Leighton wins $407m Qatar deal
Doha: Australian construction group Leighton Holdings said it has been awarded a $407 million contract for the construction of an equestrian academy in Qatar.
Leighton said work would start shortly and the project was due for completion in December, 2008.
L&T scouts for partners in the Gulf
Yanbu: Larsen and Toubro Limited, Indian construction and engineering giant, has recently announced that it was looking out for partners in the Gulf following plans of expansion.
Larsen and Toubro, which has joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and Oman and operates projects in the UAE and Qatar, expects revenues from the Gulf to double to more than $1 billion by 2010.
“Each of these countries are big investment destinations. It is clear that we need a joint venture in each of them,” said K Venkataramanan, president of operations.
The firm, meanwhile, announced that it had set up a joint venture with Kuwait’s Bader Al Mulla Group to pursue oil, gas, power and infrastructure projects in Kuwait.
Bahrain starts PPP initiative
Manama: Private sector developers and financiers are being offered the chance to develop a 1,000-home residential project in northern Muharraq, the first of several under Bahrain government’s new Public Private Partnerships (PPP) initiative.
Work is expected to start on the project this summer, with residents moving in by the end of 2008.
More than 5,000 people will be given homes in this community, which will include townhouses and apartments for families, as well as schools, mosques, parks, play areas and a commercial complex.
It will specifically address the housing needs of lower and middle income families.
Other areas will also be made available for the private sector to develop in the future, including plots in Salmabad and Busaiteen among others.
Sabic awards park contract
Yanbu: Sabic awarded an eight-month contract to a Saudi contractor to design and construct a corniche park at Yanbu Al Bahr beach.
This park will be located on the Yanbu north Corniche beach, and covers an area of about 60,000 sq m, and will include green areas with a number of illuminated walkways and comfortable seats for rest and recreation as well as modern children’s games along the beach.
Under the contract, the infrastructure of public services shall be developed and made available to the Yanbu province municipality by project end.
Big 5 plans to be biggest ever
Dubai: There is an increased focus on air-conditioning; marble, stone and ceramics and bathrooms and sanitary ware at this year’s Big 5 Show, said dmg world media Dubai, the organiser of the event.
All three sectors will have an expanded presence at the event that takes place at Dubai International Exhibition Centre from October 28 to November 1.
“All of the major international companies from each of these vital sectors will be represented at this year’s Big 5,” says Bernard Walsh, managing director.
“We will stage the biggest-ever event in the history of the show this year, due to the availability of additional floorspace,” he says.
JCI-York, a world leader in air conditioning, UTS Carrier are two of the big names that will be participating.
The marble, stone and ceramics industry will once again be well represented at the show, with major groups from the main markets of Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Jordan, Turkey, plus many individual companies, including RAK Ceramics and renowned global brands such as Franke, Geberit and Grohe.
Dubai to beat Munich airport expo
Dubai: Dubai is set to overtake Munich as the home of the world’s largest international airport industry exhibition, officials said on the concluding day of the three-day Airport Build and Supply Exhibition.
Organisers Streamline Marketing Group (SMG) said the event’s 25 per cent growth this year will be followed by more expansions in 2007, making it the industry’s largest. At least 70 more airport suppliers from around the world are expected to boost next year’s overall exhibitor line-up to more than 450, allowing the Dubai event to climb above Munich’s Inter Airport Europe.
Next year’s Airport show in Dubai will expand again to feature four new national pavilions for companies from Denmark, Finland, India and Switzerland, while other new sections will concentrate on the key areas of ground handling and airport logistics.
