Alkomed’s varied experience, reliability and safety culture were essential factors that ensured its success in securing the deal to help transform a functional oilfield area into a site that would become home to a luxury residential and entertainment complex, according to senior executives and directors of the electromechanical engineering and contracting specialist.

The Bahrain-based company was called upon to provide its multi-dimensional capabilities on a number of packages on the Riffa Views project.
Contracts manager Soteris Christoforou explains: “At first we were assigned the task of relocating all existing oil and gas pipelines and associated electrical installations to clear the area where the Riffa Views development was to be built. This involved demolition of 11 kV overhead electrical lines and the relocation of cabling and an 11 kV substation, as well as Bapco’s oil and gas pipelines and fiber-optic cables.
“In the second stage, we were assigned the mechanical and electrical (M&E) works for the infrastructure, which include cabling and substation installations, street lighting, and water transmission and distribution and sewerage distribution, both of which included pumping stations and piping, and fire-fighting installations.
“In the third stage, we were assigned the M&E installation in the buildings which include a school and the Golf and Country Club, entailing all the mechanical, electrical, lighting installations, fire alarm and fire-fighting, telephone installations and other specialised requirements in the buildings.”
These contracts, worth a total of BD15 million ($39.78 million), have involved about 50 km of new cabling and about 20 km of water piping. Alkomed started work on the relocation deal in mid-2006 and completed it by the end of last year. It started work on the infrastructure in January last year and is expected to complete it by May next year while it launched work on the Riffa Views International School in December last year and is scheduled to complete it next month. Meanwhile, the company began work on the Golf and Country Club in March this year and expects to complete it in October.
Commenting on the project, managing director John Strongylos says: “This project was unique both in construction and design because it transformed an area which was full of gas and oil pipelines and related electrical installations into a high-quality residential area with community educational and recreational facilities. At the same time, it is aiming to achieve a balanced environment while providing modern facilities.
“The challenge was further compounded by the fact that all the relocation work was to be carried out while the services were in operation. This required the experience and safety culture that Alkomed possesses and we are happy to say that we completed the first phase of the project within programme and without incident.”
“Our involvement in the Riffa Views project gave us the opportunity to work with a professional team of designers, engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers and an experienced contractor while, at the same time, it allowed us to put into practice our company’s principles of offering quality, reliability and value for money,” he adds.
However, the Riffa Views project is one of a number of prestigious projects that Alkomed is currently working on in Bahrain. In parallel with Riffa Views, Alkomed has been executing electromechanical contracts worth approximately BD20 million.
These projects include construction of the electrical distribution network including substations for the Amwaj Islands, which is currently in progress; and the 400 kV cable installation with associated civil works and erection and installation of 400 kV gas insulated switchgear (GIS), GIB, AIS and associated high-voltage power cabling for the GCC interconnection project (as a sub-contractor to Prysmian/Nexans consortium and ABB Power Systems).  It is also working on the air-conditioning and electrical installations for the Durrat Al Bahrain villas and the Ain Adhari National Park.
Christoforou Kyriacos Seraphim, administration and finance manager, comments: “We are working on a number of projects, thanks to our extensive capacity which we can further enhance as the need arises. We utilise, virtually on a permanent basis, around 1,000 persons in various specialties – engineers, supervisors, foreman, technicians, and labourers in addition to managers, accountants and other administrative personnel. We have our office, workshops, warehouse and accommodation facilities in Budaiya.”
Alkomed was incorporated in 1978 combining the expertise of professionals from the Cyprus-based Mastro and businessmen from Al Alawi Factories. Since then, it has provided its expertise for the installation of overhead lines, underground cabling, substations and street lighting. Over the years, it has expanded its operations to include the full range of electromechanical services such as air-conditioning, plumbing and drainage, Chrys Strongylos, director, says.
Its philosophy is to provide comprehensive and professional services covering the complete range of electromechanical installations and maintenance with a total commitment to achieve high standards of quality, safety, reliability and value for money.”
“It is closely associated with the Cyprus-based Mastro group which has similar operations in Cyprus and Qatar.” says Strongylos.
“Alkomed has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification and has accumulated experience in diverse fields including electrical, mechanical, air-conditioning and other specialised projects related to infrastructure, industrial, commercial and domestic installations,” adds commercial and marketing manager Jayesh Engineer.
Some of Alkomed’s fields of specialisation include: Power engineering covering power generation, transmission and distribution networks and substations, and industrial electrical projects; high-voltage (HV) power cable services which include installation, jointing and testing of HV power cables up to 400 kV and HV AC power cable testing; electrical services for high and low-voltage electrical services systems for residential, industrial and commercial projects; and mechanical engineering involving infrastructure and industrial plant erection, water treatment, mains transmission and distribution systems, sewage treatment plants and piping network systems.
Other lines of specialisation encompass mechanical services for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC), pipe works, plumbing, drainage, irrigation, LP gas and compressed air systems for commercial, industrial and residential projects; air-conditioning services covering chilled water, package, split, central and close control air-conditioning; refrigeration services involving industrial freezing, cold rooms and cold stores; fire protection services – both fire detection and alarm systems, and including water and gaseous protection systems, and smoke extraction systems; fabrication works using steel and sheet metal; electrical, mechanical, civil and building services maintenance; telecommunications (distribution networks); data, control and installation of control, protection, fiber-optic and communication networks.”
“As a Bahraini company that aspires to continue offering quality services, we are growing in expertise and sophistication to cope with the demands of the market. In order to ensure that expertise is available to us when needed we are cooperating closely with our associates by exchanging knowledge, information and personnel for our mutual benefit,” says Bassim Al Alawi, director.