the very wide SFP5100. All models are available with a variety of engines: Honda, Robin, Briggs and Stratton or a diesel engine – for compaction of multiple surfaces. www.stone-equip.com
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
www.constructionweekonline.com
029
PRODUCTS
SCISSOR LIFT A push-around scissor lift for low-level access, the Pop-Up scissor lift, also branded as the UpRight Pax has a platform height of 1.6m, fits through a single doorway and weighs only 235kg. With a compact footprint and no outriggers, the maker says that the machine is easy to manoeuvre and operate in small, tight working environments. www.upright.com
CAT TRACK LOADER You don’t see many track loaders in these pages (as opposed to wheel loaders or bulldozers), so it is nice to bring you the new 973D. The machine features load-sensing hydraulics, joystick steering, new operator’s station (with tilting cab) and 10 percent more power than its 973C predecessor. The new loader carries on the 973C’s “all-purpose performer” reputation and retains much of its solid design, including the Cat C9 engine, hydrostatic drive, singlefabrication mainframe, Z-bar loader linkage and oscillating undercarriage. www.zahid.com
STARBUS HITS STREETS The latest vehicle to be built for the UAE’s federal guidelines for school buses is branded Tata, though actually a joint venture between the Indian company and Marcopolo. The Starbus incorporates features, including tooth-guards, guardrails, semi-sliding windows, a door with an alarm, anti-skid floors, retractable lower first step (on the 52seater), stop switches on each window pillar, emergency exit doors and much more. The bus is specified with power steering, both tilt and telescopic type, and automated manual transmission (6-speed cable shift) make manoeuvring easy. Powered with a new generation Tata 3-litre DICOR BS-IV compliant engine the Starbus is available with 17seater, 32-seater and 52-seater options. www.tata.in
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September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
030 IN PICTURES
MACHINE MONTH The month in pictures across the heavy equipment world. Stuck in China Rain and the resulting mudslides devastated parts of northern China last month. In this picture, people travel across the water in the relative safety of the bucket of a wheel loader. We think the loader is a Komatsu, though it might be a locally made equivalent. The men and their military escorts were charged with the grim task of locating flood victims following heavy rains in the Gansu province.
Getting wet Indian villagers ride on a farm tractor branded ‘Escori’ following recent rain in Smadh Bhai village near Moga, some 120 kms south of Amritsar at the end of July. Ancient machinery is struggling to cope across the subcontinent, following a particularly heavy monsoon season.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
www.constructionweekonline.com
031
IN PICTURES
H
Know the drill A pair of drilling rigs, one of them a Liebherr LB 28 XL performs tests ahead of diaphragm wall and pile construction for a project in Hanoi known as the Eurowindow Multi Complex. The development is a G+25 mixed-use tower with three basement levels.
Hyundai breaks ground on Chinese loader factory A Korean conglomerate has its eyes firmly on the East as it broke ground on a new plant in Taian, Shandong province in China. With an investment of $48 million, the new factory is scheduled to be completed by May 2011. Upon completion, the factory will have an annual production capacity of 8,000 units of 3-ton and 5-ton wheel loaders, the highest selling models in China.
www.constructionweekonline.com
Drilling for drink A Malaysian contractor lines up borehole equipment to drill for the most valuable fuel on Earth – water. The gear has been delivered to borehole drilling specialist GeoPacific Sdn Bhd of Malaysia for use in groundwater development and deep tube-well projects throughout the country.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
GOT A JOB TO DO? WE’RE HERE TO HELP Terex Construction in the Middle East At Terex, ‘Works For You’ is more than a slogan – it’s a promise. It’s what you can count on from our equipment and the Terex team in the Middle East, who is here to support you. From site dumpers to off-highway rigid trucks, compact excavators to backhoe loaders – we’ve got the right machine to do the work for you.
Terex offers the complete solutions: Tough, Quality Range of Construction Equipment for all Applications Network of Dealers Throughout the Middle East World Wide Parts Distribution Aftermarket Support Minimising Downtime
From choosing the right equipment, to providing the parts and service to keep it producing for years to come, the responsive Terex team is dedicated to your success.
Terex Middle East LLC Pinnacle Building, Sheikh Zayed Road Al Barsha, Dubai, UAE P.O. Box No 282325 Tel: + 971 4 3990381 www.terex.com
Bahrain Iraq Kuwait Lebanon Oman
Kanoo Autos International W.L.L. ALCA TIECO Michel Sehnaoui & FILS S.A.L. Al Fairuz Trading & Cont.Co.LLC
+973 7 709 8966 +962 6 5655070 +965 2 4819188 +961 1 580491 +968 2 456 2645
Qatar Qatar Saudi Arabia UAE Yemen
Al Obeidly & Gulf Eternit Trading WLL +974 44 662 372 Rumaillah Motors W.L.L +974 44 606 091 GCC Olayan +966 1 233 3111 EAE AL MASAOOD +971 2 555 4387 Ashibami Corp.for Trading and Gen. Agencies +967 1 420117
© Terex Corporation 2010 – Terex is a registered trademark of Terex Corporation in the United States of America and many other countries.
033
TOP LIST
All in one Fed up with the mix and match of different brands of machines on your site? Here are a few manufacturers that can supply the whole lot in one hit. JCB The Staffordshire-based firm is best known for the famous backhoe-loader – a concept it claims to have invented. However the firm now offers a complete line of equipment, with excavators ranging from tiny half-tonne micro diggers right up to a 55-ton backhoe, with about two dozen other models, both wheeled and tracked in between. Nowadays, the group also sells a line of site vehicles, including various dump and haul trucks as well as a line of telehandlers and the one-armed ‘Robot’ skid-steer range. Following the purchase of the ‘Vibromax’ group, JCB also produces a wide number of compaction and compression equipment, including vibratory plates and rollers.
CATERPILLAR Still the largest equipment producer in the world, Cat offers something for just about every job site. Famous for developing (though not inventing) the ‘Caterpillar’ tracks, the firm became known for its line of crawler tractors and bulldozers. Making everything else came relatively late for the firm, but following a series of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures after WW2, the group started producing heavy mining trucks forklifts, excavators of all capacities and just about everything else in between. Today the group has a product in every equipment category – even forestry equipment is well catered for.
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September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
034 TOP LIST VOLVO CE Volvo Construction Equipment shares little except brand values with its car-making namesake these days. However, following the acquisition of a number of firms over the years (notably most of Ingersoll-Rand in 2007), it now offers just about everything for the construction industry, with a particular emphasis on after sales service. The core products include articulated dump trucks motor graders, backhoe loaders, skid steer loaders, as well as mini and compact excavators. Additionally the
group makes skid steers, and wheel loaders, pipelayers, demolition equipment, waste handlers and scraper haulers. The firm has production facilities in Sweden, Germany, China, Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, India, and Poland. With the purchase of Ingersoll Rand, Volvo acquired a Road Construction facility in Pennsylvania, their only presence in the United States. The company offers worldwide service and spare-part distribution as well as a wide range of attachments.
LIUGONG Hot on the heels of the established players, some of the Chinese firms also want a piece of the action. Perhaps the most high-profile of these is LiuGong – a company which has been operating for more than 50 years, but has only come into international recognition recently. The brand is known for its wheel loaders, which were brought up to modern standards through a now-defunct JV with Cat in the 1990s. However, the company has its own R&D team to promote new designs, and a JV with ZF to produce axles and diffs is still very much current. Besides the wheel loaders, the company now also makes backhoe loaders, skid-steers and a wide line up of excavators. Future plans include factories outside of China – the firm has already broken ground on a plant in India. Watch out for this brand in the future.
TEREX CONSTRUCTION Terex is a hard brand to pin down. Originally it was formed in the late 1960s as an offshoot of GM, when the Justice Department ruled that the automaker could make and sell cars and trucks for the road, but not also off-highway machines. The firm has gone through periods of expansion, acquisitions and then consolidation several times over the years, meaning that the group has around fifty sub-brands under its belt. This means a huge range of kit is available from one dealer, with Terex Construction alone stocking scrapers, telehandlers, backhoe loaders, lighting rigs and much more. A particularly interesting offering from the firm is the range of ‘tracked utility vehicles’ – previously marketed under the brand name ASV. These machines do the job of a tip-bed pick-up, but with the go-anywhere ability and low ground pressure associated with rubber tracked vehicles. The 548-ton Terex 33-19 “Titan” remains the largest truck ever made. Only one was produced, but it served 13 years before it was taken out of service and put on permanent display in Canada. Recently, the group sold off its mining shovel business to Bucyrus. The most famous product in this line is the RH-series monster, most recently seen brought to life in the Transformers movie series.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
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035
TOP LIST
DOOSAN INFRACORE This giant Korean conglomerate is just one part of an even larger group which covers everything from shipbuilding to furniture. Infracore used to be known as the Heavy Industry and Machinery Division, and builds a line of construction equipment including excavators, wheel loaders and forklifts. Following the acquisition of a number of other firms, including Skoda’s power generation business, Norwegian-built Moxy haul trucks and Bobcat compact equipment, the brand is able to compete in every sector of the industry.
CNH CASE-NEW HOLLAND In the Middle East, Case CE is perhaps best known for its backhoe loaders and is often thought of as being a European manufacturer – possibly due to its association with New Holland as the CNH group. In fact, the firm these days is a multinational, but was originally set up in America, when Jerome Case developed the first steam engine for agricultural use. These days the CNH group (which came into existence when Case and New Holland merged in 1999) offers everything related to construction equipment, including excavators, skid steers of various sizes, dump trucks, dozers and more. Interestingly, Case, like JCB can also lay claim to have developed the backhoe loader as the first machine of this type entered production 50 years ago. www.constructionweekonline.com
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
036 TOP LIST HITACHI Admittedly, this firm doesn’t make absolutely everything, but a wide range of excavators, crawler cranes and aerial work platforms mean that Hitachi (its name literally means ‘rising sun’) can offer many plant hire firms everything it will need from one manufacturer. It’s particularly relevant now that the group also manufactures rigid dump haulers, following the purchase of Euclid trucks. Interestingly, the firm manufactures crawler cranes with the option of rubber tracks.
TEREX CRANES Another mention for Terex is well deserved, as the crane division is the only manufacturer to offer a full line of lifting machines, ranging from the knuckleboom to the largest crawler ever built. Like all of Terex group, the range is collated from the output of no less than 15 ‘legacy brands’ including Ferro, Koehring, Bantam and American. Perhaps the finest example currently working on industrial projects around the region is the Terex-Demag CC8800-1 twin. This elegant giant has a capacity of 3,200 tons – more than three times the power of most heavy crawlers.
KOMATSU It’s the second largest machine maker in the world, though without the brand recognition among the general public enjoyed by some of the other well-known names. Interestingly, the firm has been around for many years, as it started up as an iron foundry in Japan (the company is named after the city it was founded in, not the other way around as sometimes happens in Asia.) During the 1960s, the then MD of the firm decided to export its kit to try and counter the image of Japanese products being cheap and poorly made. Using the mantra ‘maru-C’ (literally ‘encircle Caterpillar’ the group aimed to offer everything that the Arizona-based firm did, at an equivalent or better standard. The strategy worked. Today Komatsu offers equipment and service in all sectors and the firm is working on various fuel saving technologies ahead of tough new emission laws that are set to come in to force.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
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502017 BIG 5 ADS 2010 S2 OL.indd 1
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038 RETREAD
CARCASS Preparing the old tyre is critical to ensuring the new tread adheres correctly.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
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039
RETREAD
BACK IN
BLACK Retread tyres have an unflattering reputation but correct production and modern techniques eliminate risks and keeps you rolling
S
ome months ago, we took a look at the retreading process. Once again, as the desert sun is still scorching the sand, we thought we would take another look, and include some details on how best to care for the only contact your fleet has with the road. Both in Europe and the US it is extremely common to find tyres that have been given a second life through a process known as ‘retreading’, or ‘remoulding’. Strict EU legislation ensures that the quality of the refurbished
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products remains comparable to brand new products. In fact, some tyre casings in the UK get re-used several times over, and in the US a law was introduced that required the use of retread tyres on government vehicles such as school buses in order to reduce costs and waste. With this in mind, it surprised us to find out that the use of retread tyres is not popular in the GCC, even on heavy roadgoing trucks, where fleet managers generally drive costs down to the last dirham. In fact, it seems
that the majority of fleet managers didn’t even realise that retreads were available in the GCC, or that they are even legal. One myth that surrounds retread tyres is that they are more likely to fail than new rubber. While it is true that a lack of regulation has hampered the trade – essentially anybody with a sander and a stack of old tyres could set up a retread company – but now some firms have invested in modern technology which would comply with the latest international guidelines.
OLD There is no shortage of suit-
NEW After the retreading process,
able retread carcasses in dumps
looks and perform just like their
and landfills in the UAE.
new counterparts.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
040 RETREAD
BUFFER Removing tread impurities
TREAD New rubber is applied to
and preparing the carcass is a
the carcass. Glue is used as a
hands on job.
primary bond prior to autoclaving.
This increases the cost, but the finished product is still a lot cheaper than a new tyre. According to Uday Kumar, factory manager at Al Dobowi, a tyre dealer and retread franchise owner in Dubai, there is no problem with the rubber. “Our plant is built to EC 109 standard. There is no requirement to build to EC Standards here, but it gives people confidence” he said. The operation is a franchise from Bandag, a company owned by Bridgestone and operated in the UAE by Al Dobowi.
CASING The first step is to pick a decent, premium-brand carcass. This is not too hard in the UAE, as there are vast reserves of discarded stocks to choose from. From these mountains, selected tyres are brought to the depot and the retreading process begins. First, the tyre is placed on a dolly and hit with a ‘hammer’ – a special tool that quickly ensures there are no broken belts. Kumar said, “We select the best [casing] by look, we inspect
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
WHY DO RETREADS HAVE A BAD NAME? Like all tyres, and indeed all products, there are good remould tyre processes and bad ones. Where ‘back street’ operations, usually small tyre repairing shops in developing regions have obtained basic equipment, the result is usually less than professional. For a start, if the casing is not sound, then the finished product never will be either. Secondly, if the casing isn’t buffed properly, the new tread won’t cure on to it correctly. This can cause the tread to start physically peeling off and become known as a ‘flapper’. Modern coldcuring processes have no such issues.
the crown and the tyre wall. Inside and outside and everywhere. With the hammer test, there are several layers of steel belts and they should be intact.” This preliminary inspection is used mainly to screen out the many unusable casings before the next stage, which is an automatic buffing machine which boasts a CNC-controlled laser.
LASER Laser shearography, as it is known, measures the shape of the tyre when it is under stress. Once the tyre is mounted on the machine, the beam scans the shape, and calculates exactly how much tread the old tyre has left, and how much it needs to buff off.
After the computations are complete, the wheel spins, and a buffer cleans the walls before taking off the old tread. In a short time, the machine leaves the old carcass devoid of tread, but with a surface rough enough to bond the new mould on to it later. Next, the laser scans the subject again, and an operator makes a manual note of the dimensions, which are displayed on a computer screen. Out of interest, this modern device offers a far more accurate way of sanding down the treads than has been offered before in the region, and it is said to be the first of its type anywhere in the UAE. www.constructionweekonline.com
041
RETREAD
BIG JOBS They may be massive, but the process of retreading an excavator tyre is the same.
PREPARATION After the skiver gouges out any pocks, the holes are fill with unvulcanised rubber.
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WHY TYRES FAIL There are all sorts of reasons why a tyre might fail, says Paul Austin Price at trailer building firm Gorica. “Maintenance is the main factor – usually this means the pressures are not checked, which can obviously causes huge wear on the tyre from under inflation which leads to a blowout” he explained. “Overloading is very common in the UAE,” Price added. “Trailers are often expected to haul any load that can be fitted on them, without thinking about the effect that has on the tyres. Overloading will destroy tyres sooner or later.” Twisted or misaligned axles will also scrub the tread off very quickly and contribute to failure, while cuts in the sidewall will also cause blowouts. Extreme heat will also finish off tyres very quickly. This isn’t helped by the high ambient temperatures in the GCC of course, but it is the extra friction generated by a combination of the other causes mentioned that will finally blow a tyre into a thousand pieces across the carriageway.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
042 RETREAD “We have various types of design, for on-road, off-road or a combination. We have treads for the cement industry and for the quarry industry. All of the machines that you see here are brought in from Belgium” he pointed out.
TREAD BUILDING
SCAN An ultrasonic scan reveals the condition of the casing prior to the skiving process.
ULTRASONIC The next stage takes place in an old tiled office, that houses another complex machine. This equipment analyses the casing, but this time using ultrasonic sound waves to determine the condition of the casing. Essentially it is doing the same job as the man with the hammer but it is, of course, far more accurate. The installation divides the casing into several different areas, each marked by a different colour. Using this as a reference, a graph is produced on a computer screen, with sound waves scrolling across it, very similar to the readout on an oscilloscope, or even a heartbeat
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
monitor. This not only provides detailed information about the condition of the carcass, but is necessary to meet EU 109 production standards. After this, the tyre moves on to a machine called a ‘skiver’. This device is necessary to gouge out any pocks. Un-vulcanised rubber is then used to repair these marks, while anything else, such as punctures, are fixed. After this the casing is put in a wrap and it is then ready to have the new tread applied. “The rubber cement is just to hold the tread rubber until curing. After that it is totally different and uses a chemical process with the heat” Kumar said.
Applying the tread is a process known as building. In Europe you need to remove the original numbers on the sidewall, but there is no need to do that here, although the firm does stamp its brand on the tyre wall. “Then we put the production date on the tyre. It is not a legal requirement, it is only for our identification. You will know when they are produced. We keep records about every tyre, through every step of the process,” Kumar explained. “There are two envelopes. The point of enveloping is that the tread will be compressed onto the casing until curing.” “The tyre will be inspected again, and the final thing to do is the date stamp” he concluded. Interestingly, the new tread arrives in flat strips which are then pressed on to the tyre to
form the new rolling surface. The rubbers then cure together in a tube-shaped machine known as an ‘autoclave’ with nineteen other tyres on a rack. Although the autoclave maintains a temperature of around 100 degrees, the process is known as ‘cold curing’, as ‘hot curing’, a different method not employed by this plant, uses higher temperatures. With earthmover tyres process remains the same, but on a bigger scale. Most of the time the tyre is not available for retreading, as the sidewalls burst long before the tread is worn out. Once curing is complete, the tyre is subjected to a final internal and external inspection. Once the technician is satisfied, it receives the factory’s unique date code stamped into the tyre wall, while the finished product then gets a coating of black on the tyre wall. It’s a complex and thorough process that ensures the quality of retread tyres remains at the highest levels. And, with the ecological and economical benefits retread tyres offer, fleet managers would be well advised to look at just how much money can be saved by using them.
ARE RETREADS LEGAL IN THE UAE? Retread tyres are not illegal in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. In fact, their use is cautiously encouraged as it reduces the number of tyres festering in toxic dumps and landfills around the region. However, various newspaper reports last year confused the issue. Colonel Saif Rashid Muhair of the general department of traffic in Dubai police was quoted as saying, “1,210 heavy vehicles have been fined for violating safety rules for using retread tyres”. All new tyre casings have a date code stamped on the sidewall, which is used in certain jurisdictions to dictate the useful life of a tyre. Properly remade tyres have a new code put on the sidewall, which supersedes any other markings. Interestingly, all parties agree that the sale of secondhand tyres is perfectly legal, providing they are not too old and in good condition inside and out.
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043
WORKER CITYWELFARE PROFILE
BEAT THE HEAT Survive the summer months with PMV’s top tips for working in extreme heat. hile other regions look forward to the summer months to provide them with some respite to the cooler winters, summer in the GCC is intense. It drives people indoors, stops construction in its tracks and makes life unbearable for those forced to struggle through power outages and a lack of airconditioning. The heat also kills. Though many GCC countries have implemented work bans during peak hours which have helped reduce the risk of accidents, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the risks remain for anyone exposed to the intense summer temperatures for prolonged periods. The work ban has reduced the number of incidents but it will nev-
W
DRINK Keeping you fluids up during the day by drinking every 15-20 minutes.
er eliminate the risk entirely. There are, however, a few simple things that managers and workers themselves can do to help reduce the risks posed by
working in extreme temperatures. In all circumstances, prevention is better than a cure - and the measures required are reasonably simple and straight-
forward. Well-hydrated workers with good nutrition and reasonable fitness skills rarely suffer, even in the most extreme circumstances.
SIX SIMPLE TIPS FOR WORKING IN EXTREME HEAT 1) Acclimatise yourself Most workers in the Middle East have experienced extreme heat but local conditions can make all the difference. A worker used to prolonged exposure to sub-tropical heat may suffer when it comes to working in desert conditions. Experts say you can reduce the risk of this happening by exposing them to working in a hot environment for progressively longer periods. 2) Replace fluids Provide plenty of cool water or any cool liquid (except
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caffeinated beverages like Red Bull, Coke, Mountain Dew) to workers and encourage them to drink small amounts frequently. 3) Limit physical demands Why have your men dig a hole when you can get a machine to do it in a fraction of the time? By reducing physical exertion such as excessive lifting, climbing, or working with heavy objects, you limit the risk of physical exhaustion. Certain jobs need to be done by hand, so make sure you have plenty of relief workers or assign
extra help to minimise overexertion. 4) Provide recovery areas Easier said than done on most construction sites, but air-conditioned enclosures and rooms with water to hand certainly help workers to get through the day. 5) Reschedule jobs The midday work ban takes the sting out of working through the hottest part of the day for most workers in the GCC region, but often “hot” jobs – jobs in the open, or in areas that are
particularly unpleasant – can be rescheduled. Early morning, when the cooler night air sweeps through the region, is perfect. Some Bahraini companies have even switched to night shifts but that too comes with additional risks. 6) Monitor others Particularly those at risk of heat stress, such as those wearing semi-permeable or impermeable clothing when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees. No-one is above reproach when it comes to working in extreme heat.
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
Essential insights into the Middle East’s plant, machinery and vehicle markets.
045
COUNTRY CITY PROFILE
DOHA, QATAR With civil works and infrastucture projects planned, Doha offers ripe pickings for contractors here is still plenty of opportunity for suppliers, contractors and machine specialists in the oncesleepy country of Qatar. Different from other Gulf States which have been focusing on construction and real estate projects, Qatar is taking a multi-pronged approach to development that encompasses everything from infrastructure, through to healthcare and education. It is little secret that Qatar owes its riches to oil revenue – and like other countries it is using this wealth to modernise both the civil and petrochemical infrastructure. Tourism was given a boost back in 2006 when the country hosted the Asian Games, which required a huge amount of work to get stadia, athletes’ villages and the associated tourism infrastructure for visitors ready in time. However, the downturn hit Qatar like everywhere else, though the abundance of oil money meant that it recovery came reasonably quickly.
ROADS AND ROAD BUILDING PROJECTS
T
MATERIALS Qatar can produce its own fuel, but pretty much all other construction materials need to be shipped in. This makes it particularly vulnerable to peaks and troughs in supply and price of concrete, steel and so on, which is a point heavy equipment owners should bear in mind when considering the likely cashflow of the lead contractor. In particular, the country is reliant on the UAE for aggregates such as cement. As the UAE itself
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Getting lorries and equipment around Qatar has been the usual experience for most operators, with pitted roads and unfit-for purpose intersections. However, a massive new road building program has been underway for the past few years, bringing benefits to road users and road builders alike. There are many new roads and interchanges being commissioned by Ashghal – the country’s civic works department. Among the major road projects implemented so far, is the Gharafa Interchange, which serves as an entry point to Doha for traffic from the northern cities like Al Khor, Ras Laffan, Shamal and Zabara. It consists of a threetiered flyover with three lanes on each direction to the length of 900m, and an underpass with three lanes, with a length of 900m. The Al Asiri Interchange is also
DIGGING DOHA With a vibrant economy, the Doha construction industry is healthy.
experienced a shortfall in the amount of cement for domestic consumption some time ago, supplying neighboring countries came quite far down the list. Amazingly, until a couple of years ago, aggregates could only be bought from an approved list of suppliers. Fortunately, in a recent diversification of resources, firms are now allowed to import their own stocks to bolster supplies. In addition, local firms are bringing in their own production equipment, such as batching plants, crushers and other process-controlled equipment.
QATAR: FAST FACTS Population
907,000 (2007 estimate)
Religions
Muslim (77.5%) Christian (8.5%) All other (14%)
Languages
Arabic, English
Industries
Petrochemical products including LNG, tourism, steel, fertilisers, ship repair
Imports
Machinery and transport equipment, construction commodities, food, chemical products (Total: US $12.36bn – est.)
Import partners
France (13.3%) Japan (6.8%) USA (6.2%) Germany (5.2%) UAE (4.2%)
September 2010 \\ PMV Middle East
046 CITY PROFILE
an important road project that has been completed to provide easy traffic flow between the west cities and the capital Doha. The 2km long interchange consists of three-lane dual carriageway with an over bridge stretching to 1350m. The ongoing Salwa International Highway project extends from Doha to the Abu Samra check post bordering Saudi Arabia. This 81km long highway with four lane dual carriage way serves as an expressway. It is being built according to international specifications. The salient features of this highway are emergency side parking spots and parallel service roads with 15 intersections. It will be provided with all the necessary infrastructure services such as electricity, telecommunication and drainage system. Traffic safety shall be the hallmark of all these projects, with adequate landscaping and illumination.
DRAINAGE Not the most glamorous of topics, but as the capital expands, so does its need to get rid of waste. In fact, a lot of it appears to have been done already, with around a dozen projects appearing on the municipality’s completed projects READY Qatar’s development plans are massive, with dozens of projects on the go.
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
list. There are still contracts going for more, though with a drainage and outfall system at Markhia, a whole sewage network at Aziziyya and a sewage treatment works at Al Thakhira.
SKYLINE Doha’s city centre is being replaced with the Heart of Doha project.
OPERATORS According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Qatar has the highest GDP per capita in the world. This is offset somewhat by having some of the poorest migrants in the world – even by Gulf standards. A report by the US State Department has found that bringing migrants in to the country under false promises and then keeping them as workers in effective slavery is commonplace. The report found that all the usual tricks are common among unscrupulous employers, such as with holding passports, paying irregularly, as well as falsifying the wage chitty. To this end the government has commissioned contacting agency Barwa to build a ‘Workers City’ which will meet all modern requirements for welfare and safety. However, the ‘sponsorship’ system where an employer takes full responsibility for an employee, including if and when they are allowed to leave, is still alive and well.
Anyone using subcontractors would do well to bear this in mind. It is worth noting that while the conditions of migrant workers are lamentable, Qatar has a much better track record than other GCC countries in employing nationals.
DEVELOPMENTS In spite of the downturn, there is an exciting amount of new builds happening in Doha. In a process that would be called urban renewal in the West, the rag-tag assortment of concrete buildings, souks and narrow streets that make up the old heart of Doha, are to be ripped out and transplanted with a new mega-development fitting called ‘New Heart of Doha’. The new development will include 226 buildings ranging from 3 to 30 floors high. Plans include a theatre, a museum and even a tram system. The design phase has been handled by Allies and Morrison from the UK and Burns & McDonnell of the USA. Contracts are still being awarded for the work. Of course, most of the folk who live and work in the current old town won’t be able to afford a place in the new, so once again Barwa along with Marbu Contracting has stepped in and is building the Barwa Village. “It is a big
development valued at US $412 m” explained project manager Khalid Abdulla Al Hitmi. “It’s a mixed residential and commercial development and it is like one of those gated communities that you have in Dubai and in other places of the Gulf. The project has all sorts of amenities including an international standard school, nursery, park, public plaza, playground, shopping plaza, admin centre and a mosque,: he continued. “The quality of construction is also very good, but then in Qatar the quality of the finish and construction is generally much better than in other places,” he adds.
AIRPORT It isn’t all low rise residential projects though, Qatar already has a busy airport, with a somewhat overcrowded terminal building used as a transit hub for people flying all over the region and the world. While adequate, Doha plans to have a facility that will rival the best in the world. The New Doha International Airport, being developed by Bechtel, will be built just east of the existing terminal. One of the first jobs for heavy machines will be to move the old rubbish dump to a new and better landfill facility.
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048 BACK TRACK
LA LASTING McAdam’s revolutionary ide ideas remain the world’s most eff effective road surface paving system.
THE END OF AN ERA? Why do we refer to roads as being Macadamised? Because of Mr McAdam of course…
W
e’ve said a lot about roads, tarmac and tyres in this issue, but it has been a long time since we looked at the guy who made it all possible: John McAdam. It is hard to believe, but before the Industrial Revolution, no real progress had been made on road building technology since the Romans went bust. Given that a wagon and horses (or camel) were the only overland transport, you might have though someone would evolve the pot-holed mud tracks, but it wasn’t until one of the fathers of the cast iron age, the engineer Thomas Telford picked up on some theoretical designs
PMV Middle East \\ September 2010
for roads with a hardcore base and a water run off camber, that anything actually got done. Telford’s methods, though effective, needed a lot of work. The system was fussy, it required a lot of masonry work and took a long time to lay. His theories on drainage, however, was a major step forward in road design. Another Scot, John Loudon McAdam developed a far simpler and more effective idea. He had been working as a highways engineer and surveyor in Bristol, England for several years and theorised that complex base cores were unnecessary. Using far less materials, McAdam realised that a decent, paved road which ensured smooth
running and decent water rolloff could be built for a fraction of the cost of Telford’s complex method. Straight away, he realised the potential of the development, and he wasted no time in preparing a report which he sent to the government, where he was made Chief of Public Works. Not everybody was so pleased though. Most major highways in the UK at the time operated as toll roads, and a large programme of works suddenly exposed their corrupt wrongdoing – and as a result of upsetting the wrong people, McAdam’s grant was slashed. It didn’t make any difference. By the time the rail network started to be built, the toll road system
was seen as a hindrance to free enterprise and was abolished. The McAdam process by this time covered every toll road in the UK – and it is still the way we build roads to this day. The final piece of the puzzle came when the first cars were starting to roam the highways. A man called Edgar Hooley worked out that an even smoother surface could be achieved by binding the McAdam with tar – hence Tarmacadam – or Tarmac as it became known. The rest of the story is , as they say, a well travelled road. Well, that’s about it from me. I hope you have enjoyed the magazine over the past three years and I wish all of you the very best for the future.
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