Renewable strategy

zoom

Dr Martin Viessmann, president of Viessmann Werke GmbH.

The UAE has the potential of becoming a leading region for renewable technologies in the Middle East, said Dr Martin Viessmann, president of Viessmann Werke GmbH. "This is a great chance for the UAE, which is very dynamic. It has a huge and vested interest in motivating ‘green' technology."

Dr Viessmann spoke to MEP Middle East while paying a whistle-stop visit to Dubai, where his company - of which his family represents the third generation at its helm - is represented by Viessmann Middle East FZE. "Viessmann has sold many boilers in the Middle East over the last 30 years.

Our products have been operating in Jordan since 1985, while in the UAE we have had thermal systems operating since 2000." The growth in the market eventually resulted in a fully-fledged subsidiary being established in 2006.

"We have our branch office in Sharjah, where our sales and training facilities are located. We have partner companies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the GCC and other Middle East countries. Sharjah is a good base from which to conduct business. Our network is quite far-reaching. For example, we can specify a project in Cairo, send the offer to the contractor in Kuwait, and install the boiler in Qatar. Nowadays this is quite common due to the close ties that exist between the Middle East and our partner network.

Low energy prices

"In the past it was not possible to do business here due to the low energy prices in the region. But now there are significant changes. With huge investments in the region, there is now an increasing demand for environment friendly and energy saving products. Also, the ‘green movement' has played a major role in promoting such awareness," said Dr Viessmann.

In terms of major projects in the Middle East, the company has installed a solar thermal system of more than 2 000 square metres on the Palm Jumeirah, which has realised a carbon dioxide saving of over a million kilograms a year. "We installed a 300 square metre solar thermal system in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai for process hot water in a food plant. We are installing the steam boilers of the wastewater treatment plant at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which will operate with biogas," said Dr Viessmann.

Other reference projects include Japan Airlines Towers, Palazzo Versace, Ottoman Palace, Ibis Hotel, the new Dusit Hotel and Centro Rotana, as well as a spread of villas in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. "In the short to medium, there are positive prospects for the heating sector. going forward. We continue to face an enormous modernisation potential with regard to existing buildings, which must be exploited if global energy and climate policies are to have any chance of being achieved by 2020."

Economic downturn

Commenting on the impact of the economic downturn on the company, Dr Viessmann acknowledged that the company has been "as much affected as anybody else in the market. But out products are not usually an additional investment. For example, if a hotel invests in a solar thermal system as opposed to an electrical hot water system, it will save more than the initial investment by reducing the electrical connection and related costs. Also, the solar system has an inherent payback due to the free-of-charge energy provided by the sun.

"Hence we are lucky that our systems are essentially self-financing. Our role is then simply to guide our clients towards the appropriate investment strategy and to show them the full benefits." Dr Viessmann revealed that the company aims to expand its network in the Middle East. "We have set up a good base, and want to continue our growth path in the Middle East. We do not want to become lost in a crisis mode.

Crisis situations are good to improve efficiencies in the company overall. We are looking forward to supporting, and working with, companies in the Middle East."

While the German heating equipment market lost nearly a quarter of its volume in 2007, the company's export markets have been able to grow by a ‘substantial' margin. "This year that trend could indeed change, but the net result is better if you operate globally.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM