Reports maintaining operating margins despite current market challenges.

Drake & Scull International (DSI) reported Dh42 million in net profits for the first quarter of 2010, ending March 31, and revenues of Dh386 million for the same period.

Elaborating on this, Osama Hamdan, CFO, DSI said: “Q1 2009 net operating profit of Dh48 million before amortisation and interest income compares to Dh37 million net operating profit in Q1 2010, before amortisation. These results reflect a year-onyear 23% drop in operating profit. It is worth mentioning that in spite of the current market challenges, we have maintained our operating margins.”

“Our revenue was affected by the extension of project completion dates and the pre-construction activities of our new projects, in addition to the development of our operations in new territories, like Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia,” stated DSI CEO, Khaldoun Tabari. “We have seen a positive start to the year with over Dh1 billion worth of projects being added to our backlog, currently standing at Dh4 billion as of April 1. This will have a positive effect on our future revenue, which is expected to materialise in the second half of the year,” he added.

According to DSI, in another development, its board of directors also approved the start of the company’s operations in Syria, which is expected to come into effect by the end of the year.

“The companies we acquired in 2009 and early 2010, Passavant – Roediger, Drake & Scull Qatar and Drake & Scull Kuwait, are being integrated with our corporate operations, and will start generating revenue by the second half of the year. Our planned growth strategy will deliver the results expected in accordance with our overall 2010 financial targets,” said Tabari.

Selection software was exclusively developed for their AHUs

Maico Gulf, announced that it has acquired the Eurovent Certification for its entire Dynair range of air handling units, which are manufactured in the UAE. The company claimed that it is among the few manufactures in the GCC having this certification, which stands for product quality and performance.

According to Maico Gulf, the complete design of the units was done by an expert team of technical engineers from their offices in Germany and Italy, employing user-friendly, interactive selection software for their air handling units. Maico Gulf further claimed that the software was exclusively developed by its engineering/IT team, headed by Ravi Sharma.

Maico Gulf highlighted the following aspects that it said, helped the company acquire the certification:

• A team of CAD engineers, which provides solutions, engineering analysis services, finite element modelling, product model and CFD analysis
• Specialised services such as customised design of air handling units using reverse engineering
• Focus on R&D and investing in upgrading manufacturing technologies and capabilities
• Constant upgrading of product designs
• The ISO systems and equipment, supported by advanced software packages, including those for system design, heat exchange and selection
• Focus on adaptability of local climate and innovating for product performance
• Dynair DAH series of AHUs based on the modular concept of assemblies

CEO says Bay Square cooling district network is on schedule

As part of its move to provide integrated district cooling services for the entire Business Bay project, Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) recently announced that it has begun the third phase of the 70,000 TR district cooling network for the Bay Square within Business Bay.

The company had earlier announced the completion of two phases of the project, which include the Executive Towers, and the Towers Area that overlooks Sheikh Zayed Road, from Emirates Airlines Building extending to the rear of the Executive Towers, with 50,000 TR. According to Empower, it has implemented the project within the set budget and timeline.

Elaborating on this, Ahmed Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, said: “We divided the implementation of district cooling network of Business Bay, which is one of the busiest and dynamic business spots, not only of Dubai, but also of the Middle East, into three phases, as per demand and supply. We worked according to the timeline by constructing temporary and semi-permanent work stations. As always, bestof- breed technologies were used in constructing this world-class network to ensure highest performance and quality.”

Bin Shafar added: “This project plays a crucial role in saving natural resources by saving electricity and water consumption in all the residential and business units. The start of phase three of the third phase of the district cooling network reflects the high calibre of our staff, who have been working on similar challenging jobs since the inception of Empower in 2003.”

Apart from providing energy-efficient district cooling services to Business Bay, Empower’s other projects include real estate developments, such as Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai Healthcare City, Jumeirah Beach Residence and City of Arabia.

Noting that district cooling is gaining wider recognition in the region, and District cooling systems (DCS) achieve economies of scale by using centralised plants instead of individual cooling units in each building, Bin Shafar said that the centralised system results in reduced capital and operating costs, thus reducing air conditioning set-up and energy costs per building.

“This new network saves energy by 40%,” he said. “We are satisfied with Empower’s role in disseminating the district cooling technology in the UAE via this world-class network.”

Event serves as platform to display green building solutions from across the region

His Excellency Khalfan Saeed Juma Al Kaabi, the first Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the Arabian Construction Week (ACW) 2010, on May 24. Touted to be Abu Dhabi’s only dedicated construction exhibition and regional summit for sustainable and innovative construction, it brought together over 200 exhibitors.

The three-day event, covering an over 8,000 squaremetre area at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), featured four exhibitions, including the Green Building Middle East, Future-Build Middle East, Building Machinery Middle East and Civil Engineering Middle East. In addition, two regional summits – Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) and the Green Building Middle East Summit and Expo were also held.

The Green Building Middle East showcased sustainable construction products, while Future-Build Middle East was a platform for new technology and innovative construction projects. Civil Engineering Middle East, meanwhile, was meant for exchanging solutions for major infrastructure and transport projects, and at Building Machinery Middle East, industry brands and dealers displayed cranes, excavators, heavy vehicles, machine tools, concrete, as well as waste and recycling equipment. The AWCS and Green Building Middle East Summit witnessed international spokespersons analysing issues faced by the region’s construction industry.

According to the organisers, MECOM Forums/Clarion Events, ACW served as a platform for companies to display a range of green building solutions, as well as innovative engineering products and services to buyers from across the Middle East and the neighbouring regions.

In addition to the conference programme, ACW acted as a pre-tender sourcing forum for the region’s existing and potential construction and infrastructure projects, the organisers stated.

Christopher Hudson, Managing Director of Mecom Forums, dubbed ACW as a first-of-its-kind event in the region, which brought together industry leaders and policy makers.

ACW was supported by MEED. Shell Lubricants and the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs were the headline sponsors.

Programme to help aspiring electrical engineers gain skills to enter workforce

The power and automation technology company, ABB, has joined forces with the Swedish Trade Council to offer talented Emirati graduates scholarships to cater to the growing demand for Emirati engineers in the UAE. As part of the new programme, ABB announced that it will sponsor every year two promising UAE national students pursuing a degree in engineering, to complete a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

This is the second time that the Swedish Trade Council is working with ABB on a scholarship programme in the Middle East, aimed at promoting local engineering talent.

According to ABB, the first batch of students will commence the graduate programme in September 2011. The scholarship will cover all expenses, including accommodation, transport, medical insurance and books. Students will also receive hands-on training at ABB’s facilities in Sweden.

“This scholarship programme will give aspiring UAE engineers a unique opportunity to develop their engineering skills and industry knowledge in a completely new environment,” said Jana Vasickova, Human Resources Manager for ABB in the UAE. “In the UAE, there is a huge demand for qualified Emirati engineers in all industry sectors, and this programme will help ensure promising students have the skills and experience needed to succeed in the industry and contribute to the country’s growth in the long run.”

“We are delighted to cooperate with ABB, as part of their corporate social responsibility programme in the region,” said Mats Paulson, Head of Swedish Trade Council, Middle East. “We hope that this scholarship programme will evolve and spread to key countries in the Middle East, as it will help talented young nationals across the region grow into tomorrow’s leaders in engineering.”

Bags Best Water Project Award at Arab Investment Summit 2010

Palm Utilities, provider of integrated sustainable utility solutions, received the Best Water Project Award during the Arab Investment Summit 2010, held recently in Abu Dhabi. Accoding to the company, it was recognised for its use of the Dual Work Exchanger Energy Recovery (DWEER) system for the Palm Jumeirah seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants, resulting in up to 19% power savings and a significant reduction in carbon footprint.

The DWEER system, stated Palm Utilities, has been in operation for the past 18 months and for the period January 2009 to January 2010, the system has helped save over 3.3 million kilowatt-hour in energy consumption through the reuse of reject energy, thus helping conserve the ecosystem and sustain its precious resources.

Commenting on the occasion, Yousuf Kazim, CEO of Palm Utilities, said: “Environmental responsibility is a corporate culture that is cherished within the entire organisation. In this regard, Palm Utilities has made significant investments to constantly improve our technology and maintain a highly skilled and experienced team of specialists. The latest distinction we have received at the Arab Investment Summit validates our sincere desire to contribute positively in the sustainable development of our society.”

Installation issues, maintenance and service come up for discussion

Danfoss in May organised a food quality seminar in Dubai, the aim of which was to introduce its Adap-Kool system as a solution for food retailers.

The seminar attracted clients in the form of supermarket chains in the UAE, who while eager to learn about energy-efficiency solutions, wanted to hear about reliability-related issues of the compressors and other equipment, proper installation procedures and satisfactory after-sales service by qualified and trained technicians.

Javier Lazaro, Sales Director (EMA) at Danfoss, led the presentation, with support from Vikram Singh, Sales Manager (Food Retail), Danfoss.

In his presentation, Lazaro said that anything that Danfoss implemented in terms of refrigeration solutions came at no extra cost to the clients, motivated as it was by a need to fulfill compliance requirements imposed by HACCP. The solutions, he added, aided in reducing food loss and in realising energy savings, which worked to 35% of actual consumption.

Then, speaking specifically on energy efficiency, Lazaro said that 30% of the energy consumed in supermarkets went for HVAC systems, 21% for lighting and a whopping 41% for refrigeration, with eight per cent for other functions and facilities. (Some members of the audience pointed out, though, that there was a need to factor in the power consumed by the bakery, in the form of ovens, which was quite substantial, and that the HVAC load was slightly higher than 30%.)

Lazaro said the potential for energy savings existed, in the forms of evaporator efficiency; compressor and condenser efficiency; fan, rail heat and defrost efficiency; and heat recovery (HVAC).

Speaking, in particular, about HVAC systems, Lazaro highlighted independent equipment coordination (AHUs, split units), on/ off scheduling (per store zones) and the measuring of the store temperature as important aspects to realising efficiency.

If you have a drive, it is important to run the electronic expansion valves, Lazaro added. “With an electronic expansive valve, you bring advantage to the controller and bring defrost efficiency,” he said. “You can optimise the defrost function, the number of defrosts you want to have.”

Responding to the presentation, a member of the audience said that energy efficiency was a commendable goal, but no matter how energy-efficient he got as a supermarket, there was no way he could be anything but a top-tier consumer, in the context of DEWA’s slab-rate tariff system. “The Government does not give me any incentive to cut down on power use, though I must add that electricity is cheaper here when compared to Europe. In other words, I don’t get a tier-bonus for consuming less here.”

Further, Lazaro said that it was the endeavour of Danfoss to provide reliable and easyto- use products, tools and data management solutions for automated routines. “We provide tools to facilitate maintenance, to optimise service routines, and to carry out intelligent data analysis and early alert and pro-active protocols,” he said. “We provide service for preventing maintenance.”

Responding to the maintenance and service features highlighted by Lazaro, another member of the audience said that local support was important to her as a client. She said she was keen on associating with a global partner, as long as she got adequate local support. “However, there is a serious issue that most technicians are not able to use the maintenance equipment,” the member of the audience said. “Though Danfoss provides automatic controls, without proper knowledge, technicians bypass and make it manual.”

Responding to this, Singh said that Danfoss was happy to organise workshops to give hands-on training to technicians from the client’s side.

Company showcases its partners at manufacturer symposium in Abu Dhabi

Leminar in May conducted a manufacturer symposium in Abu Dhabi, with the aim of showcasing its business partners to key decisionmakers in the capital city. Among those present were Rheem, IQ Air, Casals and Weicco.

Navin Valrani makes a point during his opening speech. To his left are the representatives from Casals, Weicco and Rheem

In an introductory presentation, Navin Valrani of Leminar said the company represented a number of HVAC brands and that they were leaders in their respective fields. Most of the brands, Valrani added, counted Leminar as their largest representative in the globe. For instance, Leminar is Rheem’s largest seller outside the United States. Likewise, the company is the largest Kimmco customer in the world, Valrani further added.

During his presentation, Valrani said he was proud to announce that the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence had just that day given its approval to Casals and Twin City smoke and heat fans and to Weicco’s firefighting pipe hangers.

In his presentation, Valrani also revealed Leminar’s growth plans. He said that Oman was in the cards in 2010 for a Leminar presence and that the company was looking to open into one country every year.

Following Valrani’s speech, representatives from each of the partners made a presentation. Going up first, Samer Tulimat of Rheem spoke on global warming and about how CO2 was the main culprit. “Four-fifth of the carbon dioxide is created by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, through vehicular emissions and from running our industries,” Tulimat said. “In that context, it is important to develop more efficient power plants, focus on alternative energy and, equally important, focus on reducing power consumption.” The last can be achieved through efficient cooling technologies.

Rheem, Tulimat said in his presentation, had started manufacturing high-efficiency units, from 13 SEER to 18 SEER. “And now since R22 is being phased out, we have converted to R407A,” he added.

Rheem, Tulimat further added, was the first manufacturer to introduce 13 SEER with R410A and T3 compressor. This unit, Tulimat said, was highly durable across all temperatures and was able to work at even 52ºC.

Tulimat’s colleague, Harish Kapadia spoke after him. Kapadia, an executive director with Rheem, said that the company had successfully applied Rheem units in highrise buildings in the UAE. To date, Kapadia said, there were over 300,000 units operating in the UAE. Besides dischargecondensing units, the company’s offerings in the UAE included floor-standing AHUs and double-skin AHU, Kapadia said.

Going into specifics, Kapadia said that Rheem had successfully implemented in Sharjah the company’s oil separator technology as a solution for a challenge relating to high-rise structures. Thanks to the technology, Kapadia said, it was possible to separate the oil from the refrigerant that came out of the discharge and to send hot pure refrigerant back. Owing to this, the compressor life is enhanced, Kapadia said. “Following the success in Sharjah, we want to replicate this in Abu Dhabi,” Kapadia said. “We are in touch with contractors, and we want to install it in Abu Dhabi. We are here to serve them in all kinds of difficult installations in high-rise buildings in an economical manner.”

Following his presentation, Rajeev Mehra of Weicco gave a detailed profile of the company.

Saying that Weicco boasted of the largest range of accessories for mechanical systems in the world, Mehra added that the company has installed its products in over a 1,000 projects in the GCC alone.

Mehra said Weicco was robust, because it had completely internalised the production of the complete chain of products in its factory in northern India. Be it product design, die-making or surface finishing, Weicco was able to accomplish them in-house, Mehra said. Owing to this approach, the company had total control over quality, he added.

Further to production, Weicco carried out rigorous testing procedures. “We carry out 100% outgoing testing for many products,” Mehra said. “All products are subjected to hydrostatic pressure testing and X-Ray welding inspection.”

In his presentation, Mehra then listed out various Weicco products, like rubber support inserts, insulation protection saddles, engineered spring supports, vibration isolators and seismic restraints, cased spring mounts, open spring mounts, thrust restraints, spring hangers and inertia base frames. These, he said, incorporated design features, which enhanced the quality of installation.

A key strength of Weicco as a company, Mehra said, was the technical support it provided to its customers, which, he claimed, was beyond industry norms. Typically, Mehra added, technical support included off-site meetings with customers and interaction with product designers to offer customised solutions.

After Mehra, Santiago Hernandez of Casals made a presentation on behalf of the Spain-headquartered fan manufacturer. Saying that the company had earned ISO 9001: 2008, Hernandez added that Casals stood for systematic work, planning, documentation and innovation. The company’s manufacturing process, he added, included sheet metal laser cutting, moulding, stamping, spot welding, TIC welding, epoxy powder paintwork, final assembly and verification. Every fan, Hernandez said, was tested for operational performance in an in-site laboratory.

During his presentation, Hernandez said that Casals enjoyed a 16% market share in the UAE, with its products installed in Emirates Cement Plant in Ras Al Khaimah, Rashid hospital and at the Dubai Investments Park, among other sites.

Hernandez’s colleague, Arnau Tinto, also spoke during the symposium, choosing to focus on specific Casals products. Tinto said that Casals had been collaborating with Leminar for four years and that Leminar was responsible for new variations of fans. “Our company has delivered hundreds of special models adapted to its customers’ needs,” Tinto said. “The Direct Drive Twin Box is an example. We designed following a Leminar request in the UAE.”

During his presentation, Tinto revealed that Casals had more than 2,000 models for buildings and industrial ventilation. Among them were the company’s jet fans, Tinto said. “The jet fans are in Dubai but not yet popular in Abu Dhabi,” Tinto said. “Hopefully, we will have it here, as well.” 

IMEC and Pegler Yorkshire recently announced their partnership alliance for the supply of Pegler Valves to the HVAC market. The valves are made in accordance with both UK and international standards. Pegler Yorkshire, with over 100 years of manufacturing experience in the valve industry, has its factory in Doncaster, UK.

UAE to increase water desalination capacity by 76% in six years to offset future water supply issues

Yousuf Kazim

Palm Utilities has announced that it has outlined new strategies to assist in resolving the UAE’s future water challenges. According to the company, the strategies integrate the latest advances in energy utilisation, nano and molecular technologies, as well as innovative water reuse and recycling systems. This, claimed Palm Utilities, will be crucial, as it seeks to pursue various largescale water desalination and wastewater treatment and reuse projects, helping address the region’s longterm water utility issues.

The company noted that the GCC, which already accounts for more than half of the 11,000 desalination facilities worldwide, expects an eight per cent annual growth of desalination plants as water demand continues to increase sharply among Gulf countries.

Palm Utilities revealed that according to a recent study by Japanese investment bank, Nomura Securities, the UAE, which is one of the world’s largest per capita water consumers, is expected to increase desalination capacity by 76% to 14.1 million cubic metres a day by 2016. This comes as the UAE’s natural water resources are expected to shrink by 16% in the next decade.

In the light of this, Palm Utilities stated that it has consolidated its technical and manpower resources to accommodate the increasing number of projects for energy-efficient and costeffective desalination facilities in the UAE and the rest of the GCC.

Yousuf Kazim, CEO of Palm Utilities, said: “Growing population and increasing industrialisation have strained the fresh water supply levels in the Arab World – a trend that is evident in countries such as, the UAE. This has given rise to the importance of desalination as a key component in addressing the region’s long-term water challenges, resulting in several billions of dollars being invested in various desalination projects across the UAE, and in several other GCC countries. With the latest technological advances, desalination has become a truly viable long-term solution, as we are now able to produce purified water in a more energy-efficient and affordable manner.”