MEP Consultants and contractors: Special report

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Al Habtoor-Specon's Emerald Palace Residences team.

Focus on the major sector players in the Middle East.

Al Habtoor - Specon

Number of employees in Middle East: Approximately 3,000

Number of employees worldwide: Approximately 3,500

In which countries does the firm operate worldwide?

In the Middle East Al Habtoor-Specon have operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In Europe it operates in Nicosia, Cyprus and Athens, Greece.

What primary services are offered by the firm?

The firm has a trade license to undertake all mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

This includes hvac; plumbing and drainage; specialist systems such as LPG, LNG, kitchen and medical systems; high and low voltage electrical distribution; electronic systems and controls; security systems and alarms; firefighting and fire alarm systems; data and telecommunications.

On which Middle East projects is the firm currently involved?

The firms key current projects include:

• Five-star Movenpick Hotel, JBR, Dubai;
• The Emerald Palace Residences and Villas, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai;
• Pier 8 residential development, Dubai Marina;
• The Kempinski Hotel, Palm Jumeirah;
• Sadiyaat Island Facilities, Abu Dhabi.

Does the firm have any expansion plans?

The immediate plan is to strengthen the presence in Abu Dhabi through medium-high voltage power distribution work, then to move into the other Emirates. Further expansion plans could include Qatar, where the parent company Al Habtoor-Leighton is very strong, and at a later stage there is a possibility of moving into India and the wider Balkan area in Europe.

What do you consider the biggest challenges to the MEP sector at present?

To balance the tight deadlines imposed by clients in a market where there is over-demand of materials, with high quality work.

In many cases due to tight deadlines or ongoing architectural changes the MEP design of a building is incomplete or changing, making the milestones even harder to achieve.

How is the firm tackling these?

The firm is built around a team of experienced engineers and supervisors. The engineers have many years of experience in the Gulf on landmark projects and work as a team with the client engineers and MEP consultants to achieve optimal results on projects.

This takes into account and mitigates potential delays in material deliveries through re-engineering. In effect we are witnessing an approach to the design and build concept.

Bader Al Mulla & Bros

Number of employees in Middle East: More than 400 in Dubai and more than 4,000 in Kuwait.

In which countries does the firm operate worldwide?

In the Middle East the firm's head office is in Kuwait, it also has an office and factory in Dubai.

Firms covered under the Al Mulla Group include Bader Al Mulla & Brothers; Saleh Jamal & Co; Maseelah Trading; Gulf Trading Group; Al Mulla Consultancy; Al Mulla Environmental Systems; Al Mulla Real Estate; Al Mulla Security Services; and Al Mulla International Exchange.

What primary services are offered by the firm?

Within the engineering group the firm executes projects in the fields of electrical and mechanical services, fire protection and security, building automation and control, precision environmental and power systems.

In addition, it manufactures sheet metal duct and accessories for the hvac industry, dampers, sound attenuators and undertakes civil engineering projects.

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