The UAE suffers from a glut of builders and only needs half of the estimated 14,000 construction firms operating in its emirates, a senior industry official said.

"According to industry estimates, there are over 14,000 construction companies in the UAE when we actually do not need even a half of that, as it is more than the market requires," Rashed Ahmed Rashed, general manager of the UAE Contractors' Association, was quoted by the Gulf News as saying.

Rashed's comments came during the Hardware and Tools 2001 exhibition held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

He said the proposed Supreme Council - a construction watchdog which will spell out unified specifications and codes for the industry - will reduce the number of companies once it is formed.

Meanwhile, the association is set to launch an 'expertise bank' as part of its campaign to win tougher rules to improve quality within the UAE's maintenance sector.

The 'bank' will give members free expert advice on contractual obligations, safety, health and the environment, quality and project management, while the UAE Engineers Society will concentrate its lobbying efforts on outlawing fakes from the maintenance sector.