indices of relative weight and obesity - mit

Tarmac UAELaunches CulturalAwareness Programme

14 A Life in the day of....

06 Tarmac’s Bio-diversityAction Plan

12 Feathered friends in action

Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011

T H E Q U A R T E R LY N E W S L E T T E R O F TA R M A C M I D D L E E A S T

If anyone were to ask what would be the value proposition that Tarmac offers its employees, the answer is quite simple. It’s the work environment.

There’s no doubt that at every management level, employees are considered its worthiest asset.

Fundamentally, what an organization sits on is the respect of its greatest asset – people. There is a conscious effort made by Tarmac as an organization to respect local culture and local norms as well as offer each other a bit of their own. Engagements throughout the year – from Cultural Awareness and Arabic courses to the celebration of various festivities by all employees are all testimony to this.

At Tarmac we drive a culture of respect for each other. We have people from over 20 nationalities and a potpourri of cultures working together. This is what makes an organization like ours stronger in every sense of the word.

There is certainly “unity in diversity” as Marius Louw and his team point out in an insightful article on page 8.

Enjoy reading our very first issue of Tarmag – the journey begins.

Foreword

16

Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 201103Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011 02

Dedication, initiative and hard work. The first Tarmac Excellence Awards 2010 recognized the three elements that make great employees.Identifying and awarding excellence, the regional awards ceremony was held at the Palace Hotel, Old Town, Dubai on February 24, 2011.

The ceremony kicked off with an audio visual presentation on TME followed by a stirring speech by Quentin D’silva, Regional Director, Tarmac Middle East.

Staff Employee of the Year 2010 from UAE, Oman and Qatar were selected out of the nominees and the recipients were awarded by the respective Country Managers. TME Manager of the Year award was also presented to Tom Van Rensburg by Quentin.

The Award that recognizes and celebrates excellence, effort and achievement at a regional level was attended by managers, nominees from UAE, Qatar and Oman, Regional Office staff and their partners.

Brilliant beginningsfor TME ExcellenceAwards

Tom Van Rensburg, Quarry Manager Al Dhahira Tarmacwas selected as TME Manager of the Year 2010

“I would like to extend my congratulations to the winners for helping us deliver a good performance and to the organizers for putting together a truly memorable event. I was especially impressed by the fact that all the winners repeatedly acknowledge their fellow workers. The bar has

been raised for next year.”

– Quentin D’silva

“I think it was so good that the next

team needs to adjust just a little to

do it perfect.”

- Wido Rinzema

The Tarmac Excellence Awards would foster and promote best practice, and encourage a culture of progress and dedication.

The event reverberated with success with 12 Tarmac employees recognized and awarded for their outstanding contribution to the organization.

Staff members who had served Tarmac Middle East for 10 years or more were also awarded Long Service Awards.

The evening shone with brilliance as employees who had performed par excellence last year were awarded. The categories included Long Service, Best Near Hit of the Year, Qatar Staff

Employee of the Year, Oman Staff Employee of the Year, UAE Staff Employees of the Year, Dubai Office Wage Employee of the Year, Dubai Office Staff Employee of the Year and Manager of the Year awards.

KRISHNAPRASAD LUITEL

OFFICE ASSISTA

NT was awarded W

age

Employee of the Year 2

010 - Dubai

Office

JACQUELINE RODRIGUES

RECEPTIONIST was awarded Staff

Employee of the Year 2010 - Dubai

Office

RONALD SEQUEIRA

QUANTITY SURVEYOR TARMAC ABU

DHABI was awarded Staff Empoyee of

the Year 2010 - UAE Contracting

A R DILEEP

MATERIALS ENGINEER, UAE

TECHNICAL was awarded Staff

Employee of the Year 2010 - UAE

Asphalt, Maintenance & Technical

MUTHU MANIVANNAN

OPERATOR DRILL RIG was awarded

Wage Employee of the Year 2010 -

Shawkah Quarry

SULTAN BABU

SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR, MIDMAC

TARMAC QATA

R was awarded Staff


010 - Qatar

PARAMJIT SINGH

PRODUCTION MANAGER, AL

DHAHIRA TARMAC was awarded Staff

Employee of the Year 2010 - ADT

“Personally I felt privileged to be at the inaugural TME Excellence Awards, to recognize

and celebrate individual employee achievements, at all levels, and was simply fantastic. I

am already looking forward to seeing the nominees for 2011!”- Craig Streak

KESHAB PRASAD

CLEANER was awarded Wage

Employee of the Year 2010 -Qatar

GAFOOR VELLARI

CLEANER was awarded Wage

Employee of the Year 2010 - A

l

Dhahira Tarmac

PRADEEP SHANTA PERERA

SHAWKAH QUARRY was awarded

Staff Employee of the Year 2010 -

Shawkah Quarry

SHABBIR ALI

MECHANIC was awarded W

age


010 - UAE

Contractin

g, Asphalt P

lants,

Maintenance & Technica

l

DENNIS ESCOSA

PRODUCTION MANAGER, TARMAC

OMAN MINERALS was awarded Staff

Employee of the Year 2010 - Oman

The annual get-togethers of 2010, precursors to the TME Excellence Awards 2010, were held at various business units in the UAE, Oman and Qatar starting from January, 2011. The final TME Excellence Awards ceremony at a regional level was held in Dubai.

The focus of the Business Unit level function was to recognize and reward Wage employees who had made noteworthy contributions to

the Company during the year 2010. The best performing Wage employee from each category, including Best Dozer Operator, Best Plant Employee were recognized during these functions.

An overall best performer from each business unit was then selected and awarded the Wage Employee of the Year. The three nominees considered for the Staff Employee of the Year award were also announced during

the Business Unit Level functions.

Finally the Staff Employee of the Year Award winner from the three business units, the Management employees and the Dubai Office employees were invited to attend the TME Annual Excellence Awards 2010 held in Dubai

Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011 05Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011 04

Team Talk....PROCUREMENT... is the full range of activities related to the purchasing of goods, services and jobs. Procurement can range from contracting for an entire service to purchasing small assets such as office equipment.

It is just over 20 months that I have been involved with our Middle East business and recently more so in my new role as Managing Director National Contracting and Middle East.

Are you part of a team at Tarmac?

Whether it is in an official capacity or at an informal level within Tarmac (a reading club or cricket team for instance!), drop us a line

about your team. Mail us at [email protected]

Paul Fleetham Blog

My name is Paul Fleetham and I am on the Tarmac main Board reporting to Terry Last my CEO. I am a Civil Engineer starting my career over 25 years ago as a Site Agent on Major Road Construction Projects in the UK. Although I started in Construction, over time I have diversified holding Director positions responsible for Aggregates, Asphalt and Ready mix and prior to joining Tarmac I was a UK National Director for ready mix concrete. I joined Tarmac 7 years ago with responsibilities for the UK Contracting business and over the intervening period I have seen much change and many great achievements. Our National Contracting business has not only maintained and built upon its UK market leading position but also moved strongly into more general highway maintenance contracts. We now have the credentials to bid for all encompassing maintenance works with a track record for delivering activities such as snow clearing, bridge and structural maintenance, street lighting, winter maintenance, drainage, grass cutting and so the list goes on…….. It is just over 20 months that I have been involved with our

Middle East business and recently more so in my new role as Managing Director National Contracting and Middle East.

The Middle East is challenging however we have strong leadership with Quentin D’silva and excellent Teams; we are making good headway in difficult market conditions. In the Emirates under Azmat Jafri we have Abu Dhabi that is performing well and although the Dubai market is still extremely subdued the business is well set for the inevitable upturn. In the Abu Dhabi Emirate we have recently secured a 2 million tonne aggregate contract for the Khalifa Port Development including a mobile plant to enable us to produce and lay 700,000 tonnes of Asphalt over the next year. The Oman is starting to benefit from the substantial capital that we have spent in the Sultanate and with Johan DeWitt in post as Country Manager we are securing an increasing workload and building our order book. The local teams have managed there way through. The Qatar business under Steve Jones has completed construction and commissioning of our first asphalt plant, this is in addition to the two mobile units we are operating on the Doha International Airport Contract. There is the promises of strong infrastructure spend ahead of the State hosting the 2022 World Cup. With regards to my home life I am married to Helen and have two children who I am extremely proud of, Katie is 24 and she works with Alzheimer patients trying to regress the debilitating illness they suffer. My youngest daughter is Amy who is 19 and is an Assistant Manager working in retail sales. Away from work I “try” to keep fit in the Gym but need to try harder!! We also have two Dogs, Curly Coated Retrievers and, as we live next to the National Forest in the Midlands we enjoy long walks in the Countryside. Before I finish my Blog I must reinforce the safety message. So far this year three of our colleagues have been hurt whilst working for our business in the Middle East and this is not acceptable. I would ask you all to look after yourselves and look out for your work colleagues and remember your safety is more important to me and the leadership team than getting the job done – so please keep yourselves safe.

Paul FleethamManaging Director Tarmac National Contracting (UK) and Tarmac Middle East

We are a procurement team within Tarmac Middle East with a direct link to our colleagues at the stores. Together we make sure that whatever goods and services needed, whether it be a spare part for a company vehicle, a fax machine or commodities, it will be delivered in time at the best price and conditions for the company.

ERPWith the new electronic system - Enterprise Resource Planning – (ERP) installed in the UAE, our service towards our stakeholders has just got better, with greater control of our procurement!

This means that requests will not get lost now, and we know exactly who is responsible for following each step in the process. More contracts will be put in place with fixed rate pricing and become effective in the ERP system to

Alexa GugiProcurement OfficerAl Futtaim Tarmac

K. A. AshrafProcurement OfficerAl Futtaim Tarmac

Pinaki SahaFinance ManagerTarmac Zawawi

Jacob VicentProcurement OfficerAl Dhahira Tarmac

save us time and money. This means a faster, better service from our end.

Communication is the keyAs buyers, we move ourselves like spiders in their webs to serve all BU’s, Finance, Sales, HR and IT for the whole TME group. For us communication is very essential to receive the correct information to fulfil the demands. So, please talk to us!

When you place your orders for smooth supply, do... • follow the procurement procedure and use of the

preferred suppliers list

• complete functional/technical specification with possibility for alternatives

• involve us in the early stages of specification when it is about high expenditures. This gives us the opportunity to influence on the costs and suppliers.

For better procurementCommunicate with us and give us proper documentation. With a good specification, half of the job is done!

For the smooth running of procurement services we:

• Take care of the POs and contracts

• Supervise supplier management to improve and secure our supplies

• Control contract and risk management as we have to protect our resources and credibility

• Manage central procurement to buy goods and services for the whole group to get better deals

• Up-date procurement procedure and processes to improve our work output

• Follow ethical behaviour of fair trading when dealing with suppliers

What is ERP? ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning is a software application integrating management information across the entire organisation, facilitating the flow of information between businesses. It was implemented in July 2010 at the head office in Dubai, and linked to all sites in UAE now.


Spotlight....Tarmac’s Biodiversity Action Plan

Craig Roy Streak is a Chartered member of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, he has been giving safety, health & environmental advice across the UK construction and building material industry for 19 years, covering different specialist construction activities, building material production and mineral extraction processes. In the last 6 years, as a member of the Middle East Executive Business Leadership Team, has further broadened his experience overseas in Europe and the Middle East region, operating within diverse multicultural environments. Supports and advises at both business executive and operational level and promotes corporate business principles and initiative in business sustainability.

Picturewing fly, a first record of this species in the UAE discovered during Tarmac’s Biodiversity Study

Did you know?

In December 2006, Tarmac was the first business within its sector to conduct a Biodiversity Study, and formulate a Biodiversity Action Plan in the UAE, with the exception of the Jebel Hafeet Bio Diversity project, sponsored by the local emirate. Tarmac Shawkah Quarry Biodiversity Study, to date, is the only one conducted at a Quarry in the UAE.

Craig Streak, Regional SHE Manager, who is responsible for advising on Tarmac’s Biodiversity Projects, throws some light on what it is all about.

What is a Biodiversity Action Plan?Biodiversity describes the site’s ecological and nature conservation interests. A Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is an internationally recognized program addressing threatened species and habitats and is designed to protect and restore biological systems. The original impetus for these plans derives from the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

As of 2009, 191 countries have ratified the CBD, but only a fraction of these have developed substantive BAP documents. The principal elements of a BAP typically include preparing inventories of biological information for selected species or habitats, assessing the conservation status of species within specified ecosystems, creation of targets for conservation and restoration and establishing budgets, timelines and institutional partnerships for implementing the BAP.

Why does Tarmac undertake Biodiversity Studies? Tarmac has a deep sense of responsibility towards the environment. Mineral extraction sites are chosen with care and Biodiversity Studies and Biodiversity Plans are ways of conserving the natural environment with minimum damage to it.“Tarmac had a target to have in place a BAP for each operational mineral extraction site by December 31, 2007, the degree and complexity of studies will obviously depend on the site,” says Craig.

What are the aims of a Biodiversity Plan?• To help set transparent, robust and

business based ecological objectives that demonstrate opportunities for maximising Local BAP

• To support all aspects of BAP implementation

• To support Tarmac’s corporate EMS objectives

This Biodiversity Action Plan is based upon methodology used in the United Kingdom and adopted by the Tarmac group.

Were there any new species of fauna and flora discovered through Tarmac’s Biodiversity study?A Picturewing fly (Goniurellia Tridens), a first record of this species in the UAE was discovered at the Shawkah Quarry during Tarmac’s Biodiversity Study in 2006.

What other Tarmac locations in the region have completed Biodiversity studies?Shawkah Quarry completed in December 2006Al Dahirha Quarry completed in October 2007Fanja Quarry completed in August 2008

How much did Tarmac spend on the studies?Approximately AED 30,000 to AED 40,000 per ecology study

If you have anything of interest you would like

included in this page, mail us at

[email protected]


Spotlight....Tarmac Middle East Unity in DiversityThe customs and culture of nations are bound to seep in and influence the culture of companies. This is also true of our Company or any other company that operates in the GCC. Would you ever have believed that there are 20 nationalities working for Tarmac Middle East? Take a look at our diversity in this report by Marius Louw and his team.

MARIUS LOUWHuman Resources ManagerTarmac Middle East

The 7% of “others” that is shown above include another 16 nationalities as per below.

In a nutshell:

Learn to earn respect from others. “Respect” in all cultures is a common language. When you earn it by respecting other people’s cultures and religions - the favour is always returned.

While diversity can be rewarding, managing it needs empathy, awareness and great understanding. Everyone is shaped by their own culture whether they know it or not. So how do different nationalities and the cultures of complex entities make an impact on our work culture?

Cultural bridges require communication about how we communicate. While there are talented people and criminals in every culture, most of us have a tendency to jump to negative conclusions about others without really understanding them

Here are some East-West cultural nuances that jump into our work culture and behaviours making an impact on business and productivity.

India58%

Pakistan16%

Philipines6%

Oman13% Others

7%TMETME

India

Pakistan

Philipines

Oman

Others

1. Bangladesh

2. British

3. Egypt

4. France

5. Hungary

6. Jordan

7. Lebanon

8. Nepal

9. Netherland

10. South Africa

11. Sri Lanka

12. Sudan

13. Syria

14. UAE

15. USA

16. Yemen

and extended family is dependent upon one another and sharing, rather than conquering is valued. People are often ready to wait for the right time to do something. Whereas in the West, every individual has to prove himself within a shortest span of time and capability is regarded as more important

‘Yes, Sir’ versus Feedback

From a very young age Easterners are taught to respect authority figures and this carries on into their professional life. Eastern companies tend to be top down in their approach. Individuals don’t often disagree with the boss and addresses them as ‘Sir’. They usually yield to the superior’s point of view and rarely contradict the boss’s opinions.

Whereas brainstorming, gaining consensus and objective criticism are all part of the European work culture.

People Driven versus Process Driven

Eastern Companies tend to be people driven rather than process driven. This allows for greater flexibility, but processes are not clearly defined and one is not likely to find a manual or process document in place.

European Companies are highly process driven and written policies and procedures and regular reporting would be in place and to change them would again require the employees to go through strict procedures.

The intention of the above behaviour can be explained as the difference between two sets of people. One comes from a culture where people are highly dependent upon each other and the other from a culture where independence and freedom is considered to be of paramount importance.

Family versus Individual

In an Eastern work environment

For better intercultural communication skills…

• Listen without judging

• Repeat what you understand

• Confirm meanings

• Give suggestions

• Acknowledge a mutual

understanding.

Bonus of Tarmac’s cultures

• There is a shared corporate culture rather than a culture derived mainly from a certain part of the world.

• In all probability, 20 different points of view that can be invaluable to our business.

• The cultures that people come from can provide our company with opportunities that we may have not seen or known about.

• People come from a great many backgrounds and our business benefits are increasing as our employee diversity grows. Businessis about finding opportunities and taking advantage of them.

colleagues often invite each other over to their homes. Invites are also passed around for important religious or family functions. Asking personal questions is not considered taboo. People often ask questions about marital status or whether you have children and how many.

Privacy is very important to Westerners. Therefore asking personal questions or intensely staring at another person is considered rude.

The underlying reasons for the above are that Easterners are very family oriented, while Westerners are individual oriented. Eastern society respects family values and dependency on family and extended family is a lot more than in the West. On the other hand, in the West, individual values gets prominence over family values, and family affairs become private affairs of a person of which he has a choice to talk about.

Expressing Disagreements

People from the East have an aversion to saying “no”. It is considered rude because they could disappoint or offend the other person. If they have to communicate something unpleasant they try to do it in an indirect or gentle manner.

Westerners can be blunt, direct, and probably will not hesitate to speak their minds. They certainly will not be slow to say ‘no’ (however politely or obliquely).

This again is an outcome of a cultural background where people who are senior in age in a family are often considered to be right and seldom contradicted directly out of respect. In the Western society though, people are more outspoken and express themselves with less inhibition from an early age.

Personal Relationship Orientation versus Objectivity

Easterners do not base their business decisions solely on statistics, empirical data and exciting PowerPoint presentations. They use intuition, feeling and faith to guide them.

Western businessmen approach their work in a detached way that regards objective facts and solid evidence as the only legitimate forms of persuasion; feelings and personal relationships are usually irrelevant.

A prospective client who is not even half as competent as his competitor will stand a chance to win the contract if his behaviour and mannerisms are impressive to an Eastern businessman.

In the East, relationships, impressions of trust and intuitions are more important to start a business relationship, whereas in the West, business and relationships are often kept separate.

‘Time is Money’ versus ‘Wait for the Right Time’ Timelines are not always strictly adhered to in Eastern companies. Flexibility is paramount. Family responsibilities take precedence over business so last minute cancellations are possible when doing business. Call for a meeting at 10:00 and there will still be those trickling in 15 or 20 minutes after 10:00. Surprise ??? So wait for the rest of it.

Easterners are generally over-optimistic about completing a task on time. Often it may be because they have not thought through clearly how many steps will be involved and how much time it may take. They are more concerned with ensuring that the person at the other end is happy with their answer than actually considering if they can deliver on it. This is not to say that people from the East are not hard workers or intelligent people. Think of Einstein, brilliant but not very organized and sometimes a little forgetful!

On the other hand, Westerners are ‘clock conscious’. Time is money, being late for an appointment is the height of bad etiquette and coming in late to work is unprofessional. They are particular about honouring deadlines. They take them very seriously and expect you to do the same.

The Rationale behind this is that in an Eastern society family

Marius Louw, Regional Human Resources Manager joined Tarmac Middle East in October 2007. He is responsible for Human Resources, Government Relations and Quality Assurance within the region. Marius Louw holds the qualifications of B Com (Hons) – University of Johannesburg, South Africa and Management Development Programme – University of South Africa. He has 23 years experience in human resources all of which have been spent with Anglo American owned companies.

Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011 10 Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 201111

Ronnie D. Ocampo, Foremen at Tarmac Zawawi Worshop spoke to TARMAG about a special place in the Philippines he hails from. Pampanga is also called the Christmas capital of the Philippines for a reason.

Every December, during the Christmas season San Fernando City in Pampanga metamorphoses into a spectacular festival of lights for the Ligligan Parul or the Giant Lantern Festival. The Ligligan Parul is a major tourist attraction in the Philippines with thousands of tourists and locals gathering to witness one of the most amazing lantern displays in the world.

Culture Corner...The Christmas Capital of the Philippines

The name “La Pampanga” has an interesting past. It was given by the Spaniards who found the early natives living near the river banks. It also served as the capital of the archipelago for two years from 1762-1764 during the British invasion of Manila.

However, history shows evidence of the province of Pampanga itself being a descendant of what was known back then as the Kingdom of Tondo, or the Luzon Empire. The word pampang, from which the province’s name originates, means river bank. Its creation in 1571 makes it the first Spanish province in the Philippines. The Province of Pampanga is the culinary capital of the Philippines.

The inhabitants of Pampanga are generally referred to as Kapampangans (alternatively spelled Capampañgan), Pampangos, or Pampangueños. A little history of Pampanga shows

Located close to Khaled Lagoon, the Central Market is a main shopping hub of Sharjah, UAE. It is the largest market area in Sharjah offering a unique shopping experience. Popularly known as the Blue Souq, the Central Market is a perfect example of Islamic design. The market has more than 600 charming shops from where one can get anything to everything.

With blue tiles on the outside walls, which gives the market its name, it is popular among tourists and locals alike. While touring the market you will find two sections, one dedicated to gifts, electronics and goods and other one to

Tarmac DestinationBlue Souq

gold, jewellery and gems. The two sections are connected with tunnels.

Shops in the Central Market Sharjah sell a wide selection of silver jewellery, antiques, rugs, curios, clothes, cosmetics, cameras, Omani and Yemeni antique jewelry and household goods. From the upper floors of the market you can enjoy a panoramic view.

The lower floors comprise of shops selling gold, jewellery, precious and semi precious stones, fragrances, cameras, clothes, cosmetics and many other items.

Blue Souq timings

9:00 am - 1:00 pm4:00 pm - 11:00 pmSaturday to Thursday

4:00 pm to midnighton Fridays

Traditionally souqs were as much a meeting place as a trading centre: a mix of shaded alleys overflowing with individual stalls interspersed with tea and coffee houses where men would gather to discuss the day’s events. A visit to the souq is one of the quickest ways to immerse oneself in the city’s cultural heritage.

In Sharjah the souqs have been preserved and renovated carefully so they retain their traditional charm while incorporating the comforts of modern life, such as air-conditioning, to enhance their attraction through-out the year.

• The Blue Souq is the most photographed building of the Emirates and is considered the main landmark of Sharjah.

• Maintained by the Sharjah Municipality, the market has a number of food and beverage outlets where you can recharge your energy.

• The six elongated buildings decorated with blue tiles and superimposed wind towers make this construction from 1978 look much like a Belle Époque train station.

• Antique lovers should visit the open gallery on the first floor.

• The Souq is surrounded by lawns and gardens, and is a particularly popu-lar picnic location among locals.

evidence of the inhabitants themselves being descendants of the kingdom known as the Kingdom of Tondo or the Luzon Empire, and that the Kapampangans take pride in their province for being one of the eight provinces in the country to revolt against Spain and having produced two presidents, three chief justices, a senate president, the first Filipino cardinal and many outstanding personalities in public service, education, diplomacy, journalism, the arts and sciences, entertainment and business.

Kapampangan cuisine is widely thought to be among the most evolved and refined of Philippine culinary traditions.

Staple Food: Rice with viand, but in Pampanga we have a special delicacy name “Buro” - made of fermented rice with fish or shrimps. It’s most sought after by Filipinos including a growing number of tourists who enjoy authentic Kapampangan cuisine!

Name: Ronnie D. OcampoCountry: Philippines Mother Tongue: Tagalog Dialect: KapampanganCity/Province: Pampanga

Pampanga also features a star-shaped Plenary Hall which symbolizes the world-class lantern-making industry of San Fernando.

In every issue we will visit a destination

in each of Tarmac’s region. Suggestions and contributions

are welcome. Feature your favourite Tarmac

destination – mail us at [email protected]


Bird’s View

Jaco de Klerk, Operations Manager, Tarmac Zawawi Oman, and nature lover caught some beautiful feathered friends in action

Birds have always fascinated mankind. Though they are such simple creatures, they possess a magic skill which makes them mysterious and envied. And mobile - just think how much cheaper air travel would be..

Bird watching is a very popular pastime all around the world. Some people get carried away - literally - travelling the world to see new species. In 2008, a British couple recorded the sighting of 4,327 bird species around the globe, within 365 days - a world record. To achieve this, they have travelled to far and exotic places, funding their expenses with the profit of selling their house!

Despite the often harsh natural habitat in the Middle East, there are plenty of birds around, especially during winter time. The Oman Bird List recognizes 482 species, while the UAE’s number is around 400 - decent numbers, certainly enough to keep birders occupied for a few years!

Some of the bird species spend the whole year in a relatively small geographical area, while some others migrate to Europe during summer. Some species may spend only a week or so ‘in transit’ in the Middle East, to Asian Desert Warbler

replenish their energy. Typically, these migrate from Europe or Asia to southern Africa to avoid winter in the north, and then all the way back to avoid winter in the south.

Our various quarry and asphalt sites are also frequented by this wonderful diversity of birds. Depicted here are just a few of the birds visiting the Fanja site during December 2010.

Recently, two Egyptian Vultures also spent a few days at the quarry, but were a bit camera shy. These magnificent birds have a wingspan of 1.70m and are known for using their beaks to throw stones at ostrich eggs until they crack open. Their numbers are declining due to poisoning and electrocution on high tension power lines in East Africa, and environmentalists are working to improve their outlook.

But what could we do for birds? For a start, don’t scare them, don’t feed them, and keep the environment clean of pollution. Let us make sure not to deny our children the opportunity to see a couple of thousand of species in a year, should they one day wish to do so!

Egyptian Vulture Immature Egyptian Vulture

Desert Lark

Plain Crag Martin

Hume's WheatearRed-tailed Wheatear

Hooded Wheatear-female

Hooded Wheatear-male


Challenges

Each region will bring with it its particular challenges…. it’s up to us to embrace these challenges and strike a positive balance with them.

Greatest achievement

Building a leadership team at Tarmac which has the power to make Tarmac Big. This is a team in which I have one hundred percent trust and confidence and that in return has the same level of trust in me.

Defining leadership

Leadership is not about leading, but it is about following. When a good leader is gone, the people say, ‘we did this ourselves’.

Personal Motto

You evaluate individuals for what they are – as human beings.

Work Mantra

You hire for attitude and train for skills.

I believe…

That with the right attitude, you can train anyone for anything.

I dislike…

a staff member not talking to me directly about an issue. But take care not to cross communication lines.

I have absolutely no time for…

people who cannot keep a commitment. If you can’t do it, don’t promise to deliver in the first place.

I am…

a strong people’s person. Life is all about building relationships. I don’t believe in the marketing maxim that customer is king. For me, the employee always comes first.

I love…

my family the most in the world. There’s no doubt about that.

I can’t live without…

balance. I need to have a bit of everything – work, family, leisure... You will find me reading a serious book on comparative religion as well as a light novel at the same time.

I wasn’t…

born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I owe my parents everything for who I am. From a very early age they instilled in me the value of commitment, to work hard and be grateful for what you have at the end of the day.

We are here…

for one purpose – regardless of who we are and where we are I believe we are here to make our world better than how it was given to us.

Pet peeves

• things out of place• clutter • an unkempt vehicle

Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011 14

“When I joined TME in March 2009, I felt a bit like this new hotel employee, David. The new employee was asked to clean the elevators and report back to the supervisor after completing the task. When David failed to appear at the end of the day, the supervisor assumed that like many others, the new employee had simply not liked the job and left.

“However, after four days the supervisor bumped into David. He was cleaning in one of the elevators. ‘You surely haven’t been cleaning these elevators for four days, have you?’ asked the supervisor, accusingly. ‘Yes sir,’ said David, ‘ This is a big job and I’ve not finished yet - do you realise there are over forty of them, two on each floor, and sometimes they are not even there.’

“In short I too was clueless. I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you to all the members of our TME family for helping me understand how elevators work!

“Yes, tough decisions were made during 2009 and 2010. If anyone thinks that those decisions were easy, or that they were taken without much thought, please, let me assure you they were not.

“It is easy to hold a friend’s hand when times are great. Yet, the true quality of an individual or a family is when they are able to hold hands when the going gets tough.

“Our journey during and after the global financial crisis (some will say we are still in it) was bumpy – to say the least. Yet it was made bearable by the manner in which each and every one of us behaved. I do not allude to the professionalism of the staff – indeed that is beyond question, I refer to the personal character of each and every

In First Person....Tarmac emplouyee. The special bond that exists among the Tarmac employees surfaced during those tough times. We at TME have shown that we care for each other and that we will - always - stand by each other’s side, and that we can face any challenge, together.

“A good organization is one where every employee can say what they believe needs to be said and this is not then held against them. I may not like what I hear, but I assure you I will listen. And I aim to develop in myself the tolerance to listen to each and every one of you when you challenge my thoughts. This is also my objective in TME.

“My objective is to leave TME a better workplace - for all of us - than when I took over. It is not about what you create for youself it is about how you leave the place when you are gone.

“Learn to listen to your colleagues. Give them the courage to challenge your way of working and thank them when they do. But also teach them to accept that not everything we ask is always granted - but that should not stop us from asking, this is why we are here - to leave a better Tarmac than the one we found.

Expansion

2011 is the year of consolidation. We should first learn to walk before we run. Stability is the key to our business today. Once the ship is steadied, then you concentrate on profits and growth.

Regional footprint

I believe that we have to link the old with the new at Tarmac. Our vision should be to make ourselves big operators undertaking larger projects without losing our reputation of delivering world class quality. Focus will be on strengthening what we already have.

Quentin’s trademark trait is his sincerity … obvious both when he is speaking and when he is listening. He would simply excuse himself if he thinks he cannot give you his complete attention. Quentin has this unique ability to listen even if it’s a two-minute talk in the course of a busy day. You would feel he has absolutely nothing else to do other than listening to you. Of course, if you try to stretch it beyond the time the topic deserves, he would politely and firmly remind you that he indeed has other things to do. He’s affable, approachable and communicates a passion for something more than work – his people. Employees are more than just staff for him. Each one of them is an individual Quentin actually remembers by name.

Quentin D’silvaRegional Director, Tarmac Middle East

Quentin leads the pack simply by being one of them.


News

Operating as a multi-cultural entity in an Arab world, Tarmac UAE identified a need for a cultural awareness programme to educate employees on the social and cultural nuances of the region.

As the language of a nation forms an integral part of any community, the need for employees to be able to communicate in Arabic was also identified as a core part of the cultural programme.

Last year, the management embarked on a quest to find the right solution for the Language and Cultural Training needs of the Company. The result was the conception of the Cultural Awareness Training Workshop offered to all management employees.

“It is of vital importance to embrace the culture of the Arab world, and especially that of the UAE nationals, as there exists a co-dependency, and a great degree of interaction between the expatriate and

TARMAC UAE LAUNCHES CULTURALAWARENESS PROGRAMME

News

• We have a new E-face www.tarmacme.com

• Check us out on www.tarmacme.com and let us know what you think. Mail us at [email protected]

As learning a language is considered the gateway to a new culture, along with the Cultural Awareness course, the Company also offered a Spoken Arabic course for the management employees in the UAE and the Dubai office staff.

There was an overwhelming response with almost 96 percent of the target group of employees showing a great interest in learning the local language of the country.

An external training provider John Kirkbright delivered Spoken Arabic training for beginners for two groups consisting of 15 employees each.

Kirkbright is a British national, has lived and worked in the Gulf for over 34 years and holds a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Leeds University, UK. He has mastery over several languages including French, Arabic, Farsi and Sinhala.

Each group attended 20 sessions of two hours over a three month period.

The course introduced participants to one of the most popular languages in the world next only to Mandarin, Spanish, English and Hindi.

Today Arabic is used by around 300 million people around the world.

Did you know.....

• Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world.

• Arabic is the primary language of most countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

• Arabic is spoken as a first language by almost 300 million people and as a second language by another 250 million or more people around the world.

• Arabic language has changed very little in the last 1500 years and hence the ancient texts are fully comprehensible to educated speakers of modern Arabic.

The Tarmac Technical Laboratory in the UAE was presented with a special recognition award for their consistent maintenance of quality from the Dubai Central Laboratory.

“Tarmac has always been regarded as a quality conscious company by local Municipalities such as DMW, ADWEA, DEWA and Public Work Departments of different Emirates and various other clients, and such awards cement the fact,” said Phil Burns, Contracts Manager, Dubai Contracting.“A special Thank you should be said to our Quarrying, Contracting and Technical teams who ensure through their hard work and dedication that Tarmac are able to be present at such prestigious events,” he said.

The night involved a celebrity dinner attended by Phil Burns, Azmat Jafri, Country Manager – UAE, and

Recognition Award for Tarmac UAE Technical Laboratory

Tarmac Zawawi Contracting Gang receives gifts for Zero Lost Time Injury

The Tarmac Zawawi Contracting Gang received personal gifts for completing 12 months of work, without a Lost Time Injury. The award was given by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), which is one of the largest government companies in the country.

The Tarmac Zawawi management was extremely proud of its team for receiving the award.

“It clearly demonstrates their individual commitment to working safely within the region’s challenging climate conditions,” said a management staff.

Sainudeen Ashraf, Senior Technical Manager-UAE who received the award on behalf of Al Futtaim Tarmac.

Tarmac Middle East launchesnew websitethe Emirati community in our line of

business,” said Quentin D’silva, Regional Director, Tarmac Middle East.

“Making an attempt to learn the language of the country we live in and understanding their social and value systems fosters respects for each other’s culture as well as paving way for better understanding and cooperation between communities,” said Quentin.

During a one and half day intense and fun workshop, the employees learnt about developing an understanding of the core cultural values of the Arab Gulf people.

UAE national, Dr. Abdul Hamied Al Romaithy, one of the most sought after trainers of inter-cultural training courses, focused on an interactive session that kept the participants on their toes.


News

Venky Kode, QA Manager (Regional), Tarmac Middle East, performed his role as Senior Assessor at the the presitigious quality awards for the fifth cosecutive year in April 2011.

At a ceremony attended by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on April 11, 2011, the Dubai Government honoured government departments, private companies and individuals for their outstanding contributions and excellent services to the community through the Dubai Quality Awards (DQA), Dubai Service Excellence Awards and Dubai Human Development Awards.“Since its launch in 1994, the Dubai Quality Award has represented the most successful examples of public-private sector partnerships. The awards are a great motivating force, and an inspiration for decision makers of today and the business leaders of tomorrow, who I believe, will be born into a generation hungry for excellence,” said

Tarmac manager performs role as Senior Assessor at prestigious quality awards in the UAE.

By Venky Kode, QA Manager (Regional), Tarmac Middle East

Venky Kode QA Manager (Regional) - Tarmac Middle East with his team of Assessors for the Dubai Quality Awards

Dubai Quality Awards (DQA), Dubai Service Excellence Awards and Dubai Human Development Awards laud Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

News

Major contract to expand the Salwa road in Doha, Qatar, awarded to Yuksel Midmac Joint Venture.

Midmac Tarmac Qatar Co WLL was awarded asphalt and road base in the state of Qatar recently, the largest job currently underway in Qatar.

The work comes under the second phase of the expansion of the Salwa road and is part of the Seventh Package of the Doha Expressway. The new project consists of work to be undertaken on a 6.9 km stretch extending from the Industrial Interchange, which was opened last month, to the Al Asiri Interchange.

The main street will be a four-lane dual carriageway, with provisions to accommodate local traffic through

two-lane access roads on both sides. There will be service roads and parking slots on both sides to serve commercial and other buildings overlooking the highway.

The work on the road expansion, which has already started, is scheduled for completion in late 2012, and includes construction of four single-point urban interchanges on Salwa road at Al-Bustan (Qatar Decoration roundabout), Wholesale market, Aziziyya and New Al Ghanem (Ain Khalid) roundabouts.

On completion, all four interchanges will have a one-way underpass open towards Salwa road and a signalled ground level bridge to serve the traffic across the interchange. The underpasses at the Wholesale market

and Aziziya roundabouts will be combined.

The work includes the upgrading of all infrastructure services, while maintaining and protecting the existing services along the Salwa road. It also covers laying of sewer lines, installation of traffic signals, new asphalt pavements, installation of street lights, traffic signs and building infrastructure for an integrated transport system.

Midmac Tarmac Qatar Co WLL is the appointed contractor for asphalt and road base works that will include the Supply and Laying of circa 400,000 tonnes of asphalt and Laying circa 250,000 tonnes of Roadbase materials. Work on diversions and temporary roads began in late November 2010.

Largest, most high profile job in Qatar awarded to Midmac Tarmac Qatar Co WLL

This year’s Baisakhi, shone with smiles and good spirits as the UAE Regional Office employees celebrated the festival together with the Shawkah Quarry members.

On April 14, a festive lunch was organized by the UAE Regional Office staff for the Shawkah Quarry team on Baisakhi, the most popular Sikh festival.

Initiated by Marius Louw, HR Manager, UAE, and supported by Quentin D’silva, Regional Director, the celebrations were a reciprocal gesture towards the Shawkah Quarry team’s kindness in the past.The 90-odd member quarry team

had often sent delicious celebration food specially prepared at the camp for the Office staff on various previous festivities.

This year’s Baisakhi was a memorable one for everyone, especially to quarry team members, as the Regional Office staff members decided to celebrate the festival with the quarry members in Shawkah, as most of quarry employees live away from their families.

This event was one of the successful employee engagements at TME.

Celebrating Baisakhi – The Tarmac Way

EFQM EXCELLENCE MODEL

ENABLERS

PEOPLEPEOPLERESULTS

LEA

DER

SHIP

PRO

CES

S

KEY

PR

EFO

RM

AN

CE

RES

ULT

S

INNOVATION AND LEARNING

RESULTS

POLICY&

STRATEGY

PARTNERSHIP&

RESOURCES

CUSTOMERRESULTS

SOCIETYRESULTS

Sheikh Mohammed.

Since its inception, 169 companies have achieved recognition through the awards in various sectors of industry including finance, construction, manufacturing, trade, services, higher education, health, real estate and tourism.

“These awards are based on the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. The model is based on 5 enabler criteria and

4 result criteria and organisations need to demonstrate how they meet the model/standard requirements,” explains Kode, who is trained by the EFQM faculty in UK.

Over the years Kode has assessed companies in the public and private sectors involved in information technology, energy, banking and finance industries for these awards.

Vol. 01 • Issue 01 • December 2011 20

It was decided in October 2010 that it would be beneficial for the UAE Contracting teams to visit the UK Tarmac business.

With the involvement with Paul Fleetham and Mark Joel in the Middle East in recent months, we contacted Paul and asked if he was able to facilitate the TME team for several days in order to broaden and share our experiences and knowledge. I, Gerges Sheaib and Sainudeen Ashraf were the lucky ones to visit the UK and the cold Weather!

The main aim of the visit was to share knowledge and ideas between the Middle East and UK mainly on the Technical aspect of Asphalt, new bitumen materials, coloured asphalts and recycled asphalts all of which are still to be introduced in the UAE and Middle East. It certainly gave me, Gerges and Ashraf some ideas that we hope we will be able to introduce to the UAE and Middle East in the future.

We were also invited to the “Test Houses” Laboratory in Ettingshall where Ashraf was introduced to some new testing equipment and we realised the amount of Research and Development that the technical team do in the UK in trying to be innovative and introduce new materials to be the asphalt supplier of choice.

During the visit we were invited to Contracting working sites where we

witnessed how diverse the work that Tarmac UK get involved in, which believe it or not included Grass Cutting! We also witnessed a Contracting team laying asphalt with only 7 men and 2 Steel Wheeled rollers; I know Gerges and Ashraf were amazed by the differences in how we operated on site.We visited the National Contracting Head Office where there was a buzz of people from different areas and business units in the UK and from different backgrounds all working together to win the key projects. It was also a chance to catch up with some old faces in Chris Wright, Neil Carrick and James Cripps who all passed their best wishes onto the Middle East Teams.

In summary, the trip was worthwhile there was some sharing of knowledge and experience from both sides, some acknowledgement of the huge differences between the businesses, cultures and work. There were some ideas that we brought back, which with time, desire and the help of our colleagues in the UK we can introduce to the Middle East and will make TME a more diverse business to do work with and help us to become supplier of choice for aggregates and asphalt in the Middle East. But most importantly it has helped to build new relationships and make existing relationships stronger with our colleagues in the UK.

Ashraf and Gerges on a Contracting laying

site inspecting the newly laid SMA Wearing

Course

Paul Fleetham greeting Phil, Gerges and

Ashraf to the National Contracting office

Ashraf and Gerges outside Test Houses, the

Tarmac UK UKAS Accredited Material

Laboratory with David Markham, Snr

Manager Aggs & Asphalt Technology and his

team, Samra and Craig.

A report by Phil Burns, Contracts Manager, Dubai Contracting

SHARING OUR KNOWLEDGEUAE contracting team visit Tarmac UK


Terry Last – CEO of the Tarmac Group and Paul Fleetham – Managing Director, Tarmac National Contracting (UK) and Tarmac Middle East visited the Middle East from the 18th to the 20th of April. During this trip they visited the Tarmac Abu Dhabi Office, Mafraq Asphalt Plant, Fanja, Tarmac Zawawi’s Office & Shawkah Quarry. The objectives of the visit were to give both Terry and Paul exposure to our various operations and an overview of the Plan for the year and our performance to-date. After three busy days, both our visitors got a better understanding of some of the challenges and indeed the opportunities available in our various markets. The meetings sparked excellent debate on some of the approaches we are taking in our various markets and as always the valuable contribution – from both local and international staff – helped to clarify the direction we need to take in order to make our business stronger. Both Terry and Paul were extremely grateful to the Tarmac Middle East team for taking time to make their visit a success. After the visit Terry in an email wrote: “Please pass on my thanks to all those I met over the last 3 days, for giving their time, knowledge and opinions in such useful ways. I know following “the boss” around can be disruptive, but I hope that our conversations have either promoted new thought or consolidated previous directions.”

Terry Last andPaul Fleetham visits theMiddle East


GurmeetSingh VermaWhat does he dofor you?Without Gurmeet performing his duties efficiently and effectively as he does, things would be in mayhem. From collecting purchase orders to delivering the goods - tires, machinery spare parts and camp equipment to mattresses, stationery and whatever Shawkah camp, and the regional offices (Jebel Ali, Al Quoz and Sharjah) need, Gurmeet does it perfectly.He also drives camp employees for medical check-ups, sick employees to doctors, collects employees’ passports and tickets and anything else that’s required of him.

It’s Not Easy - to drive around the UAE traffic the whole day and keep your cool - especially in the hot, hot summer months!

Gurmeet’s most important trait - punctuality

Tarmac years of service - Six

Sometimes life’s greatest lessons are also the hardest. Losing his mother taught Gurmeet Singh Verma the value of happiness, the value of safety and the value of living each moment of his life. The tragic incident instilled in Gurmeet an attitude of gratitude.

When Gurmeet Singh was 29 years old, he had the perfect family life. Wife, kids, his three brothers’ families and his parents living together in love and harmony.

Losing a parent is not one of life’s cruelest moments. For Gurmeet– Bus Canter Driver, Shawkah Quarry, it changed his life around. “Mummy was the gentlest human beings you could meet. She had a cool temper, never got angry with us, and even in good times and bad, you would always see a smile on her face,” recounts Gurmeet.

In the “joint” family system at Gurmeet’s household, there was one golden rule laid down by his mother Vidya Devi. The three sons and their families had to gather together

4.30 am Gurmeet wakes up and spends an hour in prayer.5.30 am Breakfast of two biscuits and a litre of milk - his daily breakfast since childhood.5.45 am Duty begins. Gurmeet spends most of his day in his white pick-up cab. Starting off with reporting to the procurement office in Shawkah, he then takes care of all the necessary procurements for the regional offices.1.30 pm Lunch at wherever he happens to be - but strictly vegetarian please! And then a much needed 20 minutes of rest in the driver’s seat.1.50 pm to 4 pm More driving around, picking up purchases, running errands...4 pm Hand back purchases. It takes about an hour to unload the laden pick-up.5.50 pm Gurmeet is off for the evening. He freshens up, prays for an hour.8 pm Dinner - at the camp, sometimes spiced up with a few extra ingredients and Gurmeet’s imagination.9 pm Hits the bed - exhausted but grateful.

SO

UL T

ALK

for dinner every night. It was the family’s special time that brought them together and kept the axis of the traditional Indian joint family oiled and smooth.

“And just before bed , Mummy would spend 10 to 15 minutes talking to me every night. After my marriage, my wife would massage her feet as we chatted about the day,” says Gurmeet.

Disaster struck on 8 May 1995, when the Varma family attended a wedding. During the wedding, they received news that one of their neighbours had passed away. Vidya Devi asked the family to leave immediately to go for the funeral.

“When we went home, Mummy changed for the funeral and took a parcel – an unstitched Salwar Kameez (dress) material I had given her a few days before. When we asked her why she would want to take it for the funeral, she just shrugged and said that she would need it,” says Gurmeet.

On her way out, she bid a strange farewell. “Always be united,” she told her three sons.

On the way to the funeral, seated on the back seat of her husband’s bike Vidya Devi was a picture of happiness. However halfway to the funeral, tragedy struck. A lorry that had a heavy chain with an enormous hook hanging from its sides skidded around a corner when the motorbike was right beside it. The heavy chain with the hook at its end came swiveling

at high speed and struck Vidya Devi on her head.

The accident caused the immediate death of Gurmeet’s mother.

“I covered my mother’s body with that Salwar Kameez she took with her that day,” says Gurmeet.

“People don’t really understand the importance of safety until it has affected them in some way – an accident, an oversight that could at best leave a person scathed, and at worst, take someone’s life. And often it’s too late to rectify it.

“I have lost someone I loved by a simple oversight, and since Mummy’s accident I have learnt the value of safety.”

To date, whenever Gurmeet sees a chain and hook hanging out of lorries – a common sight in India – he would get off his vehicle, and make sure it’s safely secured back on.

“That’s the least I can do for Mummy,” says Gurmeet.

Everyone has a story to tell. You just have to dig deep enough to find it.Do you have a story to share with us? It could be happy, humorous, sad – or even something that has touched your life, or made a change for even a fleeting moment.

Drop us a mail with “SOUL TALK” as subject at [email protected]

Do you have a story to share with us? It could be happy, humorous, sad - something that has touched your life even for a fleeting

second. Drop us a mail with SOUL TALK as subject at [email protected]

A Life in the day of....

A 2005 study estimates the number of standby appliances in the EU at 3.7 billion. Although the power needed for functions like displays, indicators, and remote control functions is relatively small, the fact that the devices are continuously plugged in, and the number of such devices in the average household means that the energy usage can reach 22 percent of all appliance consumption, and around 10 percent of total residential consumption.

Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These "phantom" loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.

Vampire power or standby power is the electric power consumed by electronic appliances while they are switched off or in a standby mode.

Vampire Power

• Set computerized devices to power saving mode. Remember- screen savers are not power savers and do not reduce power consumption.

• Set correction options for video games.

• Products that have batteries and are always plugged-in use standby power. Consider purchasing a corded vacuum cleaner rather than a cordless one.

• Save work more often and not owning an UPS unit.

• If a flashlight is only used occasionally, buy an LED flashlight with regular batteries rather than one that requires being plugged into a wall.

• Switch off older devices with power adapters that are large and are warm to the touch.

• It may be easier and more effective to look for other ways to reduce energy consumption rather than unplugging recently manufactured products, such as a television, from its outlet.

• Unplug unused devices. Or plug them into a switchable power bar or surge protector with multiple sockets and a real off switch, then switching the power bar on and off as needed.

• Buy energy saving devices or devices that offer a real off switch.

• Replace battery-powered devices, such as cordless phones or rechargeable razors, with corded alternatives.

• Standby power consumption of some computers can be reduced by turning off components that use power in standby mode.

• Power supplies, transformers and inefficient electronic devices

• VCRs, DVD players and most audio systems

• TVs, home cinema suites and set-top boxes

• Microwave ovens

• Cordless phones and answering machines

• Security systems and fire alarms

• Computers, digital monitors and printers

• Door bells

• Timers, motion sensors, light sensors and automatic sprinklers

• Programmable thermostats

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

• Devices with "Instant on" functions, with remote control receivers, or waiting for the user to interact

• Devices with a stand-by light or clock

• Power adapters (sometimes referred to as wall warts), whether they are powering a device or not

• Most home video game consoles

Reducing consumption

Devices and functions that can consumestandby power

If you would like to be featured in

A LIFE IN THE DAY OF.... write to us at

[email protected] we’ll follow up!

Gurmeet Singh VermaDriver, Shawkah Quarry, RAK


Chicken MasalaIngredients: 1 kg Chicken (cut into small pieces) 100g Onions4 garlic flakes2 tbs ground dry coriander1 tsp cumin seeds1 level tsp turmeric powder¼ tsp cayenne pepper or red chilli powder3 whole cardamoms6 cloves1 inch piece of ginger2 inch stick of cinnamon50 gms butter1 tsp salt ½ tomatoes (blanch and make a puree)

The preacher, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly,

“Do you know where God is, son?” The boy’s mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open. So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone, “Where is God?!” Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy’s

Etc....

After the birth of a second child in a family, usually the first child thinks that he/she is not getting much attention from mum and dad. Probably the same thoughts were going through my son’s mind who was 7 year old then. Just to make him feel better, I decided to show him the photo album with all the baby pictures that we had of him. While going through the stacks of albums that I had, my son picked up a DVD of our wedding reception and wanted to watch it. As we were watching the DVD and knowing my son - he is very curious and will have several questions - he saw that the newly wed couple were dancing and whispering into each other’s ears and the one question my son asked which zapped us off our feet was,

“Mum, what were you and Dad whispering to each other? Were you talking about having two babies?”

Contributed by Simmi D’Silva, Office Manager, Dubai, Tarmac Middle East

Method:• Grind together the onion, garlic, coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric, cayenne

pepper, cardamoms, cloves, ginger and cinnamon. • Rub this paste into the chicken parts. • Heat the butter and fry the chicken for 10 minutes. • Add salt and tomato puree. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and

sauce is very thick.

face and bellowed, “Where is God?!” The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, “what happened?”The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, “We are in BIG trouble this time.” “GOD is missing, and they think we did it!!!”

Etc....Daniel’s son’s achievements in Nanotechnology

Devadhas Kishan Daniel, son of Dawson Daniel, Asphalt Supervisor in the Sultanate of Oman, Tarmac Zawawi won the first prize in a National Level Symposium on Nanotechnology. Students from engineering colleges throughout India participated in the Symposium which was held in October 2010.

Devadhas together with his classmate D. Rajesh Kumar fashioned their award winning project on the use of nanotechnology in civil engineering

highlighting the use of technology in paints, concrete, glass, brick and other commodities.The duo are now final year students following a Bachelor of Engineering course at the Government College of Engineering, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Devdhas Kishan Danial topped All India Nanotechnology Symposium

Jacqueline RodriguesReceptionistAl Futtaim Tarmac

The launch of the new magazine kicked off with a real team effort. The hunt for a name began. In true Tarmac spirit, entries came pouring in for the “Name the Magazine Competition”.

With a final count of 91 nominated names, choosing the most apt name from such a fantastic array was a tough

Name the Magazine Contest

Winner is....

Pegy MathewsHR Offier, Al Futtaim Tarmac

call for the magazine editorial team

Finally, after much deliberation, Pegy Mathews’ suggestion of TARMAG (derived from Tarmac Magazine) was selected.

“The name just popped into my head while I was discussing about this contest with my husband and I was sharing with him my opinion regarding one of the Newsletters that I saw that day. It was my daughter’s school transport Newsletter which was named Rollin’. I thought it was such an apt name for a Newsletter of a transport services company and I told my husband Tarmac should also have something as suitable as that,” says Pegy.

Pegy was awarded for her brillant efforts in an impromptu ceremony at the Dubai office.

Congratulations Pegy!

Simmi D’SilvaOffice Manager, Al Futtaim Tarmac

Share with us your specialty dish

savoury or sweet for our next edition

of Tarmag!You can mail us on

[email protected]

Tarmac Laughs Competition

For the next issue of Tarmag we are launching a Tarmag Laughs competition. If you

have something original that would give us all a laugh,

send them in and win a prize.

Your contributions should not exceed 250 words and should be original. Please mention

in case its a true story.

Forward yourentries to

[email protected]

Recipe Corner

Humour

Tarmac Laugh

Tarmac Family


Etc....

A bad wound heals but a bad word doesn’t.

•Go and wake up your luck

•Go as far as you can see, and when you get there,

you will see further•

Every man goes down to his death bearing only that which

he has given away•

A stone thrown at the right time is better than gold given at the wrong time

•By a sweet tongue and kindness,

you can drag an elephant with a hair•

Courteous men learn courtesy from the discourteous

Persian Proverbs

Everyone wants it : R E S P E C T

Here’s a “Basic Training” reminder about R E S P E C T :

RECOGNIZE the inherent worth of all human beings.

ELIMINATE derogatory words and phrases from your vocabulary.

SPEAK with people – not at them…or about them.

PRACTICE empathy. Walk awhile in others’ shoes.

EARN respect from others through respect-worthy behaviors.

CONSIDER others’ feelings before speaking and acting.

TREAT everyone with dignity and courtesy.

- Contributed by Simmi D’Silva, Office Manager, Dubai

“Basic Training” on Respect

Stress QuotesStressed spelled backwards is desserts.

— Barbara EnbergHere’s a two step formula for handling stress. Step number one: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Step number two: Remember, it’s all small stuff.

— Anthony RobbinsAdopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.

— Hans SelyeIn times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.

— Lee IacoccaThe time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.— Jim GoodwinSlow down and everything you are chasing will come around

and catch you.

— John De Paola

Are you a Writer, Photographer,Cartoonist or Artist?

Share your talents with us and be featured on TARMAG!

Email us at : [email protected]

Do you belong to a club or group or club of interest?

Are you an avid sports person? Are you involved in any voluntary work? Have you or any of your immediate

family members participated in an extraordinary event or won important prizes?

Share a bit of yourself, your pursuits, your affiliations with the Tarmac family.

Just drop in a few lines at [email protected]

Cartoonist Wanted

We are looking for a cartoonist from our multi

talented Tarmac team. If you think you have what it takes to make people laugh with your

illustrations, send us two samples of your work.

You can email us at [email protected]

A Yemeni national born in 1956, Yahya Ahmed has lived through the phenomenal changes that have metamorphosed Dubai from a quiet desert with fishing and pearl diving livelihoods to the global business hub it is today.

Yahya has spent more than half his life at Tarmac responsible for government liaison and believes his constant touch with people from all over the world has enriched his career and life.

In 1978, soon after graduating from a mechanical engineering graduate programme in the UK, a young and aspiring Yahya joined Tarmac International in Abu Dhabi “We had just struck oil, and everything was in a state of frenzy. Construction

Etc....

Yahya turns back the clock

Yahya Ahmed PR Manager (in charge of dealing with government departments)Al Futtaim Tarmac

Down Memory Lane

mushroomed everywhere, and suddenly, gone were the quiet days of the past.

“There were million dollar projects to be implemented - roads, airports, harbours … it was an amazing period in the history of UAE . It was a very different world from today. Although a lot of construction and infrastructure projects are still happening in the UAE, what we experienced during that period was something completely new. A modern technological world started encroaching slowly upon a quintessentially placid desert life.

“And they were exciting times for Tarmac too, as we were right in the midst of it all,” reminisces Yahya.One of the first projects that Yahya was involved in with Tarmac was the building of the Al Ghurair Centre, the first ever shopping mall in the UAE. “We had an almost 18,000 plus labour force carrying out the work. There was so much to be done. A shopping mall in the middle of the desert was such a novel idea then! And it was an amazing experience for me to be a part of it,” says Yahya.

“Tarmac was one of the pioneers in construction in the UAE involved in some of the biggest and most important projects of that period,” he recalls.

Tarmac was also the first in building airstrips in the UAE. – the offshore Das Island airfield strip and the Al Hamra airfield strip outside the Ruwais Military Airbase were built by Tarmac.

“A project that steered Tarmac towards quarry business in the UAE was the construction of eight major bridges as part of the widening of Al Hamra lane in Al Ain. This resulted in the first Tarmac crusher in Bureimi (in Oman) to supply the Al Hamra airfield strip with aggregate,” says Yahya.

“Since then, Tarmac has come a long, long way. It has also been quite an eventful journey for me to watch Tarmac evolve, go through management and name changes and consolidate itself as one of the strongest entities in the field. And through all the changes, the glory days of the budding years of the company and myself, are the closest I hold to my heart”, concludes Yahya.


De-stress at Shawkah QuarryRecreational Centre

In an effort to de-stress quarry employees through healthy interactions within the work environment, the Shawkah Quarry Recreational Centre was created in December 2008.

Now, walking into the Recreational Centre, one would hardly realise that the men revelling in a noisy game of foosball or catching up on some reading in a quiet corner might have had one of their roughest days.

“Work at the quarry comes with a lot of pressure and many of our employees have no families to go back to in the evening. So we believe a facility like this

helps reduce work related pressures,” says Baiju K.R, Systems Administrator at Shawkah Quarry.

Playing a game of carrom or relaxing in front of the TV can be a great stress buster for employees who have been working in an environment that requires one hundred percent concentration with regards to safety issues through the day.

“I would say the Recreational Centre has made a marked positive difference in the workers. It’s the hub of the quarry today” says Baiju.

In late July 2010, Pakistan was hit by the country’s worst natural disaster in history.

The deadliest flash floods left more than 20 million people affected with one-fifth of the country’s land going underwater. More than 2,000 people lost their lives and a United Nations report suggests that over one million children were left homeless.

Help towards the cause from Tarmac came from the grassroots level with a fund raising drive initiated by the workers at Tarmac UAE’s Shawkah Quarry.

Disturbed by the calamity, a few workers decided to do more than just

commiserate over the tragedy. They began collecting funds from their co-workers and friends, and approached the management to direct their funds to the right sources.

The management, inspired by the initiative, took it to a step further. A circular was sent to all employees to contribute, if they wished to, towards the cause.

As a team, Tarmac Middle East employees collected a total of AED 22,875. A final Dh 30,000, including a company contribution, was deposited with The Citizen’s Foundation (TCF), a non-profit organization, which is successfully operating 660 school units across Pakistan providing education to

the less privileged children of the country.

“With your (Tarmac’s) support, we aim to ensure that the education of those of our students whose TCF schools have been affected by the floods is not disrupted. Your contribution has helped us provide for their books, uniforms, stationery and other necessities.” said Sarah Sheeraz Siddiqui, business development manager, TCF-UAE.

To learn more about The Citizen’s Foundation log on to www.thecitizensfoundation.org

The softer side of quarries

Open 24/7, the 1300 square feet Recreational Centre homes several leisure and sports activities such as a pool table, foosball, shuttle badminton, volley ball and cricket. Several board games including chess and carrom are also firm favourites of the employees.

The Recreational Centre is cheerfully and comfortably furnished, with lounge chairs and plenty of natural light. The reading corner offers employees daily newspapers in English, Hindi, Punjabi and Malayalam.

indices of relative weight and obesity - mit

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