Eighteen months in, Doha’s Orient Pearl restaurant is drawing the crowds

Eighteen months in, Doha’s Orient Pearl restaurant is drawing the crowds

Orient Pearl, the Qatari capital’s largest single restaurant venue, has seen weekend attendances outside of Ramadan max out its combined indoor and outdoor capacity of 1,500 seats

On January 17, the Orient Pearl in Doha officially opened its doors a 1,500-seat outdoor event. Today it is a bustling hive of life and laughter with a warm ambience, live music and great food.

Operations director Maher Abu-Alnaser, who has handled proceeding since November, says the concept was to deliver an upmarket but modestly priced experience, from between 150 to 250 Qatari riyals per person, so that it is accessible and can be visited by all customers .

Abu-Alnaser notes: “We have two different restaurants: Joury, which is a combination of Lebanese and Syrian; and, Nayrabeen, which specialises in shamiyat, so foul, fatteh, hummus, falafel and which has a big outdoor play area unlike any other in Qatar.”

Mohamad  Moataz Al-Khayat , CEO and founder of the Orient Pearl said: “Due to the scale of the venue, we decided that this would be our signature restaurant. As a landmark on the corniche, we believe this will be the beginning of a bigger franchise to come, not just in Qatar, but in the international market.”

Offering a distinctive difference between Lebanese and Syrian cuisine, the core difference can be found in the method of cooking and the spices. As the largest restaurant in Doha by area, it is still impressively packed out, in particular during the weekends.

Even now, the indoor Joury and Latoscana is bustling, with colourfully-garbed staff offering Tamarind juice and portly waiters ever at hand to keep the seamless experience moving forward.

The basics like the humus are all spot on, the fatteh delicately spiced, the meat tender and specialities like the plump and syrup-drizzled kibbeh are impressively flavoured and presented.

Orient Pearl is also elegantly decked out, with artistic detail visible in every corner, from the patterned gypsum panels in the roof to the marble flooring and crafted furniture. The food then does these surroundings more than adequate justice, and with attentive service to boot.

In the evening, and as stomachs begin to feel the strain, live music also kicks in at 9.00-9:30pm, completing the experience, though in Ramadan the timing begins a little later, at 10.30-11.00pm.

Outside of summer, Khayyat adds, the corniche location enjoys a sea-view, and the outdoor experiences beautiful weather, with the fragrant smells of shisha and live-cooked shawarma mingling on the light breeze. So in fact the perfect place from which to enjoy Doha.

KCT emphasises local supply and subcontracting agreements

KCT emphasises local supply and subcontracting agreements

Khayyat Contracting & Trading says Qatari supply is key as it looks to maximise its local consumption and minimise imports from other countries for its projects on the peninsula.

Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) is picking up a growing number of projects in Qatar and though there is pressure on the supply chain the company says it will stand firm in encouraging local supply, which will ultimately save on time and money in the market.

Mohamad Moutaz Al-Khayat, CEO of KCT, notes: “We are emphasising local supply, because the best way for you to save is to source your materials from the country you are in, and in Qatar this will prompt the creation of a market which can accommodate everything that is going on in the country.”

“We need to move at the same pace as the vision for Qatar, and as the market has not yet shown the strength and cohesion to provide all the commodities and trades for construction, we need to support it to ensure that local business doesn’t get left behind.”

KCT is also setting up both warehouses to enable the purchase and storage of local materials in bulk, and is also considering fixed period supply agreements with certain local companies.

Issam Atef, procurement director at KCT, details: “We have opened warehouses for all the materials that we are going to be using on a regular basis in order to streamline our supply chain. When it’s needed, it’s there, and it’s bought at a price that beats the market given its quality.”

The only caveat comes when the order is so huge that it simply cannot be bought locally, “but otherwise we are looking for the future to verify certain proven companies to work with us that,” adds Atef, noting: “We are now making limited one-year agreements.”

The contractor in particular hopes that with time it will be able to identify the reliable suppliers in the market, and to eliminate any non-effective parties employing opportunistic tactics.

“We are very pleased with the achievement of putting the procurement department on the track, and to be moving away from short-term agreements. The procurement department is not there just to pass papers,” nods Khayyat.

“We do not want a bureaucratic kind of dealing – it is supposed to be effective in controlling cost, and in ensuring the supply of materials, the timeliness of supply and that the payment is there.”

A final point is to ensure that the internal procedures of local projects do not make correct procurement a secondary matter in order to accommodate the pace, so KCT is focusing its efforts on streamlining its processes to confine costs while accommodating all of its sites.

KCT drives operational efficacy in procurement

KCT drives operational efficacy in procurement

As part of ongoing efforts to deliver the highest quality construction, Khayyat Contracting & Trading is adopting a strictly controlled and technology-led approach to its procurement

Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) is implementing rigorous procedures through an expert team in order to ensure the highest standards in its procurement in Qatar and has plans to form a database on all subcontractors and suppliers providing services and materials to the market.

Mohamad Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of KCT, notes: “Procurement affects the company dearly – it is one of the backbones of the company and determines whether we make a profit in many situations. Our strategy is to run it like a machine, to the benefit of ourselves, subcontractors and suppliers.

According to Issam Atef , procurement director at the company, KCT’s strategy to implement the strictest controls hinges on a tight-knit team that only requires a handful of personnel to procure for 24 sites, and which can rapidly adjust to changes in its procedures.

“We are working with the minimum staff anywhere, so we are very efficient as a department, and self-conscious about not wasting of time and money,” Atef says. “We have a lot of work coming in, but we hope to get to the point where processing will become a matter of hours.”

A specific aim for the near future is to see 90% of its supply chain going through the proper channels, which will control “the cost, timing and quality of supply.” This will be supported by the implementation of the database to better benchmark quality and pricing of procured services.

For this purpose KCT is inquiring upon all of the suppliers and subcontractors in the market, and through this process, the company will soon be pre-qualifying vendors to work with the company.

Suppliers are also being given the opportunity to apply directly to qualify with KCT through an online portal – a selection tool that will become increasingly useful as efforts turn towards LEED, QSAS and environmentally friendly vendors that are already leading this field in other markets.

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Further information about Khayyat Contracting and Trading

Khayyat Contracting and Trading  (KCT), is one of the largest main contractors in the State of Qatar, providing a wide range of construction services to both the local and international markets. Having built a reputation for delivering projects on time and on budget, KCT’s recently delivered projects include the Orient Pearl restaurant and the Lekhwiya Stadium. KCT is currently working on the Mall of Qatar, which once completed will be one of the largest indoor shopping centres in the world.

www.khayyat-qa.com

KCT unveils ambitious plans for its supply chain in Qatar

KCT  unveils ambitious plans for its supply chain in Qatar

For Khayyat Contracting & Trading and other Qatari firms to achieve the maximum benefit for both themselves and the country, they first need to realise an effective local supply chain.

In a bid to move away from the Qatari construction market’s dependence on deliveries from other Gulf nations Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) is rapidly developing its own in-house factories for processing materials, and is searching the globe for the best suppliers to stock with.

“As a group we are building towards having a self-sufficient company in many areas: We already have factories for marble, aluminium and gypsum,” says Mohamad Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of KCT.

“Any company that we set up will serve the entire community – it’s not just going to be a service for KCT, but for anyone in the country – that’s the competitive spirit of the industry.”

Once they are fully scaled up these factories will deliver some of the highest quality materials and components in Qatar to KCT projects and will also enrich the competitive supply market.

Looking beyond the region to the global supply market there are also still many gaps between what is on offer in some specific regions, such as Europe, and what is available in the Gulf.

“Our strategy is to rely on the world market, not just the Gulf or Arab markets, in order to bring new material into the country,” Khayyat adds. “We are particularly interested in Europe, where there are many fresh alternatives, and we are keeping track of developments at building fairs.”

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Hiring across the board

Hiring across the board

Qatar based main contractor KCT engages in massive recruitment drive.

Construction leviathan, KCT, or Khayyat Contracting and Trading is about to commence a massive recruitment drive, aimed at attracting the very best from the construction sector, according to a recent statement from the company.

With jobs ranging from managerial positions, through to blue collar labourers, KCT has good reason for expanding its workforce. While the rest of the world continues to recover from the hangover of the global recession, Qatar has enjoyed healthy levels of economic growth for some time.

Representing a unique case altogether, Qatar’s immense resources and strategic governance has seen its meteoric rise to becoming the wealthiest country in the world per capita within only a few decades of its independence from the United Kingdom in 1971.

KCT, like many companies in the country have been quick to capitalise on the high levels of infrastructure demand, not to mention liquidity, which are currently transforming this previously quiet peninsula, into a highly cosmopolitan destination within the Middle East.

Representing a number of construction projects ranging from stadiums to hotels, chief executive officer Mohamad Moataz AlKhayat commented; “It is an esteemed privilege to have the opportunity to support Qatar’s national development through a variety of projects and we are excited to be expanding our operations in the second half of this year.”

KCT’s human resources director said, “An important feature about working in Qatar is you must prove your specific qualifications for the job in question. As an example, a project engineer will not get a project engineer visa unless he has the relevant degree in engineering.”

Certainly with a lengthy list of projects to work on, Qatar has the requirements to meet both a FIFA World Cup in 2022 and a National Vision by 2030, meaning that for those who are interested in the long haul, the capacity for work is almost never ending, most likely a breath of fresh air for a number of the European economies that are still gripped in high levels of unemployment.

KCT takes steps to enhance planning protocol

KCT takes steps to enhance planning protocol

Qatari contractor takes inventive leap in planning capabilities to meet the demands of the market

The number, size and scope of projects in Qatar is presenting new challenges to contractors in dealing with the volume and complexity of planning requirements,and KCT is making certain to streamline procedures and technology to bring ail of its capabilities up to the mark.

Mohamad Moutaz AlKhayat, CEO of Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) says: "One of the first things we did was to recruit individual planning engineers for each of the KCT projects, allowing weekly updates of the time schedules in order to precisely measure any delay in each program."

Samir Sakka, senior planning manager at KCT, notes: "My role is to establish tools to control and monitor the projects, and the planning engineers under me play a crucial role in highlighting any changes in the pace of progress, or areas of concern on the projects."

Further to this, the contractor has standardized the forms used to prepare its reports and begun to feed the inputs into a common KCT web reporting system that allows ail of its directors and senior management of the company check up on any project at any time and from anywhere.

The focus on conveying this information is all about time, as a day delay on a big project means a day of salaries for often thousands of employees.

Sakka continues: "[ have never seen something like this at any contracting company in this region, and this is just one of our tools. Communication skills are very important in our field and this website is a means of communication – it's a new way of communicating our report data."

Finally, in the role of the planning department as the lead in technical tender submittals, tools are being developed to enhance process of communication, coordination and collection of the tender components from the different departments.

Mohamad Raslan AlKhayat, company founder, in 1983, summarizes: "We are ever

Developing new software and tools to facilitate our work, and my future vision for the planning department is to enhance these tools even further to manage all projects to an even greater degree of detail in terms of time, cost and the risk management."

Big plans for IDCC

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Big plans for IDCC

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Qatari based design and development firm outlines its existing plans for Doha and beyond

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IDCC is in the process of finalising designs, which are now ready for submission, according to a statement from the company. Having worked along side parent company Urbacon, IDCC has produced a number of designs that are now ready to move from technical drawing to reality.

Offering a broad range of services, IDCC’s process begins with market research, before conducting feasibility studies and finally designs. The company also offers master planning and design management as part of its extended services.

Speaking with parent company managing director, Ramez Al Khayat, he said; “While we have made headway with a number of projects designed by IDCC, I believe that what we have in the pipeline, will involve some of the most exciting projects in Qatar to date.”

With an almost unparalleled level of activity in its construction market, Doha’s skyline has become an architects canvas, and with the recent announcement that the national construction sector has grown at a rate of 11.7%* so far this year, it is clear that national development, both public and private, is not showing any signs of slowing down.

Al Khayyat continued to say that, “IDCC will continue to feed our contracting company with the designs that fulfil market requirements and continue to support the development of Qatar.”

  

Syrian-American clinic announces efforts to fight obesity in Qatar

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Syrian-American clinic announces efforts to fight obesity in Qatar

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New clinic prepares to combat one of the country’s biggest social issues

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The Syrian-American clinic has announced as part of its mandate to support Qatari healthcare, that it will be making a concentrated effort to fight the social and physical issues surround obesity.

Qatar has seen a slow increase in its obesity index with the latest World Health Organisation statistics showing that some 73% of men and 70% of women are overweight. The most concerning statistics are those regarding Qatar’s children, with a poll in 2006 suggesting that 8% of all children were in fact obese.

Commenting on these statistics was CEO and founder of the Syrian-American clinic, Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat. “We recognise the need for both education and awareness when it comes to having a proper diet and exercise, however in some cases, a specialist is required to help people rehabilitate themselves into a healthy lifestyle. Our clinic will be making a concentrated effort to assist and support all those who suffer from obesity, and ensure a healthier Qatari population for the future. As the nation which is hosting the FIFA 2022 World Cup, it is important for the image of the country, that healthcare is illustrated as a serious priority.”

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Interior fit out and design company Highness , 2 year opening in Qatar

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Interior fit out and design company Highness , 2 year opening in Qatar          

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Highness, an interior consultancy that specialises in high end finishes for both commercial and a private property, has built a reputation for creating some of the most luxury interiors in Qatar. Using both luxury material, as well as international designer brands such as Fendi, Versace and Edra, Highness’ typical interior budget will frequently exceed the $25 million mark.

Highness   MD Somaiah Hamshoo says said, “In order to cater more attentively to the needs of our VIP clients, we felt it important to have a designated office for a team of architects. While it is typical for our work to commence when the shell and core is complete, Highness will be able to further enhance its finishing’s with the assistance of having in-house architects.”

Highness’s CEO Mohammed Moutaz Al Khayyat says  that; “We always try to keep the client happy, by keeping them updated. Ensuring the happiness of our clients is the most important thing we can do.”

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Syrian-American clinic prepares to open in Qatar

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Syrian-American clinic prepares to open in Qatar

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Syria’s top medical practitioners prepare to cater for Qatar increasing population.

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Having recently been handed over from the contractor, the medical facility, which caters strictly for out patients only, is expected to be a popular choice for many individuals throughout the GCC, who are looking for a ‘five star’ level of service.

Speaking with corporate CEO, Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, he said; “The Syrian-American Medical Centre is the culmination of what we consider to be the very finest medical personnel from Syria, gathered under one facility. Our practitioners have all studied and gained their qualifications from some of the leading U.S medical institutions, and are now directing their expertise to meeting the market demand for first class health care in Qatar.”

With 14 consultants ready to start work, the Syrian-American Medical Centre will offer specialists in a variety of areas, including but not limited to, dermatology, endocrinology, plastic surgery and dentistry.

 Al Khayyat continued to state that; “while the clinic has been completed to the highest standards in terms of its construction, it is the physicians that fill its offices that will showcase what kind of a facility we’re opening here. Having hand picked the consultants, we are certain that the Syrian-American Medical Centre will be a resounding success for those looking for the very best in health care consultancy.”

Company founder, Mohamed Raslan AlKhayat commented, “Healthcare is one of the most important areas of any society and we believe that the Syrian-American Medical Centre will make a welcome addition to Qatar’s increasingly sophisticated healthcare facilities., not to mention meet the demand for the country’s increasing population.”

Costing an estimated $8 million, the clinic is split into four villas in one compound, located in close proximity to the Sidra Medical Centre just outside of the Qatari capital of Doha.

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UCC recognise the importance of value engineering in Qatar

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UCC recognise the importance of value engineering in Qatar    

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Design versus practicality is one of the most prevalent issues in today’s construction market, according main contractor, UrbaCon.

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The need to provide stylish structures, while maintaining the functionality of a building in terms of both performance and material has always been a difficult balance to reach. While architects attempt to create more daring and extraordinary examples of their work, engineers struggle to maintain the core function of the structures, while keeping costs down.

Value engineering was originally coined by the GE corporation during the 1940’s, where the company was faced with a lack of raw materials, staff and components. By having to improvise, engineers found that they had inadvertently saved money or improved the design, purely out of necessity than anything else. Eventually fine-tuned, this process eventually turned into ‘value analysis’.

The system, which was originally comprised of six steps, consisted of preparation, information, analysis, creation, evaluation, development, presentation and follow-up; something which continues to this day.

Qatari based project director Mowafaq Kharbat agrees that these principals are still very important, particular in one of the fastest growing construction markets in the world.

“When I first joined UCC, my background had been in civil engineering. Over the years, I’ve moved toward project management. It is easy to see why some contractors approach buildings from a design point of view to start with. For me it is important to take a practical approach to building. When we are going through the design process, I am always thinking about the cost. I’ve found that value engineering is an area that I can draw on my thirty years experience in the construction sector.”

Speaking with UCC’s CEO, Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, he said; “For UCC, we are fortunate to work with some very good clients. For several projects, we’ve been given a carte blanche in terms of budget, however this doesn’t mean that we become wasteful with our design or material. There is a right way to deliver a project and a wrong way, and using value engineering is an essential part of our protocol to ensuring that our clients are happy upon delivery.”

UCC’s managing director, Ramez AlKhayat added, “We often aim where possible to have a self sustained approach by using our own equipment. Through gaining information, measuring, analysing, generating and evaluating, we are able to ensure the success and delivery of our projects as accurately as possible.”

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UCC completes 10 million man-hours without major incident

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UCC completes 10 million man-hours without major incident

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Qatar main contractor cites top down strategy for HSE success.

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UrbaCon has achieved 10 million man-hours without major incident, according to a statement from the company. The Qatar based main contractor has just passed two ‘rigorous’ HSE audits on all its current projects and has in turn achieved ISO-certification.

UCC’s deputy managing director, Shem Krey commented; “HSE can only be successful with a top down strategy; with all levels of management supporting HSE as the number one priority. This means adequate funding for training, investment in the correct safety equipment, keeping current with unique challenges at the project and adapting safety criteria for those specific job conditions. Consistently and adequately staffing projects with the correct experts and safety engineers during every hour worked are just a few of our UCC disciplines.”

Ramez Al Khayyat, UCC’s managing director added, “All Qatar contractors need to realize that our collective reputations are at stake for the national reputation. We will and do share in awareness conferences and seek others to implement safe projects as we want this country to have a reputation as the best work environment for our employees.”

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Qatar to match other world countries hospitality status

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Qatar to match other world countries  hospitality status

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UrbaCon executive calls big plans for Qatar’s hospitality sector

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Qatar is to match the United Arab Emirates status for hospitality, according to a recent statement from a senior Urbacon executive.

The statement comes as Qatar continues its national development, which includes a mandate to double the national hotel capacity by the FIFA 2022 World Cup, to 90,000 rooms.

Speaking on behalf of the company, managing director, Ramez AlKhayat said, “We are currently working on a number of hospitality projects throughout Qatar ranging from five star hotels to resorts. Unfortunately I cannot go into much detail at this stage, however I believe these resorts will certainly rival the luxury and prestige of some the regions leading hospitality centres.”

UCC are the main contractor behind the forthcoming Mall of Qatar, which is expected to support national consumer spending as well as attract more regional tourism. According to Oryx Business Intelligence, 15% of the all construction projects in the GCC region are concentrated in Qatar, totalling a dollar value of $266.8 billion.

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Zebrano targets Middle East top spot for custom joinery

Zebrano targets Middle East top spot for custom joinery

Qatar’s UrbaCon Contracting &Trading opens  new factory for specialist woodwork

Zebraco, a Qatari joinery producer and subsidiary of UrbaCon Contracting &Trading (UCC), expects to soon be among the largest providers of customised woodwork in the Middle East.

At present the company holds a 5,000m² factory and training facility outside Doha – already expanded from an initial 3,500m² and with a labour force of around 400 spread across the manufacture and installation operations.

Wasel Kannout, Business Units Director at UCC, details: “The existing facility is temporary, whereas our new factory will be double this size, covering an area of 10,000-12,000m². We are not expanding our activities to cover everything, but specialising in custom-made works.”

Mohamed Moutaz Al Khayyat, CEO of UCC, says: “We will make our factory one of the largest in the Middle East for specialist joinery. This is our plan over the next two years.”

Zebrano’s factory operations employ advanced woodworking machinery operated through a centralised computer system. Much of our wood is then from North America and Europe, where there is a wide north to south climatic range for varieties of woods such as cherry.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, notes: “By the second half of the year we plan to be delivering 35% of our capacity outside of the group, and next year will be balanced – using around 50% internally and providing the other 50% to third parties.”

Kannout adds: “We don’t have the plan right now for mass production, however, because this requires a different market than Qatar. Instead, we are focusing on the continuous development of our staff’s expertise and on new machines and on new techniques.”

Zebrano presently has joinery contracts in hand worth almost $20 million, and based on the array of projects now being tendered, expects to book a further $10 million by end 2013.

UCC commits to three-day supply for fast-track projects

UCC commits to three-day supply for fast-track projects

Procurement and project directors work hand-in-hand and top management get involved

UrbaCon Contracting & Trading (UCC) has announced its commitment to a three-day supply policy on all of its fast-track projects, and noted how flawless communication between its procurement department and project directors is of the utmost importance.

Khaled Moustafa Elzein, procurement director at UCC, says: "Our policy for fast-track projects is to secure orders within three days – under instruction from the top management- and for other projects that are of lower priority we deliver in seven days."

“We work as a team – there is no director and manager. I share all the problems with my colleagues, and I have built up a strong relationship with all of the directors. Whenever there is a problem, we set aside our emails, sit down and go through it to arrive at a solution.”

He added that the firm updates its procurement processes yearly and reviews any delays with its team to ensure its suppliers are satisfied by releasing payments as soon as possible.

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, notes: “We have developed a mechanism that on urgent projects allows us to not necessarily always conduct a three-price comparison, but to go with the supplier that we know can have the materials on-site – within 48hrs.”

On UCC’s VIP projects, which are all fast-tracks, the people on-site frequently also work twenty four hours a day, so delays in the delivery of materials cannot be afforded.

Elzein comments: “The top management are there on-site and on top of the work. I have worked in many companies, but only at UCC do the owners show up even three weeks or four weeks before the handover to make sure that everything is in place and is delivered.”

Ramez AlKhayat, adds: “This what makes the company successful –anything that needs to be delivered is delivered on time, and that is one of the main things that you will not see in any other company in the market.”

Marble Stone brings sophistication to Qatari stonework

Marble Stone brings sophistication to Qatari stonework

Qatar’s UrbaCon Contracting &Trading rises to the demand for quality custom marble

Marble Stone, a finishings producer and subsidiary of UrbaCon Contracting &Trading (UCC), is leading the Qatari market forward in delivering the most advanced marble cutting and installing technologies to the country, addressing the high demand for custom stonework.

Sourcing its raw natural marble from various locations, but mainly in Italy, Spain, Turkey and Egypt, Marble Stone specialises in stone cutting using computer-controlled machinery operated by a skilled labour force of designers and stone technicians.

Wasel Kannout, Business Units Director at UCC, details: “For marble we have a ‘6D’ milling machine  for making columns and carving work and we have five high-powered water jet machines that have the capacity to carve 1,000m² of marble in a month.”

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of UCC, says: “Rather than heading towards mass-production, we are focusing on the most technical and specialist aspect of stonework, emphasising the continuous development of our staff’s expertise and our techniques.”

Blending art and technology, 85% of the work is performed by the manually-operated or computerised machines, while 15% of the work is carried out by hand, particularly during the installation, but including a small proportion of hand carving work.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, adds: “For marble you need a large space as a yard, so we have around 10,000m², with 2,000m² of it covered and the remainder of it as a yard. Between the factory and the installation operations we have around 500 labourers.”

“We are not expanding our activities to cover everything, but specialising in custom works.”

Marble Stones has joinery contracts on its books worth almost $20 million, and based on the number of projects it is now tendering, it expects to book a further $10 million by end 2013.

Fast-track projects demand new strategies in Qatar

Fast-track projects demand new strategies in Qatar

Doha largely unacquainted with fast-track construction, says UrbaCon Contracting & Trading

UrbaCon Contracting & Trading (UCC) has noted how fast-track projects are requiring Qatari contractors to use innovate construction strategies often relatively unfamiliar to the country.

Joseph M.J, planning director at UCC, says: “Because most of the projects we are handling are fast-track, we have to execute the project in an unconventional manner, and here, as a turnkey contractor, we have to bring in the capability of design management.”

Mohamed  Moataz AlKhayat, notes: “The Doha market is not used to these fast-track projects, and success comes down to the careful planning of the construction. We never compromise quality, but do pursue alternative construction methods and technologies.”

Two particular methods that UCC is employing to accelerate its schedules are a change in design of both the formwork systems to get a faster output and in the design of pre-cast as opposed to conventional structures.

M.J explains: “For slabs, rather than going for conventional slab formwork we use table forms for which we can dismantle and handle the formwork more easily and more rapidly.”

“We have also changed the conventional slab into post-tensioned slabs, allowing us to strip off the formwork much earlier - within a week to ten days rather than weeks.”

UCC has then implemented the technique on several heavy structure projects in Qatar, including in the construction of the underground car park for Souq Waqif.

Ramez  AlKhayat, MD of UCC, notes: “Pre-cast is not that widely used in Qatar, but at Souq Waqif we used pre-cast columns reaching three floors high, so if you carefully manage the pre-cast there is an advantage because there is always a pre-construction process.”

One reason why pre-cast is so unusual in Qatar is that it relies even more so than other construction techniques on precise just-in-time logistics, from factory straight to site.

M.J adds: “Unless pre-cast is well managed it may give a negative effect, because if you are late in the delivery of the pre-cast elements then there is no value in it. However, on balance, if you can pull it off than it saves time as well as risk on-site.”

Qatar 2022 World Cup cement supply needs thought, says UCC

Qatar 2022 World Cup cement supply needs thought, says UCC

Perfect cement storm looms for Qatar construction with limited supply, sources and logistics

Qatari contractor UrbaCon Contracting & Trading (UCC) says the industry needs solutions ahead of Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup work.

Khaled Moustafa Elzein, procurement director at UCC, says: “There is not enough cement in the market, not at all. The boom hasn’t started yet, but I encountered a boom in 2005-2006, and there was a shortage of cement, gravel, heavy equipment and rebar, and we are afraid that will face a similar problem as they start to build up for the FIFA World Cup 2022.”

He says that now is the time to start coming up with the solutions ahead of time, otherwise contractors will be hit by a perfect storm of choked supply and intensified market demand.

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, notes: “We are here because we know a lot of suppliers and a lot of subcontractors in the market – we have good relations them and they want to help us because we will recommend them for the next project – they want us to use them.”

“There is a lot of pressure, and there are always problems that are harder to contest with – sometimes there is no cement in the market.”

The obvious solution to future shortage is of course to stock material in advance, but sequestering supply in Qatar presents its own unique set of problems.

Elzein notes: “We need to see how we can stock materials, as most construction supplies will expire: rebar will rust and cement will be damaged by humid pressure within a month – but we are buying our own heavy equipment, so this is one less problem that we will encounter.”

Another issues that UCC highlights is that it only has a single source for rebar and cement, and another  for gravel - two companies both bringing in limited quantities in from Sharjah.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, adds: “We are considering one day buying our own barges and shipping the materials from Sharjah by ourselves, and selling some of it. It’s still an idea, but at the end of the day we are facing challenges, and I think we can counter them.”

“We are trying to determine how to encounter the shortages before we face them as a fact. This is facing not just us, but the entire construction industry.”

Qatar 2022 World cup construction will cost, says UCC

Qatar 2022 World cup construction will cost, says UCC

Qatari contractor says the knock-on effects of a material bottleneck, transport and logistics issues within Qatar and overworked subcontractors will force contractors to raise prices

Qatari contractor, UrbaCon Contracting & Trading (UCC) highlights the key issues that it sees affecting and raising project estimates as the main body of Q2022 World Cup projects bears down on the already fragile supply chain, which is already elevating costs in the country.

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of UCC, notes: “Prices are higher in Qatar because the materials are being sourced within the GCC. As many projects are fast-tracked, the materials need to be readily available – and for this we are talking about Dubai or Saudi Arabia.”

Siva Kumar, estimation director at UCC, adds: “The cost of the additional margins, transport and logistics is coming up very high – almost 20% above the prices in the UAE market.”

Another consideration is that as projects move beyond the main urban centres, like Doha, can encounter increasing problems with accessibility. Areas on the outskirts of the city, such as Salwa, introduce much greater logistical issues for projects than as for central locations.

Kumar continues: “Issues such as the availability of materials and whether we can set up camp for the workers must be considered, because these will both incur transport costs.”

As the build up for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup comes into full swing, not only will these issues likely be exaggerated, even with significant market redress on the part of suppliers, a shortage of specialist skills for certain project function will also come into play.

Ramez Al Khayat, MD of UCC, highlights: “I foresee there being, as with the Asian games, a lot of projects and not necessarily enough, for example, specialist subcontractors. If all of the local companies are busy then this will increase costs, and contractors will increase prices.”

UCC is a Qatari contractor that has already been involved in flagship projects including the rebuilding of Souq Waqif and, in the early run up to the Q2022 event, Lekhwiya Stadium.

Palmera highlights landscaping role in 2022 Qatar World Cup

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Palmera highlights landscaping role in 2022 Qatar World Cup

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Trickle down hard, soft-scaping contracts in Qatar present now or never challenge to firms

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Palmera, an integrated outdoor contractor and supplier in Qatar, has highlighted the landscaping opportunities also present in the build-up to Qatar 2022 FIFA world cup, and how it intends to fend off the inbound competitors now setting up shop in the country to bid for these projects.

General manager, Amer Mahasen, says: “The construction in Qatar will require vast landscaping to beautify the cities that are going to be built up between now and 2022, whether it’s Dukkan or Doha, so a lot contracts will come up through the market, and it will be very good business.”

“We are looking at larger projects: sports cities, hotels, resorts – whether governmental or private like the Lusail project, which is absolutely the largest construction project in the world.”

While the landscaping market in Qatar is still undeveloped at present, companies from Dubai in particular are turning their attention towards the numerous impending projects across the Gulf.

r Mahasen notes: “The demand in terms of both quantity and quality is beginning to exceed what the local companies can provide, and that’s why international companies are starting to move in.”

The challenge then is for quality focused local companies such as Palmera to build up their presence in the market operations to the scale where they can fend off the arriving competition.

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of Palmera’s sister UCC, notes: “Our strategy is to build up very fast, but on solid ground – to have the proper personnel to manage things; the proper materials to sell in the market; and, the proper execution, management and setup for a company.”

Amer Mahasen adds: “Most of us have worked in Dubai before, so we know how they think, what they do and how they attack markets – we know all of this and we just have to be better than them.”

For its part, Palmera has already executed several luxurious projects, including palaces, and the firm expects to grow significantly from its current workforce of around 600 personnel in order to ideally position itself to tender for the largest of the Q2022 projects that will soon get underway.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, adds: “Qatar is a country under development: it’s still being built and we’re a long way from reaching the maintenance stage. So everything is good business as long as you have a vision for it, and we have already done quite a bit of damage to the competition.”

KCT achieves 90-day supply credit in Qatar

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KCT achieves 90-day supply credit in Qatar

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Clean projects and prompt payments make all the difference in building up market confidence

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Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) has achieved, in a very short period of time, an exceptional level of credit in Qatar in a reflection of its significant reputation in the market and the reliability of its payment for the services of both suppliers and subcontractors.

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of KCT, says: “Al Khayyat as you know is a big company – more than thirty years old in fact – and it has managed during to grow up very fast in Qatar also, and in particular we have been able to prove that we are one of the best paymasters in the country.”

Osama Altawil, senior finance director at KCT, notes: “As a newcomer to a market, regardless of your size, the subcontractors and suppliers are always worried about what will happen if they work with you, so in the beginning this is a big challenge for any company.”

The first step for any contractor is to demonstrate its abilities to the market in order to build up trust with supplier and subcontractors, which, once they confident that his payment is coming, and coming without delay, will improve their prices and eventually also their credits.

Noting KCT’s accomplishment, Altawil  details: “We get 90 days’ credit from most suppliers, and 45-60 days from most subcontractors – a substantial achievement in the market given that when we first began carrying out work in Qatar everybody was asking us to pay in advance.”

The challenges in Qatar, are especially notable when you consider that while in the UAE there is the Jebel Ali free zone, which promotes ample supply competition, while Qatar has no equivalent.

Khayyat sums: “We have built a reputation on both sides: through our operations teams and the work that they have done, such as on Lekhwiya Stadium, which was completed very quickly, and also in our subsequent relationship with suppliers and subcontractors and their confidence in us.”

Osama adds: “In the UAE a handful of clients will get 120 days, but I have never seen this in Qatar, so getting to 90 days in Qatar has been an excellent achievement for our company.”

Palmera stirs up landscaping supply in Qatar

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Palmera stirs up landscaping supply in Qatar

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Work in Qatar presents perfect climate to redress precarious supply to the landscaping market

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Palmera is an integrated outdoor contractor and increasingly supplier in Qatar as it develops its own supply chain in-house and proceeds with ongoing negotiations with overseas manufacturers.

Highlighting the problem, general manager, Aamer Mahasen, notes: “It is hard to get anything without having to wait for weeks or even months. None of the suppliers around here actually stock material – they just have sample and proceed to procure it from Dubai, Europe or China.”

“So the supply of materials is our absolute worst nightmare, because you can’t make a call and receive an order within 24 hours – it doesn’t happen that way, and you can’t rely on it.”

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of Palmera, says: “We are talking with agencies about various materials – for example with global manufacturers of irrigation and waterproofing. So we don’t want to be in the contracting business alone, but in both contracting and supply.”

Amer Mahasen, adds: “We intend to make it a matter of fact that, if you want to be an agent or a supplier, then you better have stock in Qatar.

The scope of Palmera’s planned supply ranges across all the different activities of landscaping: both softscaping, from trees, shrubs and flower seeds to fertilizers, and organic chemicals; and hardscaping, from tiles and stone slabs to outdoor furnishings, irrigation and lighting.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, adds: “There will be a whole range of companies that we can get to supply us with playground equipment, ceramic surfaces, and not just wood but synthetic resin components, and we also have a sister company, Credo, that will provide us with lighting.”

Palmera will soon unveil its 50-hectare nursery, which will be home to over 10 million plants by January 2014. Aamer Mahasen details: “Each one of our competitors has their own nursery, but ours, which should be complete by the end of the summer, will be a force to be reckoned with.

Radiant looks to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and beyond

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Radiant looks to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and beyond

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Home-grown MEP firms should pick up the baton in the race to bag Qatar 2022 build-up contracts

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Radiant Engineering Enterprises holds that MEP in Qatar is not where it should be to meet the needs and requirements of the country’s 2022 FIFA World Cup build-up, and that it is time for Qatari companies to take on the role of raising standards.

Mohammad Sabri, managing director and partner in Radiant, explains: “Qatar basically lacks locally established electromechanical companies – most of the big players in town are from overseas, either regionally and mainly from Dubai and many are being run entirely remotely.

“As the quality of MEP work was also below the UAE and other GCC countries, I resolved to join hands with UCC to establish Radiant and redefine the notion of a quality MEP company in Qatar.”

UCC, for its part has substantial experience in the construction market, and has already carried out significant Q2022 contracts including the main role in the construction of Lekhwiya stadium.

Mohamed Moataz AlKhayat, CEO of UCC, says: “Anyone can do MEP, but both quality and time are of the essence – we would like to do a high quality MEP work within a very short time. It is extremely costly to do a job twice, but if you do it right the first time you will be very successful.”

In teaming up with the established local firm, Radiant is also able to benefit from its existing support structure of the contractor in tackling the two main challenges facing the industry.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD at UCC, notes: “These challenges are largely common to all construction, where materials are not stocked locally and it can be a difficult process to acquire visas for the appropriately qualified individuals, and so we are able to support Radiant to a degree in this.”

Moving forwards, the MEP contractor expects to lead the market by example, tendering for some of the largest projects due in Qatar, including the Mall of Qatar and Qatar Foundation works.

“Radiant Engineering Enterprises is a company established to do mega projects – to become one of the leading electromechanical contractors within Qatar within 18-24 months,” Sabri declares.

Beyond this, the firm will also be looking beyond its core MEP function, to elevators, facility management, switchgear, MEP infrastructure such as water treatment and sustainable energy.

Sabri adds: “Qatar is planning around 1.8GW of solar power within ten years, so we are working very hard with international companies to move into solar power – because that is the future.”

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