Gamco and BAE in tie-up
The Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Co (Gamco) is teaming up with BAE Systems to provide full maintenance and support to the UAE Air Force, thereby increasing the availability of aircraft.
The proposed partnership will provide a sustainable and highly skilled workforce to maintain Hawk aircraft owned by the UAE forces. These aircraft were procured between1981 and 1992.
"We are delighted that BAE Systems has chosen Gamco as their partner to fulfil our requirements. We are also convinced that our reputation for quality and service will be reinforced by such partnerships," said Dr Shaikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Nahyan, chairman of Gamco.
Alstom, Flowcrete eyeing contracts
Leading energy and transport infrastructure manufacturer Alstom and specialist flooring manufacturer Flowcrete have joined an international line-up of exhibitors competing for lucrative contracts during the third Airport Build & Supply Exhibition and Conference, which will take place at Airport Expo Dubai from June 2-4.
Organised by event management and marketing specialists Streamline Marketing, the exhibition is a vital showcase for airport suppliers from around the world, and companies like Alstom and Flowcrete, have high hopes of capitalising on the huge amount of airport development in the region.
Factory plea on ceramic dumping
The Emirates Ceramic Factory has called on the authorities to prevent the dumping of imported low-quality ceramic products.
Inferior quality ceramic tiles produced in countries such as Spain and China are being dumped in the UAE due to the lack of legislation governing quality, Ali Rashid Al Ghasiyah, general manager of Emirates Ceramics Factory, told the Dubai press.
"High-quality products may be threatened by inferior goods if the authorities do not step in," he said.
"We ask the UAE Standards and Specifications Authority to prevent the import of inferior products. This will allow good products to spread in the market and improve production of local manufacturers to meet international standards."
Chinese to showcase products
A year-long exhibition of Chinese small and medium plastic packaging machines will be hosted in Sharjah. More than 100 sets of machines from 26 firms will be on display at China Machinery and Electronic Products Exhibition Centre (Chinamex) from early April. Prospective buyers can view special demo sessions at the venue. Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation are the joint sponsors.
Ministry expands online services
The Ministry of Finance and Industry has expanded its online services for industrial and manufacturing firms in the UAE. The single-window service is an extension of the ministry's licensing and renewal portal launched two years ago. A ministry official said many manufacturers had registered to use the services to cut paperwork and avail themselves of instant duty rebates. Initial registration on the portal is Dh200 ($54.4) for the first year, with subsequent renewals priced at Dh100, and any changes to factory status for just Dh50.
Seminar held on process safety
More than 20 delegates took part in a recent seminar on process safety in Abu Dhabi. The four-day event was conducted by process safety company Exida and sponsored by Siemens. The delegates represented leading oil, gas and petrochemical companies in the Gulf Arab region. The intensive training programme prepares students for the Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE) examination conducted by TUV, the German certification organisation.
"Process safety requires specific training that is hard to find," said Siemens sales manager Sina Shekarchi. "As a special service for customers looking for such expertise, we decided to bring Exida, the company with a solid reputation in safety instrumented systems studies for process industries, to the Gulf to provide updated training to our key customers."
He said the oil, gas and petrochemical sector was particularly vulnerable to mishaps and it was imperative for personnel managing the complex systems to know how best to ensure safety and reliability." Siemens supplies TUV-certified solutions for process safety applications such as safety transmitters and safety PLC.
Concrete firm completes third phase
Top Concrete Products Factory, based in Dhaid, has completed its third-phase expansion at a cost of Dh20 million ($5.5 million). The company's installed capacity has thus increased to 2,000sq m of 'pavers' per eight-hour shift, or 20,000 hollow blocks. In 2002 it installed an integrated precast line as well as upgraded brick and interlock lines, with German firm Omag supplying the automated machinery and equipment.
The plant also produces bricks, solid blocks, pavement liners, kerbstones and precast concrete forms in various colours and shapes.
Harbour complex gains investments
The Inner Harbour complex at Sharjah's Hamriyah Free Zone has won Dh350 million ($95.3 million) investments on seven major projects recently.
Rashid Al Leem, director general, said the freshly leased areas totalled 170,000 sq m and brought to 62 per cent the overall leased area available to let at the complex. The inner harbour project is estimated to cost Dh75 million. The project site has a depth of five to seven metres, 2.1 km length and 300m width. Overall leasable land area in the project totals as much as 750,000 sq m.
Besides the inner harbour project, the authority has already signed many leases with leading investors seeking water frontage for their projects. These include companies involved in the marine and maritime services industries, ship repair, boat and ship building and food processing. Among the Authority's major new tenants are Seaspray, Jagson, Techmar, Whitesea, MES, Integrated Petroleum and Quebec Foods.
Funding approved
A Dubai initiative to help fledgling entrepreneurs has approved funding for nine new projects in various sectors.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders, in cooperation with Dubai Islamic Bank, said funds worth Dh10 million were approved for the projects.
The Establishment, in co-operation with DIB, finances projects through a dedicated fund that provides access to capital at preferential terms for new entrepreneurs and existing small-to medium-size firms. The projects also get consultancy services from an internal advisory team set up by the Establishment.
