Power players

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Phil Burns.

Behind all the glitz and glamour of a live event lies an intricate system of wires, cabling, generators and distro boxes. Although they are arguably the driving force behind any gig, power distro providers rarely receive a share of the spotlight. Sound and Stage spoke to three of the leading suppliers of power products to the local event industry to discuss the issues that apply to this integral sector of the live events market.

Phil Burns, Managing director, Aggreko Middle East

Can you provide an overview of your company's main commercial interests in the Middle East?

Aggreko has been involved with many large-scale projects both in the region and internationally. In November 2008, the company provided temporary power for the grand opening of the much-anticipated Atlantis Hotel in Dubai and more recently Aggreko provided 18 MW of power to the Bahrain Grand Prix in April 2009.

Many of our contracts have been ongoing for a number of years; for example, we have been the temporary power provider for the Dubai Rugby 7s for the past nine years. In addition, we have close relationships with many events companies in the MENA region and supply power and chilling to trade shows and exhibitions such as the Dubai International Boat Show.

In which MENA countries do you maintain a business presence?

Since the opening of the first Aggreko regional office in Sharjah in 1991, Aggreko Middle East has opened ten locations in six different countries within the region.

The Aggreko Middle East HQ is in Jebel Ali, Dubai where we service, repair and refurbish our generators and coordinate logistics for all of our projects. We also have local depots throughout the region, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Jeddah, Dammam, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

Aggreko has worked with companies in virtually every MENA country on both short-term and long-term projects. Some of the prestigious developments Aggreko has provided power for include the Palm Jumeirah development in Dubai, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Metro and the Qatar Pearl.

How important is good quality power distribution at a live event? What are the key indicators of quality?

At a live event, it is absolutely essential to have a high quality power supply.

Without it, lights can be ineffective and sound can be distorted; whether it is for the Olympic Games, a festival or a meeting, ensuring reliable supply of  power is essential, as the reputation of the event and the organising company could be significantly impacted.

Getting the best service possible means ensuring you are getting a bespoke package tailored to your exact power requirements, as well as on-site installation and maintenance. Event managers also need to ensure that the people operating the generators are qualified, knowledgeable and familiar with the equipment on-site. Having these essential elements in place guarantees that the generators are reliable, run at optimum capacity and reduce costs by ensuring excessive fuel is not used.

Aggreko continuously strives to improve both quality and service. For example, we have managed to increase the quality of our products by providing lower noise emissions in order to avoid any possible disruption which loud generators could potentially cause. These ‘hush-power' generators are quiet enough to be used on film sets.

What are the major challenges facing the power distribution industry?

The summer months always present challenges to the MENA region. In the Middle East, utilities are put under tremendous strain.

It is common for there to be prolonged periods of peak power demand from residential, commercial and industrial sectors, making it difficult for existing power capacity to cope and often resulting in power cuts and load shedding to homes, retail outlets and offices. It can also lead to factory shutdowns and a general decrease in power supply.

What qualifications/training/certifications do you demand from your staff?

Training is a priority for Aggreko and we have dedicated HR staff who are committed to ensuring our employees have the knowledge and expertise to deal with the complexity of the machinery and the environment in which they are working.

Our event managers are trained engineers, holding degrees in electrical engineering. Once they join Aggreko, they are given in-depth training on the equipment through our ‘Aggreko Authorised Personnel' programme (APP). Through this program they can gain qualifications such as site operations, project management and high-voltage technical training. Many of our staff, initially hired locally to work on one project, have since completed our training programme and become full-time employees.

What does your company do to address the safety concerns associated with power distribution?

Safety, both on-site and at our facilities, is our primary concern. Our personnel often have to operate in remote and difficult environments and processes have to be in place in order to ensure there is as little risk as possible to people and the environment. The events industry is, in some ways, even more of a challenge as large events involve thousands of people, some of whom do not always pay attention to warning signs.

For example, at the Ryder Cup, Aggreko had to provide 12 MW of reliable power - enough to power a small town.

We had to contend with a number of issues, particularly ensuring the safety of the players and 40,000 spectators.

As a company, we take QHSE very seriously and all necessary safety equipment is mandatory, hard hats and glasses, gloves and any other necessary protective clothing. As well as a clearly mapped pavement around the facility to ensure that no one is in danger of falling over equipment or being hurt by moving machinery and other hazards.

Safety notices are located throughout the facility to ensure staff are aware of the safety precautions they should be taking. All employees are given comprehensive QHSE inductions in addition to refresher courses throughout their time with the company.

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