New marketing head at Hepworth
Dubai: Jim Martin has recently been appointed as the new marketing manager at Hepworth PME, a Dubai-based manufacturer of plastic pipes and plumbing systems.
Martin, who has some 22 years in the Middle and Far East, will be responsible for enhance the strong presence of Hepworth PME in the region and ensure that its leading position is maintained. During his tenure in the area, he has been involved in the water distribution business throughout the Middle East as well as in the quality control side of the water industry.
Hepworth PME has plans to announce some significant developments that will bring many benefits to both installers and owners of water distribution systems.
Madinah Jumairah work let
Dubai: The phase three work on the Madinat Jumeirah resort has been awarded to a team of local Bu Haleeba Contracting and ALEC, a joint venture between Al Jaber and South Africa's Grinaker-LTA. Work on the third and final phase is expected to begin on the first week of March and completed by September next year.
Work on the first two phases is under way. Bu Haleeba and Grinaker/LTA won the contract for phase one, which involves the construction of the first hotel, the 300-bedroom five-star Port Al Salam. This phase began in February 2002 anddue for completion by September.
The contract for phase two went to a joint venture between Habtoor and Murray & Roberts. The work calls for the construction of the five-star Hotel Al Qasr, 340 villas, a convention centre and associated works. This work started in July 2002 and is slated for completion by September 2004.
The Dh1.8 billion ($490.1 million) resort is being developed by Jumeirah International south of the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
Road work starts at Al Quoz
Dubai: Work is under way on the 18-km Back Road connecting Shaikh Zayed Road with Emirates Road through Al Quoz in Dubai.
The contract for the Dh140.79 million ($38.332 million) project was awarded to Dutco Construction Company and the consultant is Parson De Leuw Cather Overseas.
The project includes the construction of about 17 km of dual expressway of four lanes each way and will provide back up to Shaikh Zayed Road by shouldering a significant portion of the traffic. It will also serve Al Quoz industrial area, Al Barsha residential area and developments planned in the Defence area of the city.
Airport expansion to start
Abu Dhabi: Expansion work will begin soon on the Abu Dhabi International Airport to raise its capacity to 7.2 million passengers a year.
The expansion projects will include the construction of a 4,000-m runway parallel to the existing one, a new satellite building covering an area of about 4,000 sq m, and a duty free shop at the departure hall.
The project is expected to be completed by 2005.
Etisalat college coming up
Sharjah: Construction works on a new Dh132 million ($36 million) College of Engineering for Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) will start shortly.
Local Darwish Engineering Emirates has been awarded the contract for the project, which is located near Sharjah International Airport.
The college comprises eight buildings having one to three storeys and a total area of 46,000 sq m. Construction work is expected to take 19 months.
Go-ahead for Dubai tower
Dubai: Dubai Municipality has recently issued a licence for the construction of a new privately-owned commercial-cum-residential tower named Al Salam Tower.
The client, Abdulsalam M Rafi M Saeed has named WS Atkins & Partners Overseas as the consultant and Dubai Contracting Company as the contractor of the project. Construction is now under way and the Dh150 million ($40.839 million) project is to be completed in October 2004.
The 49-storey tower will be the latest addition to the skyscrapers on Sheikh Zayed Road. The tower will have a total built-up area of 546,000 sq ft while the plot area is 10,000 sq ft. The plot is worth Dh40 million.
$143m for Sewa projects
Sharjah: Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority has earmarked Dh525 million ($143 million) for new projects this year.
This is part of a Dh1.62 billion budget for 2003, approved by Sharjah Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler and utility board chairman Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi.
Sewa director-general Ali Abdullah Al Nooman said Dh1.095 billion had also been earmarked for operating expenses. Among the new projects are a Dh218 million venture at Wasit Power Station to install and commission two gas turbines of total 200 MW capacity, and a Dh62 million outlay for the planned Sharjah Technical Institute.
A Dh28 million power distribution and transmission project in Sharjah City is also in the pipeline. This includes three 33 kV substation installations apart from street lighting.