UCC sharpens its tools to target large government projects by Moataz al-khayat

UCC sharpens its tools to target large government projects by Moataz al-khayat

UrbaCon Trading & Contracting equips business development department with assertive strategy and dedicated resources to target large-scale public masterplans over the next three to four years

Under experienced business development management UrbaCon Trading & Contracting (UCC) is firmly directing its attention towards large-scale public contracts, and is keeping a keen eye on the key upcoming projects while looking to build its overall presence in Qatar.

Moataz Al-Khayat, CEO of UCC, says: “We have increased our activity in pre-qualifications and tender submissions, so we know what we are doing – we have the vision, we have the mission, we have the details and the balance scorecards, all prepared here in a plan.”

Targeting especially the one-billion-plus local currency government master plans, UCC has already made seven project submissions, and is working on two JV submissions where it does not have the full range of technical capabilities required on the projects.

Dr. Basim Ibrahim Mohammed, deputy MD of business development, notes: “The managing director is sparing no expense to move forward, because three or four years from now, everything will be awarded, that’s it, done.”

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, comments: “As a contracting company, if you cannot get your opportunities within these next few years, it will be too late for you to enter the market unless go in as a subcontractor – but with a company of 10,000 plus on the payroll, you cannot do that.”

Such is the enormity of the emerging works that UCC’s business development department is developing its own estimation capabilities to specifically target government projects.

Dr. Mohammed explains: “Currently we are supervising the estimation department. We took the responsibility for the technical details, and we started to be heavily involved about a month ago. The next stage is to develop a parallel estimation department within business development to allow us to prepare the bid A-Z understanding the specific strengths that the client is looking for.”

Moataz Al-Khayat, adds: “There will be heavy communications during bidding with the clients, there will be interviews, proposals, presentations – for big projects it’s not just a bid submittal.”

“Since we have several projects, we can capitalise on our substantial resources. Besides, we have to provide the flow of projects to keep everybody busy.”

Apart from private residences and a couple of malls, all major upcoming infrastructure projects belong to the government, including new cities such as Lusail, all the stadiums and associated facilities under the Q2022 programme, and some 20-30 hotels.

Robust contracts department are critical to gaining client trust, says Moataz al-khayyat

Robust contracts department are critical to gaining client trust, says Moataz al-khayyat

UrbaCon Trading & Contracting, a rising Qatari contractor, says firmly imposed control in its contractual agreements and an absence of disputes provide the perfect springboard for growth, the restructuring of its departments and client base diversification

Clear contractual procedures and a meticulous eye for identifying contract risks in advance contribute to smooth relationships with clients, and are essential to a contractor’s reputation.

The contracts department of a company primarily looks at producing the finished contract according to the employer’s needs, and in making sure that suppliers, subcontractors, vendors of materials and finishes are contracted on a similar basis, to ensure the satisfaction of their client.

“I think the fact that we are where we are, and that we have the workload that we, highlights that we are obviously handling that very well, because any prominent contractor has a good relationship with its clients,” says Alexander Milne, UCC’s contracts and commercial director.

“We try to deliver on time. There are always reasons for not doing that, whether it is variations or increased scope, but we have good client relationships and we intend to maintain those.”

As part of the streamlining of the contractual department’s procedures, it has both strengthened its internal processes and handed over non-core functions by developing dedicated divisions.

Moataz Al-Khayyat, CEO of UCC, notes: “We have brought in a standardised procedure and set forms for subcontract and consultancy agreements, and there is an on-going process to ensure that our documentation becomes ever clearer and that the department is continually updated.

Ramez AlKhayat, MD of UCC, adds: “This is an important step as we strive to be more involved in the local market, to increase our market and to introduce greater diversity into our client base.”

More recently, UCC’s contract department has handed the front-end design within its design and build contracts, to sister company International Design & Consultancy Company (IDCC).

Milne explains: “IDCC provides concept design and architects, and conducts concept design competitions for the client, to give him various options if there is a project he wants to build. I was handling last year, but now my function is back to dealing with the post-contract side.”

The importance of this interactive approach to the project before the contract gets underway it that is gives the client options, brings them on board and builds up trust between the parties.

Milne adds: “Rather than just saying, ‘Here’s you project, here’s what it’s going to look like’, we present our clients various design proposals to provide a range conceptual viewpoints for the project.”

UrbaCon undertakes marine projects with the utmost caution by Moataz al-khayat

UrbaCon undertakes marine projects with the utmost caution by Moataz al-khayat

  

Interfering with natural environments can have staggering consequences, but UrbaCon is certain that it has the expertise and the ISOs to ensure that its marine undertakings are second to none

Much of Qatar’s coastal areas are littered with inter-tidals, which are areas of low wave action that harbour extensive mangroves and other habited natural environments, and these areas are also frequented by Qataris. As an example, the northern part of the city of Sumasyma is heavily populated with mangroves, and people go there on the weekend to enjoy this natural beauty.

Mangroves are relatively rare globally, and they are also particularly important to the ecosystem of the Gulf region for their role in delivering oxygen into the coastal waters and providing a sheltered habitat for smaller species.

In his role as marine and coastal projects director at UrbaCon Trading & Contracting, Istabraq Janabi is responsible for both marine construction and the pre-construction part of the process.

“The marine environment plays a very crucial role in the sustainability of existing mangrove habitats environments and species, and we conduct studies prior to the execution of any works, to determine whatever is required to ensure these ecosystems are sustained,” explains Janabi.

Moataz Al-Khayat, CEO of UCC, notes: “We never approach the limits of preserved areas during the process of construction unless there is an extraordinary need to develop that area, in which case we will proceed as sensitively as possible in order to minimise the environmental impact.”

In the instance of immitigable socioeconomic demands for development, measures that can be taken to preserve these environments include the temporary relocation of mangrove tree specimens, as well as the erection of special fabricated siltscreens, which prevent any contamination due to the construction from reach the roots or trunks of the mangroves.

Ramez Khayat, MD of UCC, highlights: “We are an ISO-approved design-build company, and we make good use of our sister company International Design & Consultancy Company to develop designs that abide by the requirements of the Qatari government, the ministry of environment, and the Qatar Foundation, as well as the marine LEED and QSAS requirements and regulations.”

UrbaCon Trading & Contracting is involved with work on a range of marine and coastal projects including marinas, harbours, beaches, revetments and navigation channels and has a fleet of 60 items of marine equipment in Qatar.

UrbaCon undertakes marine projects with the utmost caution by Moataz al-khayat

  

Interfering with natural environments can have staggering consequences, but UrbaCon is certain that it has the expertise and the ISOs to ensure that its marine undertakings are second to none

Much of Qatar’s coastal areas are littered with inter-tidals, which are areas of low wave action that harbour extensive mangroves and other habited natural environments, and these areas are also frequented by Qataris. As an example, the northern part of the city of Sumasyma is heavily populated with mangroves, and people go there on the weekend to enjoy this natural beauty.

Mangroves are relatively rare globally, and they are also particularly important to the ecosystem of the Gulf region for their role in delivering oxygen into the coastal waters and providing a sheltered habitat for smaller species.

In his role as marine and coastal projects director at UrbaCon Trading & Contracting, Istabraq Janabi is responsible for both marine construction and the pre-construction part of the process.

“The marine environment plays a very crucial role in the sustainability of existing mangrove habitats environments and species, and we conduct studies prior to the execution of any works, to determine whatever is required to ensure these ecosystems are sustained,” explains Janabi.

Moataz Al-Khayat, CEO of UCC, notes: “We never approach the limits of preserved areas during the process of construction unless there is an extraordinary need to develop that area, in which case we will proceed as sensitively as possible in order to minimise the environmental impact.”

In the instance of immitigable socioeconomic demands for development, measures that can be taken to preserve these environments include the temporary relocation of mangrove tree specimens, as well as the erection of special fabricated siltscreens, which prevent any contamination due to the construction from reach the roots or trunks of the mangroves.

Ramez Khayat, MD of UCC, highlights: “We are an ISO-approved design-build company, and we make good use of our sister company International Design & Consultancy Company to develop designs that abide by the requirements of the Qatari government, the ministry of environment, and the Qatar Foundation, as well as the marine LEED and QSAS requirements and regulations.”

UrbaCon Trading & Contracting is involved with work on a range of marine and coastal projects including marinas, harbours, beaches, revetments and navigation channels and has a fleet of 60 items of marine equipment in Qatar.

Credo Trading reports a significant pick up in orders by Moataz al-khayat

                                                                                              

Credo Trading reports a significant pick up in orders by Moataz al-khayat

Trading company Credo has reported an increase in orders for the second half of the year.

Qatari based trading company Credo, has reported a ‘significant increase’ in orders for the second half of the year according to a recent statement from the company.

Specialising in both private and commercial furnishings and fixtures, Credo recently opened its new showroom in the Qatari capital of Doha, signifying growing confidence the demand from the construction sectors ‘finishing’ market of interior designers and private individuals.

As a part of the LBDI group of companies, parent company UrbaCon’s CEO, Moataz Khayat said, “We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the increase in business for Credo, in particular with the orders placed for the second half of 2013. With Qatar’s significant construction boom now a few years down the line, we felt that Credo could offer help to support the finishing requirements for a diverse section of the market, so we are hopeful that this level of growth will continue.”

Citing various sectors, including an increasing emphasis on the tourism market, Credo has supplied a variety of products from lighting fixtures to kitchens, in a bid to meet the beautifying phase of a variety of projects, including stadiums, palaces, hotels and offices.

High on success, the Orient Pearl has even more in store by Moataz al-khayyat

High on success, the Orient Pearl has even more in store by Moataz al-khayyat

Reconfiguring Syrian and Lebanese cuisine into a lavish yet affordable affair, the operations manager of Doha’s largest restaurant concept, the Orient Pearl, takes us through the steps

Well-fed and jovial, Maher Abu-Alnaser says:

“The restaurant opened in January, and we sent out 3,000-4,000 invitations in a soft opening to refine the 450-staff operation,” says Habib. “We then fine-tuned the details ready for the big launch on January 17^th, for which we set a stage and 1,500 seats outdoors by the water fountain.”

Since this fanfare the trio of venues – Joury, a Syrian and Lebanese; La Toscana, an Italian; and, Nayrabeen, offering smaller bites, juices and shisha – has been fully booked out at weekends.

“In the summer we are 20-30% down: it’s a normal situation,” notes Habib, but before the summer, the indoor and outdoor attendance hit the maximum of 1,300 people, and drew 500-600 even during weekdays. “The total number of employees is 450, including 100 kitchen staff, five head chefs and one executive chef, as well as 70 stewards, three floor managers, one restaurant manager, and myself. The rest are floor staff, so waiters, hostesses and head waiters.”

 

Moataz Al-Khayyat, CEO and the man behind the restaurant, notes: “It’s the largest restaurant in Doha now, at least for the time-being, and we’re targeting every demographic – everyone from 25 years to middle age to sixty-five years.”

“We also have the VIP area which has three six to eight seat rooms, and one large VVIP room with a dinner table and the capacity for 16 persons, so suitable for a lunch or business meeting.”

Moving forward Orient Pearl is also under the process of developing a new concept in place of La Toscana, serving several kinds of international food.

“The Italian restaurants here in Qatar, I don’t think they should exceed 100 seats,” explains Habib. “Here you have here 400-500 – it’s a big operation for an Italian, but the Qatari people don’t have a huge knowledge of Italian cuisine, which is why we are changing the plan to more seafood.”

On top of this the restaurant will be opening a front side coffee shop after the summer months. Moataz Al-Khayyat adds: “We will introduce a franchise coffee like Starbuck, Second Cup or Gloria Jean’s. These are the plans –coffee shop. It’s all part of broader budgeted business plan.”

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Eighteen months in, Doha’s Orient Pearl restaurant is drawing the crowds by Moataz al-khayyat

Orient Pearl, the Qatari capital’s largest single restaurant venue, has seen weekend attendances outside of Ramadan max out its combined indoor and outdoor capacity of 1,500 seats

On January 17, the Orient Pearl in Doha officially opened its doors a 1,500-seat outdoor event. Today it is a bustling hive of life and laughter with a warm ambience, live music and great food.

Operations director Maher Abu-Alnaser, who has handled proceeding since November, says the concept was to deliver an upmarket but modestly priced experience, from between 150 to 250 Qatari riyals per person, so that it is accessible and can be visited by all customers .

Abu-Alnaser notes: “We have two different restaurants: Joury, which is a combination of Lebanese and Syrian; and, Nayrabeen, which specialises in shamiyat, so foul, fatteh, hummus, falafel and which has a big outdoor play area unlike any other in Qatar.”

Moataz Al-Khayyat , CEO and founder of the Orient Pearl said: “Due to the scale of the venue, we decided that this would be our signature restaurant. As a landmark on the corniche, we believe this will be the beginning of a bigger franchise to come, not just in Qatar, but in the international market.”

Offering a distinctive difference between Lebanese and Syrian cuisine, the core difference can be found in the method of cooking and the spices. As the largest restaurant in Doha by area, it is still impressively packed out, in particular during the weekends.

Even now, the indoor Joury and Latoscana is bustling, with colourfully-garbed staff offering Tamarind juice and portly waiters ever at hand to keep the seamless experience moving forward.

The basics like the humus are all spot on, the fatteh delicately spiced, the meat tender and specialities like the plump and syrup-drizzled kibbeh are impressively flavoured and presented.

Orient Pearl is also elegantly decked out, with artistic detail visible in every corner, from the patterned gypsum panels in the roof to the marble flooring and crafted furniture. The food then does these surroundings more than adequate justice, and with attentive service to boot.

In the evening, and as stomachs begin to feel the strain, live music also kicks in at 9.00-9:30pm, completing the experience, though in Ramadan the timing begins a little later, at 10.30-11.00pm.

Outside of summer, Khayyat adds, the corniche location enjoys a sea-view, and the outdoor experiences beautiful weather, with the fragrant smells of shisha and live-cooked shawarma mingling on the light breeze. So in fact the perfect place from which to enjoy Doha.

KCT emphasises local supply and subcontracting agreements by Moataz al-khayyat

Khayyat Contracting & Trading says Qatari supply is key as it looks to maximise its local consumption and minimise imports from other countries for its projects on the peninsula.

Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) is picking up a growing number of projects in Qatar and though there is pressure on the supply chain the company says it will stand firm in encouraging local supply, which will ultimately save on time and money in the market.

 

 Moataz Al-Khay

at, CEO of KCT, notes: “We are emphasising local supply, because the best way for you to save is to source your materials from the country you are in, and in Qatar this will prompt the creation of a market which can accommodate everything that is going on in the country.”

“We need to move at the same pace as the vision for Qatar, and as the market has not yet shown the strength and cohesion to provide all the commodities and trades for construction, we need to support it to ensure that local business doesn’t get left behind.”

KCT is also setting up both warehouses to enable the purchase and storage of local materials in bulk, and is also considering fixed period supply agreements with certain local companies.

Issam Atef, procurement director at KCT, details: “We have opened warehouses for all the materials that we are going to be using on a regular basis in order to streamline our supply chain. When it’s needed, it’s there, and it’s bought at a price that beats the market given its quality.”

The only caveat comes when the order is so huge that it simply cannot be bought locally, “but otherwise we are looking for the future to verify certain proven companies to work with us that,” adds Atef, noting: “We are now making limited one-year agreements.”

The contractor in particular hopes that with time it will be able to identify the reliable suppliers in the market, and to eliminate any non-effective parties employing opportunistic tactics.

“We are very pleased with the achievement of putting the procurement department on the track, and to be moving away from short-term agreements. The procurement department is not there just to pass papers,” nods Khayyat.

“We do not want a bureaucratic kind of dealing – it is supposed to be effective in controlling cost, and in ensuring the supply of materials, the timeliness of supply and that the payment is there.”

A final point is to ensure that the internal procedures of local projects do not make correct procurement a secondary matter in order to accommodate the pace, so KCT is focusing its efforts on streamlining its processes to confine costs while accommodating all of its sites.

KCT drives operational efficacy in procurement by Moataz al-khayyat

KCT drives operational efficacy in procurement by Moataz al-khayyat

As part of ongoing efforts to deliver the highest quality construction, Khayyat Contracting & Trading is adopting a strictly controlled and technology-led approach to its procurement

Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) is implementing rigorous procedures through an expert team in order to ensure the highest standards in its procurement in Qatar and has plans to form a database on all subcontractors and suppliers providing services and materials to the market.

Moataz Al-Khayat, CEO of KCT, notes: “Procurement affects the company dearly – it is one of the backbones of the company and determines whether we make a profit in many situations. Our strategy is to run it like a machine, to the benefit of ourselves, subcontractors and suppliers.

 

According to Issam Atef , procurement director at the company, KCT’s st

rategy to implement the strictest controls hinges on a tight-knit team that only requires a handful of personnel to procure for 24 sites, and which can rapidly adjust to changes in its procedures.

“We are working with the minimum staff anywhere, so we are very efficient as a department, and self-conscious about not wasting of time and money,” Atef says. “We have a lot of work coming in, but we hope to get to the point where processing will become a matter of hours.”

A specific aim for the near future is to see 90% of its supply chain going through the proper channels, which will control “the cost, timing and quality of supply.” This will be supported by the implementation of the database to better benchmark quality and pricing of procured services.

For this purpose KCT is inquiring upon all of the suppliers and subcontractors in the market, and through this process, the company will soon be pre-qualifying vendors to work with the company.

Suppliers are also being given the opportunity to apply directly to qualify with KCT through an online portal – a selection tool that will become increasingly useful as efforts turn towards LEED, QSAS and environmentally friendly vendors that are already leading this field in other markets.

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Further information about Khayyat Contracting and Trading

Khayyat Contracting and Trading  (KCT), is one of the largest main contractors in the State of Qatar, providing a wide range of construction services to both the local and international markets. Having built a reputation for delivering projects on time and on budget, KCT’s recently delivered projects include the Orient Pearl restaurant and the Lekhwiya Stadium. KCT is currently working on the Mall of Qatar, which once completed will be one of the largest indoor shopping centres in the world.

www.khayyat-qa.com

KCT unveils ambitious plans for its supply chain in Qatar by Moataz al-khayyat

KCT  unveils ambitious plans for its supply chain in Qatar by Moataz al-khayyat

For Khayyat Contracting & Trading and other Qatari firms to achieve the maximum benefit for both themselves and the country, they first need to realise an effective local supply chain.

In a bid to move away from the Qatari construction market’s dependence on deliveries from other Gulf nations Khayyat Contracting & Trading (KCT) is rapidly developing its own in-house factories for processing materials, and is searching the globe for the best suppliers to stock with.

“As a group we are building towards having a self-sufficient company in many areas: We already have factories for marble, aluminium and gypsum,” says  Moataz Al-Khayyat, CEO of KCT.

“Any company that we set up will serve the entire community – it’s not just going to be a service for KCT, but for anyone in the country – that’s the competitive spirit of the industry.”

Once they are fully scaled up these factories will deliver some of the highest quality materials and components in Qatar to KCT projects and will also enrich the competitive supply market.

Looking beyond the region to the global supply market there are also still many gaps between what is on offer in some specific regions, such as Europe, and what is available in the Gulf.

“Our strategy is to rely on the world market, not just the Gulf or Arab markets, in order to bring new material into the country,” Khayyat adds. “We are particularly interested in Europe, where there are many fresh alternatives, and we are keeping track of developments at building fairs.”

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