Homes joy for 3,000 in Bahrain

Bahrain’s Ministry of Housing has started handing over 3,000 homes in Hunainya to its citizens.

The beneficiaries had been given contracts entitling them to their respective units after finalising all procedures and requirements.

The move followed directives from His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Premier, to distribute 3,000 units to eligible citizens across Bahrain.

Turner & Townsend’s profits rise

Turner & Townsend has increased its Middle East turnover by a quarter, and its profits by nearly a third, in the year ended April 30, 2016. The consultancy’s strong performance in the Middle East – which saw regional turnover grow by 24 per cent to £32.2 million ($42.24 million) and operating profit climb 32 per cent to £5.1 million ($6.69 million) – helped drive its global revenue to a record £409 million ($539 million).

URC revenues grow 11pc in H1

United Real Estate Company (URC), Kuwait’s leading real estate developer, posted a revenue growth of 11 per cent to KD36 million ($119.32 million) for the first half of 2016, compared with the same period last year.

URC’s net profit for the six-month period was KD3 million ($9.94 million) compared to a net profit of KD3.65 million ($12.09 million) in the same period last year.  Despite challenging market conditions, URC said performance was in line with its targets.

Work starts on Nuwaidrat flyover

Bahrain has commenced work on the new Nuwaidrat flyover as part of the development of Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah Highway project (Alba/Nuwaidrat interchanges).

The Nuwaidrat flyover involves the installation of 153 piles of 1 m diameter and about 10 m deep. An in-situ concrete system using the post-tensioning technique will be used to construct the bridge.

Brown & Holmes eyes the Gulf

Brown & Holmes, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of workholding solutions, jigs and fixtures and manual handling solutions, has announced plans for expansion in the Gulf and other key markets.

Buoyed by the confidence of designing and manufacturing machinery and equipment for some of the world’s leading automotive, aerospace, petrochemical, environmental and manufacturing companies in a number of overseas markets, the company is now seeking strategic partners in the Gulf, Far East and the US,  export development manager Steve Parker said. 

Siemens energises substations

Siemens has energised the high-voltage substations built as part of a greenfield development under Kuwait National Petroleum Company’s (KNPC) Clean Fuels Project at Mina Al Ahmadi (MAA) and Mina Abdullah (MAB) refineries in Kuwait.

As part of a KD68-million ($225 million) contract, Siemens delivered and installed a 132-kV AHRF ‘C’ substation at MAA and a 300/132-kV MARF ‘W’ substation at MAB. 

The upgrade, which provides the refineries with their own substations, allows for an increase in the combined output of the two refineries to 800,000 barrels per day. Siemens also provided 250 km of cabling for the project.

Bahrain upgrades sewerage network

Bahrain has commenced work on Phase Six of its sewerage networks upgrade in Muharraq, the Northern and Capital governorates.

The project, which aims to reduce leakage of underground water into the network, comprises upgrading 8.4 km of sewerage connections with diameters between 150 and 400 mm. Germany’s Tubus-HTR is implementing the BD2.5-million ($6.58 million) project.

Hill JV receives extension on metro

Hill International’s joint venture with Astad Engineering Consultancy and Project Management Company has received a contract extension from Qatar Railways Company to continue providing project management services in connection with the Green Line, one of four major lines of the new Doha Metro.  

The 30-month extension has an estimated value of approximately QR157 million ($43.1 million). Hill is an 80 per cent partner in the venture.

Construction to boost Mideast FM

The Middle East’s facility management (FM) market will be fuelled by construction activities and the strong presence of multinational firms in the next five years, a report said.

The report, titled ‘The Future of Facility Management’ from Frost & Sullivan, added that globally, the market will touch $945.11 billion by 2025 with integrated FM (IFM) as the fastest growing segment.

The next five years will be defining ones for the facility management (FM) market, the report said.

Region-wise, the fastest growing FM markets will be Asia-Pacific and the Middle East even as North America and Europe continue to lead in terms of innovation. 

Dentons advises Oman desal venture

Dentons has advised Qurayyat Desalination, a special-purpose company formed by Hyflux and Modern Channel Services, with respect to the Qurayyat independent water project  (IWP) in Oman.

Qurayyat Desalination was awarded $250-million contract to design, build, own and operate the Qurayyat desalination project by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) under a 20-year water purchase agreement. The project will add another 200,000 cu m per day of drinking water to the country’s water supply.  

The transaction reached financial close in June and involved cross-border elements across Oman, Singapore, the UK and the UAE.

TMK GIPI completes expansion

Oman’s TMK Gulf International Pipe Industry (TMK GIPI) is in the final stages of completing its mill expansion for the manufacture of smaller size pipes used for oil and gas well delivery, which are currently sourced from overseas markets.

The expansion underscores TMK GIPI’s commitment to in-country value development, it said.

TMK GIPI is said to be the first manufacturer of high pressure steel line pipes and C pipes in Oman and the first in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) and Indian sub-continent to manufacture high-pressure six to 24-inch electric resistance welded (ERW) steel pipes.

Bahrain plans new leisure destination

Bahrain’s Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has reviewed a plan to develop the area between the Shaikh Isa and Shaikh Hamad causeways to make it a recreational destination for citizens and build a tourist resort.

The Premier also tasked the ministerial committee for urbanisation and infrastructure to study the facility’s designs and implementation time-frame, a BNA report said.

Quality Group signs mall contract

Qatar’s Quality Group International (QGI) has signed a contract with Global Real Estate Company to operate a 160,000-sq-ft shopping mall in Wakrah City.

The mall will have a full-fledged supermarket and department store spread on two floors, with parking facility in the basement and on the ground floor, local press reports said. Construction work on the project is expected to be completed by mid-2017.

Muna Noor opens Salalah store

Muna Noor, a leading plastic pipe manufacturer, has opened the first of its “new style” pipe and valves centres in Salalah, Oman.

The retail store sports a bright, open environment with a “less-imposing counter to remove the physical barriers between customers and employees” and will showcase the company’s PVC, polyethylene and double wall corrugated pipes as well as partner products.

Muna Noor plans to open at least four more “new style” branches before the end of the year with its Barka, Sohar, Muscat and Duqm branches being refitted to the same standard as the Salalah outlet.

Steelmark signs distribution accord

BahraiN’S Steelmark Mideast has signed a distribution agreement with Saketh Exim, a leading Indian manufacturer of pipe support systems, pipe hangers and anti-vibration systems.

Grohe buoyed by awards

Grohe’s products have won accolades at four prestigious international awards this year.

Grohe’s waterproof Bluetooth Aquatunes speaker and Grohterm 800 thermostat were Red Dot Design winners while the slimmer version of its Essence faucet line and Rainshower F-Series 40” Aquasymphony ceiling shower both won iF Product Design awards.

Three new products were winners at the Iconic Awards under the Interior Innovation category: Eurocube Joy, a line of cubistic designed faucets, Essence faucets and the Aquatunes shower speaker.  

Also, two kitchen faucets  – Essence and Minta Touch – each won a Green Good Design award.