Author: Stephen White

ALEC Holdings, one of the region’s leading construction and services firms, has released its 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability report, showcasing a year of measurable progress in ethical business practices, workforce development, and environmental impact reduction across its UAE and Saudi operations. The report highlights ALEC’s firm integration of ESG principles into its core business strategy, moving beyond compliance to position sustainability as a driver of resilience and regional growth. This effort has garnered external recognition, with ALEC earning the Dubai Chamber of Commerce ESG Label and the ‘Committed’ badge from global sustainability ratings platform EcoVadis. The…

Al Marwan Machinery has been officially appointed as the authorised dealer for Kobelco excavators in Saudi Arabia. This significant development marks the expansion of a long-standing partnership between Al Marwan and Kobelco, and also expands Al Marwan’s Kobelco representation, which already includes the UAE, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon, explained the company in a statement. According to the deal, Al Marwan will represent Kobelco across Saudi Arabia, complementing its existing role as the authorised distributor for Kobelco crawler cranes since early 2024. “The move reflects Al Marwan’s broader regional growth strategy beyond the UAE, now bringing advanced Japanese excavation technology…

Daikin UAE has announced a strategic partnership with Al Shola, a well-established provider of temporary cooling and equipment rental services, in a move aimed at transforming how the Gulf region accesses energy-efficient rental cooling solutions. The collaboration unites Daikin’s century-long legacy in HVAC-R innovation with Al Shola’s deep-rooted operational presence and rental network across the UAE. Together, the companies will provide comprehensive, turnkey cooling packages tailored to the needs of construction sites, infrastructure projects, events, and critical facilities operating in some of the world’s harshest climates. The partnership comes at a time when the demand for flexible, high-performance cooling systems…

Leading figures from Manitowoc and its dealers used the How to go Global panel discussion at Bauma China 2024 to review how the company and its products are structured to support customers around the world. The panel included leading figures from Manitowoc and its dealers highlighted how versatile designs, continuous innovation, and long-term support combine to boost customer productivity and profitability. The panel included: Brian Wang, SVP of emerging markets, Manitowoc Thibaut Le Besnerais, VP brand and product management for tower cranes, Manitowoc Andreas Cremer, VP product management mobile cranes, Manitowoc Nabil Al Zahlawi, CEO and managing partner, NFT (owner of…

Rapid Access has officially inaugurated its new regional headquarters as part of a strategic move to reinforce its commitment to safety, innovation, customer service, and operational excellence. The market leader in powered access solutions in the Middle East, Rapid Access is a subsidiary of Europe’s largest equipment rental provider, Loxam Group. The new facility will enable Rapid Access to play a key role in expanding the group’s footprint across the Middle East and serve as a central hub to support operations across multiple countries in the region. With over 25 years in the business, Rapid Access leads the powered access…

Atlas Copco has debuted six new models of its CDR and CDR+ portable dryer ranges. These deliver clean, dry air in any tough environment and enhance Atlas Copco’s total portable air solutions, says the Swedish firm. The line-up includes six models – three twin tower models (CDR 850, CDR 1200, CDR 1700) and three units with Cerades technology (CDR+ 980, CDR+ 1350, CDR+ 1700) – each designed to provide a consistent flow of high-quality, moisture-free compressed air in a wide range of mobile applications. All models in the new range are housed in a robust, corrosion-resistant frame, designed to withstand…

Sinoboom Intelligent Equipment has launched a striking new global paint scheme, officially unveiled at the CICEE 2025 exhibition on 15 May in Changsha. Held at the company’s booth at 10:30 a.m., the unveiling was witnessed by industry leaders, experts, customers, and media, heralding what Sinoboom described as a symbolic new chapter in its commitment to innovation, safety, and customer-centric manufacturing. The refreshed global coating — dubbed “Red Flame Reborn” — blends bold aesthetics with technical excellence, with Sinoboom stating that the new colours encapsulate the spirit of its evolving brand. The new paint scheme features two primary colours: “Star Flame…

Following the power outage that affected 55 million people in southern Europe, Mudassar Asghar, Technical & Commercial Leader at GE Vernova, emphasised the critical importance of securing national grid infrastructures at the Energy and Water Summit hosted by Big Project Middle East magazine in Dubai today. His remarks came in the context of the growing adoption of renewable energy sources heavy industries and rising demand from technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and machinery, factors that significantly affect grid stability and security. The discussion gained urgency in light of the recent significant power outage affecting Spain, Portugal, and southern France.…

Should the construction industry in the Middle East consider sustainable alternatives to its preferred concrete and steel mixture when it comes to building? At the Energy and Water Summit hosted by Big Project Middle East magazine in Dubai, industry experts discussed the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to traditional concrete and steel in construction, highlighting the viability and challenges of these new materials in the region. Iman Abi Saab, Technical Director for Structure at Mott Macdonald, emphasised the urgency of addressing cement-related emissions during today’s EWSSummit2025, noting that cement production alone contributes significantly to global emissions. “Cement is contributing a…

Reinforcing the piers that support a major UK rail viaduct spanning a river estuary is no easy task, which is exactly why the specialist marine subcontractor appointed to undertake this project approached Hoist & Winch Ltd for the optimal lifting solution. The brief provided to Hoist & Winch was for the supply of a turnkey lifting solution comprising two sets of four hoist units suitable for a marine environment. These hoists were to be suspended from temporary scaffold structures fixed to two separate motorised floating pontoons. As part of an innovative approach to a complex challenge, the hoist-mounted pontoons would…