the region’s leading cleaning industry magazine special ... sup-july2014.pdfin oman, the number of...

Accelerated growth withnew techonologies

SpecialSupplement

Bahrain/Oman

July2014

The region’s Leading Cleaning Industry Magazine

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4 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - BAHRAIN / OMAN SUPPLEMENT | July 2014

Contents

www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

14- KR Infra upbeat on Oman. The government investing in infra-structure such as airport, dock, road and railway, etc.

18 Teejan Equipment: Offers specialized cleaning machines; plan-ning expansion drive in 2015.

26 - Oman focusing on environmental sustainabilitybe’ah’s main objective is to control environmental damage incurred by traditional waste dumping processes.

28 - The clean ‘port of entry’ Battery-operated machines, pest con-trol team, and hundreds of trained staff maintain the environment inside Muscat International Airport healthy and clean.

06

08

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14

18

23

26

28

31

32

34

News

Cover Story

Sustain-ability

CompanyAt A Glance

ProductInnovation

Industry Watch

Focus

Airport Maintenance

Consumer’sResponse

TradeDynamics

Augmenta-tion08

14

18

26

28

July 2014 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - BAHRAIN / OMAN SUPPLEMENT 5

Editor’s Column


Welcome to our special supplement on Oman and Bahrain. The objective of our supplement is to highlight the current situation in the cleaning industry in both the nations. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are witnessing a renewed economic activity in the post-global financial meltdown. However,

the recession-proof cleaning industry, has been expanding encouragingly after suffering from the global economic slowdown in its growth rate. Particularly the Kingdom of Bahrain and Sultanate of Oman have been recording encouraging growth rates following the robust business activity in core sectors such as construction, infrastructure, hospitality and healthcare. The expansion of these sectors is also boosting new demand for cleaning and janitorial services. The cover feature talks about how the cleaning industries in both the countries have now evolved past their nascent stages a few years ago and are now seeing accelerated growth with new technologies and environment friendly products. The feature also highlights the opinions of the industry experts, who are focusing on products and solutions ensuring safe, clean, healthy surroundings that are important factors contributing to the well-being and efficiency of the individual and the community. After decades of service, both Bahrain and Oman have emerged with a highly professional and technologically superior modern cleaning sector adding to their significant growth curve.Companies such as KR Infrastructure Group, Paragon Trading, M.H.Al Mharoos, MAG Group, Teejan Equipment and Al Bariq are focusing on latest technology applications in the cleaning industry. The technology adoption is at very high rate in these two Gulf nations when compared with the global standards.Companies are focusing on training and educating the cleaning personnel of contract cleaners, hotels, hospitals and other institutions. Cleaning service providers and manufacturers of equipment are planning to strengthen their service divisions to assure the customers of the high quality equipment and services. In Oman, the number of cleaning service providers is higher due to the vastness of the market. While big companies with separate cleaning divisions have become industry leaders offering FM and cleaning services to large commercial concerns and residential projects, the smaller companies take care of the small businesses and medium projects. The cleaning industry in Bahrain is upbeat as good opportunities are coming up in the oil and gas and infrastructure sectors. Industry experts feel that the cleaning industry in Bahrain has definitely kept pace with those of its neighbouring states. The other company-specific stories highlight the market dynamics for each company.

Sreenivasa RaoAssociate editor

General ManagementPublisherMedia Fusion FZE, P.O. Box: 40203Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

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EditorialEditorDr. Swaliha Shanavas,E-mail: [email protected]

Associate Editor Sreenivasa Rao, E-mail: [email protected]

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Reproduction in whole or in part of any matter appearing in Clean Middle East magazine without the prior written permission of the publishers is prohibited by law. Opinions and views expressed in Clean Middle East do not represent the views of the publishers and the editorial staff of the magazine. The publishers do not guarantee the accuracy of the information; neither will they indemnify any losses arising through the use of the information. All marketing information is subject to approval by clients.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT BAHRAIN / OMAN, JULY 2014

www.cleanmiddleeast.ae6 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - BAHRAIN / OMAN SUPPLEMENT | July 2014

News

Sohar Aluminium (SA) has launched the ‘Sohar Alu-minium Coral Reef Clean-ing Campaign,’ an initiative to conserve marine life and coral reefs. The campaign was conducted in coop-eration with the Directorate General of Fisheries in Al Batinah North Governorate, represented by the Depart-ment of Fisheries Devel-opment in Sohar reflects the continuing efforts of SA towards its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes aimed at maximising its positive impact on the commu-nity, according to a report published in Oman Daily Observer.

Oman Oil Company, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC -- Taqa and Rio Tinto Alcan jointly set up Sohar Aluminium in September 2004 to under-take a landmark Greenfield aluminium smelter project in the Sultanate of Oman.The coral reef cleaning team comprised 35 vol-unteers from Sohar Alu-minium, Sohar Department

of Fisheries Development, Al Murjan Volunteering Team and local fishermen. Prior to the activity the team were briefed by SA on safety to ensure this activity is done safely and SA also distributed safety gear, in-cluding life jackets and GPS devices to all volunteers.

Then they set sail, 35 km into the sea, where the div-ers were distributed and started cleaning the reefs. The activity took 4 hours, during which vast amounts of broken nets, cages and other forms of littering were removed from the coral reefs off the shores of Khor Al Siyabi, Al Suwai-hra, Ghail Al Shubool, Al Uwainat and Majazz.

Coral reefs are underwater structures (mountains) formed by the subsidence of the Earth’s crust under the oceans. The geographi-cal alterations provide the nutrients, limited depth and agitated waters needed for corals to thrive. Eventually, these stony corals form a micro-ecosystem that

inhabits a vast diversity of marine life, and hence are dubbed ‘rainforests of the sea.’ The paradise of coral reefs is in the depths of Omani waters, inhabited by an array of marine life.

These reefs, however, get polluted by broken nets, fishing cages and littering.The sediments deposited onto reefs smother corals and interfere with their abil-ity to feed and reproduce killing off several reef spe-cies. Abandoned fishing nets can entangle and kill reef organisms and break or damage reefs. Hence, enormous efforts are re-quired to clean these reefs

and save their ecosystem. “Sohar Aluminium Coral Reef Campaign” aims at promoting SA’s Zero Harm mindset in the local com-munity and is part of SA social responsibility to preserve the integrity of the nature. SA hopes to make this campaign an annual activity and part of SA Vol-unteering Programme. SA firmly believes in support-ing and giving back to the local community it oper-ates in through maximising positive impact in commu-nity services, supporting downstream job creation, supporting and encourag-ing employees into com-munity volunteering.

Sohar Aluminium launches coral reef cleaning campaign

Oman LNG will fund the acquisition of three beach-cleaning tractors. The three beach-cleaning trac-tors will be deployed on beach locations in Sur, Ja-laan Bani Bu Ali and Masir-ah. The decision comes as part of its objective to pre-serve the country’s famed natural environment. Like many points on Oman’s coastline that stretches for over a thou-

sand seven hundred ki-lometres, the beaches of Sur, Jalan Bani Bu Ali and Masirah are frequented by visitors, residents and citizens alike as a place of relaxation, according to Oman Daily Observer.

The company has signed an accord with the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources to-wards this end and the pact

will have wider implications for the Sultanate’s pristine environment, further bur-nishing its credentials as an attractive tourist desti-nation and promoting the health and safety of people.Based on the agreement, the tractors will be used for maintaining the natural beauty of the shores--free-ing the beaches of discard-ed bottles and cans, nets and paper-bags, as well as

other litter either dumped by beach-goers or debris from the sea, washed upon the shore by waves, as part of the normal tidal ebb and flow of ocean waters.

Sandy beaches are part of Oman’s general appeal with activities at these coastal areas comprising, swim-ming, kite-surfing, diving, snorkelling, surfing, beach-football and shell collecting.

Oman LNG to get 3 beach-cleaning tractors


Cover Story


With new technology applications spreading deep into the cleaning process, the industry in Oman and Bahrain is witnessing a robust growth rate. Thanks to the technology adoption, innovative products and renewed economic activity.

By Latha Krishnan

Accelerated growth with new technologies

July 2014 | CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - BAHRAIN / OMAN SUPPLEMENT 9www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

Both the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman have a highly professional and technologically

superior facility management (FM) industry with a modern cleaning sector adding to its significant development. The cleaning industries in both the countries have now evolved past their nascent stages a few years ago and are now seeing accelerated growth with new technologies and environment friendly products that focus on safe, clean, healthy surroundings that are important factors contributing to the well-being and efficiency of the individual and the community.

With timely delivery of professional services from all the leading players as well as companies striving to get a foothold into the highly competitive field, the industry has not only grown in a healthy manner but is also happily contributing to the growth of other industry sectors. A variety of organizations ranging from schools and hospitals to hotels, malls, buildings and other public areas in Oman and Bahrain are now enjoying high levels of cleanliness that in turn have influenced and augmented their development in their respective sectors.

As the cleaning industry gets more professional they are increasingly following world standards such as the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS), developed by the ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association). CIMS is a management framework designed to assist building service contractors and in-house service providers develop quality, customer-centered organizations. The standard does not specify products or cleaning techniques that must be used, but outlines five areas of best-management practices: Quality Systems, Service Delivery, Human Resources, Health, Safety & Environmental Stewardship, and Management Commitment.

Bahrain While following CIMS in their operations, the industry players in the Bahrain and Oman cleaning sectors have dedicated themselves to help their clients find the best cleaning solutions for their commercial and residential spaces.

Professionals from these companies provide an initial consultation service usually free of charge, before suggesting the right type of cleaning procedures, solutions, schedules, etc, according to the project under consideration. Paragon Trading of Bahrain is one such company, which promises to partner with clients to make their premises cleaner and brighter.

Paragon Trading is keen to help its clients find the best solution for their business, whether it is assisting in caring for their homes or offering the latest innovations in cleaning, to preserving the life-span of their various cleaning equipment. With window cleaning equipment from Germany’s Qleen, Italian made marble care from Klindex, green technology from England’s Numatic or any other cleaning requirement, Paragon has the right solution and more. Paragon can meet the needs of any project within budget and ensure that their clients begin their ventures with the most efficient cleaning solution. What’s more? Paragon Trading offers consultation and training at no extra charge for all types of cleaning

Max Sequeira, General Manager of Paragon Trading

We are planning to strengthenour service

division whereby

we can assure our customers

that the equipment

they purchase

from us will last its life.

-- Max Sequeira,

GM, Paragon Trading.


Cover Story


equipment and chemical products.“We are very proud to play our part in the development of the cleaning industry in Bahrain. This industry has definitely kept pace with those of its neighbouring states, as Bahrain is one of the earliest of developed countries in the GCC. We have introduced mechanized cleaning systems using state-of-the-art equipment that you see anywhere else in the world. Paragon Trading has contributed to the success of Bahrain by introducing these and also training and educating the cleaning personnel of contract cleaners, hotels, hospitals and other institutions. We are planning to strengthen our service division whereby we can assure our customers that the equipment they purchase from us will last its life. We are inducting more men and machinery to effectively improve our after sales service also. We aim to be the most reliable supplier of cleaning equipment in Bahrain,” affirms Max Sequeira, General Manager of Paragon Trading.

Taking environmental concerns into serious consideration, Almoayyed Cleaning and Maintenance combines today’s technology with almost three decades of innovative experience and has taken commercial cleaning service to a new level. Almoayyed is part of the Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Group, which is a large diversified business group based in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Almoayyed Cleaning and Maintenance offers a wide range of cleaning services to government ministries, hotels, embassies, universities, shopping malls, leisure and entertainment parks, financial institutions, industrial and manufacturing companies and private customers.

The services from Almoayyed cover general cleaning jobs, specialized housekeeping and maintenance, sewage cleaning, emptying of cesspit tanks, removal of skips and pest control. Other services include maintenance and cleaning of traffic signals and road signs, installation of traffic sensors loops and cleaning of escalators, external glass of multi-storey buildings and claddings.

A highly trained work force equipped with the latest cleaning machinery and

technology as well as a very active Health and Safety unit ensures the best of services. The HS unit is consistently giving training to all staff as well as conducting regular site visits to monitor and ascertain that all safety standards are implemented and practised correctly.

The list of Almoayyed Cleaning & Maintenance clients is long and among others include several ministries, major hotels, embassies, universities, shopping malls, leisure and entertainment parks, financial institutions, industrial and manufacturing companies as well as high profile private clients in Bahrain.

OmanIn Oman, where the number of cleaning service providers are more due to the bigger area of the market, the professionalism and customer orientation displayed by players is commendable. While big group companies with separate Cleaning divisions have become industry leaders offering FM and cleaning services to large commercial concerns and residential projects, smaller companies take care of the small businesses and medium projects. Several infrastructure projects in the hospitality and healthcare sector receive specialised attention from the burgeoning number of specialised

Automatic Car Wash System

In Oman, where the number of

cleaningservice pro-

viders are more due to

the bigger area of the

market, the profession-

alism and customer

orientation displayed

by players is commend-

able.


cleaning industry players.KR Infrastructure Group is part of the famous and highly successful Khimji Ramdas Group of Oman. It is one of the four business groups operating in six areas of operation such as Construction and Construction Services, Building Materials, Electrical Products & Paints, Engineering Products and Services, Furniture and Fitments, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration and Consumer Durables.

“These six areas of business as represented in our logo are built t on the six pillars such as Prestigious Brands, Comprehensiveness of Offerings and Turnkey Solutions, Reliability and Trust, In the forefront of Innovation / Inventiveness, and Vast Reach and Distribution Network. Cleaning Solutions by Karcher is one of the product lines of Engineering Products and Service Division,” explains Hitesh Akarte, Sr. Divisional Manager, Engineering Products and Services, Khimji Ramdas LLC, Infrastructure Group.

Under ‘Engineering Products and Services,’ the company has been representing the German company and world-leading high-pressure-cleaner manufacturer, Kärcher, for the past 35 years in the Cleaning Solutions business. “Our strength with Kärcher is mainly on Professional Grade High Pressure Water Cleaners and Floor Care equipment. Apart from these products, Kärcher offers a huge list of SKUs through our qualified and trained engineers. We also offer specialized products like Ultra High Pressure Cleaners and Automatic Car Wash System for industrial and commercial purposes,” says Akarte.

Clients of KR Engineering Products and Services division rely on this division for the two major reasons of high quality German products from the house of Kärcher and the strong after sales support KR provides. The division offers a full-fledged service station for indoor maintenance of Kärcher products and at the same time has visiting technicians to maintain all the supplied equipment at site.

“Being an engineering entity of Khimji Ramdas, we have a wide range of products

Oman International Group LLC has inte-grated other interdisciplinary activities into its portfolio for its clients including catering, laundry and minor maintenance services to meet the demands of adynamic market.

to offer. Under the heading of Cleaning Solutions, we would like to take Kärcher products to its next level. We want to be an active facilitator of Oman’s growth by offering quality products and strong local support. We foresee good opportunities coming up in the Oil and Gas and Infrastructure sectors. With innovative and quality products by Kärcher, we are hopeful of meeting our ambition of growing ourselves and being part of the growth of the country,” confirms Akarte.

Kärcher’s high-pressure cleaners fulfil every demand and are used in the widest variety of fields including agriculture, crafts and trades, industry, municipalities and any large areas that must be cleaned daily. These high pressure professional cleaners come in different models consisting ofcold water high pressure cleaners, hot water high pressure cleaners and all purpose cleaners. Also with its choice of wet, dry or brush-type upright vacuums with innovative filter technology, Kärcher offers optimised solutions for versatile applications in contract cleaning, trade and industry.

Oman International Group LLC, established in 1976, has developed into one of the leading facilities management company in Oman providing vital support services to customers, both large and small. OIG has over 35 years of experience in industrial, commercial and residential cleaning and refuse collection, recycling and waste disposal. Its operations also include environmental health and pest control

“We want to be an active facilitator of Oman’s growth by offering quality prod-ucts and strong local support.”


Cover Story


services and gardening and the design and installation of landscaping and irrigation systems. The company has integrated other interdisciplinary activities into its portfolio for its clients including catering, laundry and minor maintenance services to meet the demands of a dynamic market.

With several thousand staff working across the Sultanate OIG has its headquarters in Muscat and branches in Salalah and Sohar. This strategic coverage provides prompt and efficient support to its customers countrywide together with the capability for an immediate emergency response, should the need arise. OIG has a fleet of several hundred specialist vehicles, including skip trucks, compactors, man-lifters, sewage tankers and road sweepers, supported by its own maintenance facility ensuring vehicles are always available.

OIG holds the distribution rights for internationally renowned companies such as Truvox, Victor, SC Johnson Professional, Evans, Technical Concepts, Taylor Bins and Premier Shukuroglou enabling the company to provide a comprehensive scope of first class products.

Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC (MHD LLC), another leading business group in Oman is more than half a century old. The family proprietary business was converted to its present form of a corporate entity in 1987. Over the decades, the company has witnessed phenomenal progress, helped by strategic planning and professional management. The growth of the company has kept pace with the tremendous progress that Oman has achieved, making MHD LLC one of the major business houses contributing to the growth of the Sultanate’s economy.

MHD LLC, with varied interests in trading, contracting, projects and manufacturing, has been successful in enriching people’s lives by sourcing the most reputed international brands from across the world and making them available to the discerning customers in the Sultanate of Oman. MHD Project & Building Materials Division caters to the varied demands of construction industry. It offers products and services meeting highest standards

at the most competitive prices. In the commercial laundry systems department of this division, the company undertakes Supply, Installation & Commissioning of Laundry systems and provides its clients leading world-class products including consumables from Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services.

Along with new technologies for cleaning equipment and cleaning solutions, the brushes used for cleaning different areas of varied premises are also important. Al Felaij Brushes Industries Company of Oman supply high quality brushes to the commercial cleaning industry. The brushes division of Al Felaij is part of the big Al Felaij Group involved in plastics, brushes

industries, jewellery and watches. Al Felaiji Brushes division specializes in producing a variety of brush products. The breadth of their product list expands from high quality toothbrushes to street brooms, metal stick brooms and banisters, which use high-end polypropylene bristles for a quality finished product. The products are made to international standards and the packaging and delivery are done in the most professional and timely manner possible. The division has successfully catered to the domestic market, GCC countries, Iran, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Libya.

Only a few of the representative companies of the cleaning industry in Bahrain and Oman are featured here but it is encouraging to note that the industry is maturing at a fast pace and is on par with international markets with high quality products and service delivery that ensures new technologies and better growth to continue into the foreseeable future.

The industry is maturing at a fast pace and is on par with international markets with high quality products and service delivery that ensures new technologies and better growth to continue into the foreseeable future.


Sustainability


Mohamed Ahmadi Group of Companies (MAC Group), a leading provider of clean-

ing and maintenance services in Bahrain, always strives to enhance quality standards in its business operations. Established in 1975, the company has been certified as ‘A’ grade mechanical and cleaning con-tractor specialized in cleaning both internal and external sides of build-ings. With economy growing, Bahrain is witnessing many new entrants in the cleaning services segment.

Padmakumar G, General Manager at MAC Group, said: “MAC Group is doing very fine. We’re facing a very difficult situation in the market due to the low quotes. The competition is steep rising. But, due to our quality services finally everybody is coming to us. We’re able to retain our cus-tomers with our unmatched quality services and are also getting new customers as well.”MAC Group caters to the require-ments of its large clientele from industrial, commercial, educational institutions & establishments, shop-ping malls, and government institu-tions. MAC Group is committed in protecting its clients and staff from hazardous cleaning materials by using premium quality products. It also offers fully trained and equipped employees to ensure maximum sat-isfaction to our clientele.

“We have well equipped and sophis-ticated training centre for janitorial/safety /maintenance even no one can claim this in the kingdom of Bahrain,” he said.

The company has developed its own quality control team to maximize the productivity through regular sched-uled site inspections of each project which results to achieve the highest standards in cleaning services.

“Among the segments that add to the demand are the public tender of government projects and upcom-ing new industrial units. Major cus-tomer are who they need the quality services and which include school/ hospital/ ministry offices, etc. We are doing the continuous interaction with the customer to understand their satisfaction and as per the ISO procedure we are doing the satisfac-tory survey about our performance,” adds Padmakumar. Elaborating on reasons for stiff com-petition in the industry, Padmakumar further added: “These industrial units are more in number when compared to the total market requirement. This is just any-one can easily start these services and due to this, the competition is very high in the market. However, very few companies offering clean-ing services in a total professional

way and enjoying the major market share.” MAC Group’s focus areas include professional cleaning equipment, A/C Installation, electro mechanical, etc. The company is giving utmost priority to advanced technology ap-plications.

“We are doing all these areas very professionally by using latest tech-nologies and well qualified and experienced workforce. We always intended to acquire the latest tech-nology and ideas to our customers,” explains Padmakumar.

MAC Group is keen on sustaining and strengthening its business op-erations in Bahrain. “In the near fu-ture, we don’t have anything planned for expansion. We’re focusing on Bahrain market. It is not fare if I say we need to take complete, but who need the professional service for all of them we will be there irrespective of areas.”

MAC Group is a caring company for its employees with extra care by providing the welfare activities like all sports and cultural meets even no club have this much activities. The company believes that the happi-ness of the employees is the most important factor for the development of the company.

Padmakumar G, General Manager

MAC Group: Beating competition with quality service

“Oman is a growing

market and government investing in infrastruc-

ture such as airport, dock, road

and railway, etc. certain-ly create an opportunity

for us.”


Company At A Glance


Encouraged with the business potential in Sultanate of Oman, Khimji Ramdas LLC, Infrastructure Group (KR Infra) is

focusing on its core business areas not only to sustain its current leadership in the mar-ket, but also to expand further.

Hitesh Akarte, Senior Divisional Manager (Engineering Products and Services) at Khimji Ramdas LLC, Infrastructure Group, said: “The current focus by Omani govern-ment on infrastructure and oil and gas, etc. is creating ample business opportunities for us. Khimji Ramdas LLC and all its busi-ness groups and divisions are committed to Omani growth.” All the government and private sector es-tablishments are its customers. KR Infra is present in six major segments of infra-structure such as construction, electrical, air conditioning, building material, furniture and engineering products and services. We are strategically positioned to cater almost all

areas of growth. The company sees demand and growth potential in the region and Oman in particular.

“Oman is a growing market and government investing in infrastructure such as airport, dock, road and railway, etc. certainly create an opportunity for us to cater these areas of industry sectors,” further adds Akarte.Shrugging off the competition, Akarte ex-plains: “We enjoy competition as it helps us get ready to provide better products and ser-vices to our clients. Engineering products and services cater to the requirements of quality and reliable products along with strong after sales support. This is major differentiating factor between us and competition.” “We are number one in high pressure clean-ing with our proud partner - Kärcher. Apart from this Kärcher also offer floor care equip-ment and automatic car wash solutions. With all these products we are poised to take on Oman market for next level of growth,”

High pressure floor care equipment by Karcher

KR Infraupbeat onOman


said Akarte. As part of its geographical mar-kets in the region, KR Infra is giving utmost priority to Oman.

“We are committed to Oman. Being oldest or-ganisation in Oman, we are present in all the Omani locations. This help us provide service even in interior of Oman,” adds Akarte.

Elaborating further on company’s future plans, Akarte explains: “We continue to fo-cus on engineering products. Always we try and get newer products in order to provide latest technology at better pricing for its customers. However, we are sure our part-ner - Kärcher are leading by innovations and launching newer and better products. We would be focusing on ultra high pressure segment using Kärcher products. KR Infra takes utmost priority to cater to the requirements of ever-changing customers’ priorities in the market space.

“We have cases where in customer tried com-

HDSHitesh Akarte, Sr. Divisional Manager, Khimji Ramdas LLC Ride on

petitors products but having tested our prod-ucts and services they opted to come back,” said Akarte.

KR Infra is supporting Oman government’s initiative to encourage locals in the job market.

“We are putting extra efforts on developing Omani staff for sales and support functions. As of now, it is dominated by expats, but sure of locals taking over from them in near future.”

Kärcher being German products, we don’t fact any such issues as it is already having all related certification.

The Oman government is keen on standards in the health and hygiene segment and working with different organisations on this. KR Infra is also keen to team up with Oman government to spread the awareness about cleaning and hygiene aspects. KR Infra-structure is working on this.

Branding, innovation are driving the market.Core factors such as global brand image and continuous product innovation are vital in growing Oman market, observes Hitesh Akarte, Senior Divisional Manager (Engineering Products and Services) at Khimji Ramdas LLC,

Infrastructure Group, in an interview with Clean Middle East.

How is the Infrastructure Group of Khimji doing?KR Infrastructure Group is one of the four business groups of Khimji Ramdas operating in six areas of operations

such as construction and construction services, building materials , electrical products and paints, engineering products and services, furniture and fitments, air conditioning and refrigeration and consumer durables.

These six areas of business as represented in its logo are built on the six pillars such as prestigious brands, com-prehensiveness of offerings and turnkey solutions, reliability and trust, In the forefront of Innovation / Inventiveness, and Vast Reach & Distribution Network.

“We are committed

to Oman. We

would be focusing on

ultra high pressure

segment us-ing Kärcher products.”


Company At A Glance


P.O. Box 19, P.C.100, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanTel: (968) 22336950 | GSM: (968) 99432531 | Board : (968)22336969 | Fax : +968-22336970, Toll Free No: 800-75000

Khimji Ramdas LLC, Infrastructure Group

Respected Brand of Commercial Cleaning Equipment

• Over 75 Years offering Cleaning Solutions• Professional, Economic and Eco-friendly Equipment• High Pressure Cleaners, Vacuums and Scrubber driers• Solutions for Warehouses, Garages etc• Wide Range of Floor Care Equipment

Why Karcher?

• Continuous Innovation• 1,200 Patents and Registered Designs• Karcher with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 • A German Machine• Strong Maintenance and Repair Support

CLEANING SOLUTIONSONE STOP CLEANING SOLUTIONS BY KARCHER

Engineering Products and Solutions

What types of cleaning and maintenance services you provide?Under ‘Engineering Products and Services,’ we represent Kärcher for our cleaning solutions business for 35 years.

Our strength with Kärcher is mainly on professional grade high pressure water cleaners and floor care equipment. Apart from these products, Kärcher has huge list of SKUs to offer and through our qualified and trained engineers, we also offer specialized products like ultra high pressure cleaners, automatic car wash system for industrial and commercial purpose. Cleaning solutions by Kärcher are one of the product lines of engineering products and service division.

Customers priorities keep changing. How do you cope with this?Our clients rely on us for two major reasons i.e. quality German products from the house of Kärcher and the strong

after sales support provided by KR. We have full-fledged service station for indoor maintenance of Kärcher products at the same time we have visiting technicians to maintain our supplied equipment at site.

Provide us details on products that give you an edge in the market?We deal with high pressure cleaners, ultra high pressure cleaners, car wash system and floor care machines manu-

factured by Kärcher Germany. Kärcher products are high quality and most importantly it back up by our strong after sales support.

Any further plan on your division?Being an engineering entity of Khimji Ramdas, we have wide range of products to offer. Under the heading of Clean-

ing Solutions, we would like to take Kärcher products to its next level. We want to be an active facilitator of Oman’s growth by offering quality products and strong local support. We fore-see good opportunities coming in Oil and Gas and Infrastructural sectors. With innovative and quality products by Kärcher, we are hopeful meeting our joint ambition.


Product Innovation


Teejan Equipment:

Enhancingcustomer base

Offers specialized cleaning machines;

planning expansion drive in 2015

Teejan Equipment LLC (TEL), a part of Teejan Group of Companies and for-merly known as Teejan Cleaners, is in

the process of expanding its customer base to further strengthen its business opera-tions and market presence in the Sultanate of Oman.

Manimaran, General Manager at Teejan Equipment LLC, says: “TEL is currently cov-ering all the major governorates of Oman. With branch offices in Salalah and Sohar, the company has been able to reach to its clients in the interior parts of Oman as well. TEL is planning further expansion in 2015.”

Since its inception in 1998, the Teejan Group built a working culture based on integrity and trust. “The main motto of the group is to provide superior quality products and satisfy the customer needs by providing compre-hensive solution backed up by seamless after sales service,” says Manimaran.

Teejan at Big Show Exhibition


Teejan Showroom

With branch offices in

Salalah and Sohar, TEL

has been able to cov-er the entire

length and breadth of Sultanateof Oman.

TEL intends to introduce

new prod-ucts and

innovative technologies

into the Oman

market.

Teejan Cleaners is one of the Pioneers in the Sultanate of Oman and has been catering to the various cleaning requirements in the country. In 2010, Teejan Cleaners changed its name to Teejan Equipment LLC to pro-vide comprehensive Industrial Cleaning Equipment solutions and expanded its range of machineries and accessories. Today, Teejan Equipment has diversified business interest in Cleaning machinery, Construc-tion, Industrial and material handling equip-ment. In the past few years the company has invested in adequate Infrastructure with 2,000sqm showroom and office, 3,500sqm of workshop and ware house, tailor made ERP software to improve customer satisfac-tion, team of qualified sales staff and factory trained service team with a fleet of delivery and breakdown vehicles.

With branch offices in Salalah and Sohar, TEL has been able to cover the entire length and breadth of Sultanate of Oman with its quality products and prompt after sales service.

Recently, TEL supplied Specialized Compact Sweeper from Bucher Schorling, Switzer-land, to Muscat Municipality. This sweeper is used to clean one of the most challenging area. It is equipped with advanced sweeping system along with high pressure washer and special systems to collect the wastes from

road side area. Other segments where TEL has been present include Industrial Sector, warehouse sector, construction sector, etc. The company has also been able to provide solutions to different facility management companies, surface preparation contractors, landscaping contractors, etc. The company offers specialized cleaning machines as per the requirement of the clients.

Diversification With the ever-increasing requirements of the market, many companies are diversifying in the industry. Teejan Equipment is no excep-tion to this. The company is also expanding other segments to enhance its customer base.

“Currently we have diversified into the ma-chinery and equipment in the civil construc-tion sector, industrial, landscaping, material handling, etc,” explains Manimaran.

Shrugging off the margin pressure, Mani-maran further adds: “We don’t compromise on quality parameters. In selecting our Prin-cipal, we always ensure what we offer that should be ‘value for money’ on our products and solutions. We focus on providing value added services. We also constantly enhance our after sales capabilities to ensure our customer derives the right value of their pur-chase of machineries.”


Product Innovation


In a short span of time, TEL has emerged as a leading player in the Oman industry. The company implements several measures to sustain its leading position in the market.

“In the recent years, TEL has emerged as one of the leading supplier of quality prod-ucts for cleaning sector in Oman. TEL has been recruiting technically qualified and professional sales and service staffs to pro-vide more efficient and prompt service to the customers and constantly improve our value added service including after sales service,” further adds Manimaran.

User-friendly productsIn a dynamic market such as the clean-ing industry, the customers’ priorities keep changing and this sometimes leads to a situation, where existing customers switch-ing over to competitor’s products. Teejan Equipment is always the first to identify the customers’ choices and forecast their future requirements. This helps Teejan in custom-ising the product portfolio according to the requirements of its customers.

“TEL has successfully introduced Bucher Schorling sweepers manufactured in Swit-zerland. With years of experience Bucher has developed a range of sweepers which

are sophisticated yet completely user friend-ly,” said Manimaran.Teejan Equipment also educates its custom-ers on hygiene and cleanliness that would contribute more to the healthy and habitable environment. The company gives top prior-ity to the Green products and takes extra measures in building awareness about eco-friendly products among its customers.

Technology innovationMany cleaning and FM companies prefer to use latest technology applications. Teejan is always highlighting the latest technology concepts of the new products and spreading more awareness about the advantages of the technology.

“With more than 15 years of experience, the company has emerged as one of the ‘Quality conscious’ suppliers of different machines to both the cleaning and construction sec-tors. All the products are backed by its seamless after sales support. In addition to the world renowned products, TEL intends to introduce new products and innovative technologies into the Oman market,” said Manimaran.

Key factors such as environmental regu-lations, health and safety issues, energy

Recently, TEL

suppliedSpecialized

Compact Sweeper

from Bucher Schorling,

Switzerland, to Muscat

Municipal-ity. All the

products are backed by

its seamless after sales

support.

Bucher sweeper for Muscat Municipality


Oman growth is encouraging the industry.Having presence in multiple geographical locations, Teejan Group is upbeat on busi-ness potential in Oman. The robust growth in tourism sector is increasing the de-

mand for cleaning machines for public areas such as beaches, roads, etc, says Manimaran, General Manager, Teejan Equipment LLC.

How is Teejan Equipment doing in the Middle East?

Even though the parent company- Teejan Group has its operations in other GCC countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE and India, TEL is currently running its operations inside the boundaries of Oman. But, with the current growth trend of the company an expansion outside the bor-ders of Oman is not far away.

Who are your major customers? What measures you are taking to enhance the customer base?

The company has been successful in reaching manifold segments of Oman market. Avia-tion industry always has been one of the major segments for the company in the past. In the year 2010, TEL delivered two dedicated High Speed Runway Sweepers to the Airports in Oman. Another major segment where the company focuses is the government sector which governs the major cleaning activities of the country. TEL has supplied many specialized ma-chines for maintenance and upkeep of different government institutions in Oman.

What are the segments adding to the demand?

As Oman has high potential for tourism, the country has started focusing extensively on the development of the tourism industry, thereby there is a increase in demand for cleaning ma-chines for public areas such as beaches, roads, etc.

Also, the industrial sector in Oman has started to grow and the need for handling the raw materials and maintaining the factories has lead to increase in demand for modern machin-eries and other material handling equipment

How do you consider the competition in the market and where do you place yourself in terms of market share?

In the highly competitive market of Oman, TEL has been able to maintain its strong position by introducing wider range of products to suit up the requirements of the customer in terms of daily maintenance and lower operational cost. The operational experience and business acumen gained in the Sultanate of Oman has provided the company with confidence and strength to meet the customer needs. The expanding list of satisfied clients reflects the company’s ability to meet the challenging machinery needs and after sales support.

How do you see demand and growth potential in the region and Oman in particular?

The FM industry in Oman is at promising stage and rapid growth is expected in the near future. Major projects such as Oman Rail Project, International Convention Center of Oman, Expansion of Salalah and Sohar Airport, etc has boosted the potential for cleaning products in Oman.

“In the high-ly competi-tive market

of Oman, TEL has

been able to maintain its strong

position by introducing wider range of products

to suit up the require-

ments of the customerin termsof daily

maintenance and lower

operational cost.”

savings, productivity and operating cost of cleaning products would make a greater influence in customers’ priorities. Teejan’s after sales service team explains about all the advantages of the products and how to use them for better results.

The Oman government is keen on standards in the health and hygiene segment and working with different organisations on this. Teejan Equipment is also playing its part in creating more awareness about the health and hygiene aspects in the market.

Manimaran, General Manager, Teejan Equipment L.L.C.


Industry Watch


Bahrain moving on growth path :

M.H. Al Mahroos

M.H. Al Mahroos, a diversified busi-ness group based in the King-dom of Bahrain, is upbeat on

the increasing business potential in several industrial verticals. The company is ex-panding its business operations across the Middle East region. Established in 1930, the Bahrain-headquartered M.H. Al Mahroos,has emerged as the undisputed market leader in industrial, construction & cleaning sectors in Bahrain. With a distinct mission and vision, the company strives to develop innovative strategies and practices to sustain the pre-mier position in the market.

Talal Al Mahroos, Marketing Manager, M.H. Al Mahroos BSC, said: “Since Bahrain has been one of the Gulf’s most important com-mercial crossroads and the Gulf’s pre-em-inent trade hub, the kingdom is constantly growing. We see a growth in the hospitality sector, construction industry, and manufac-turing units accelerating rapidly. The knock-on effect will cause an increase in demand for cleaning equipment.”

M.H. Al Mahroos has partnered with world renowned manufacturers from Japan, Ger-many, Italy, USA, UK and others to cater to the needs of the customers in the region. The product range includes cleaning solu-tions and equipment, laundry equipment, air conditioning, air and water technology, construction equipment, safety products, air blasting technology, aluminium and steel, warehousing solutions, power generators, etc. Buoyed with the increasing demand in these sectors in the region, the company has undertaken an expansion plan.

“Cleaning equipment, construction and in-dustrial products offer phenomenal contribu-tions for the company’s top-line. We experi-enced gradual improvement during 2013 and that has definitely continued into the first half of 2014.We’re also expanding our operations all over the Middle East and we expect this will continue in future,” adds Al Mahroos.

M.H. Al Mahroos sees a demand and growth potential in the region and Bahrain in particular.

Hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, automobile sectors are increasing

demand for cleaning equipment

Talal Al Mahroos, Marketing Manager

Mahroos showroom

“Yes, of course we are facing competi-

tion in the market.But,

by under-standing the

customer needs and

by ensuring quality of

services and products, we have

managed to conquer and maintain a

high market share in the

region.”


Industry Watch


“After facing the world economic crisis, all industries are slowly recuperating from the losses.Bahrain has grown successfully over the past 10 years, primarily, due to its liberal economic policies and definitive strategies focused on the Industrial sector. Construc-tion, industry and hospitality sectors will definitely pull up the demand curve as well. We have an open market attracting inves-tors from all over the world to grab the op-portunity of having a share in this expanding market,” explains Al Mahroos.

“Understanding customer needs and offering appropriate solution, complemented with ex-cellent after-sales support, highest standard of ethics, integrity and flexibility helps us sus-tain the top position in the region,” he said.

M.H.Al Mahroos has ventured into the e-commerce sector with the opening of the first of its kind online spare parts shop- www.almahroosonline.com. The company provides 24*7 online services. With opera-tions in KSA, Qatar and the UAE, the com-pany has strength of over 320 employees. The company is a role model for upcoming industrial and construction based compa-nies and is totally committed to providing

excellence in sales and customer service throughout middle-east.The 25,000-sq.ft state-of-the-art facility in-cludes modern workshop, technical servic-es, warehouse, display and demo stations, training and seminar centres, etc.

Business customers are important for any company to survive. Sustaining the existing customers is a real challenge in the current cut-throat market competition.

“Hospitality industry, Hospitals, Industrial sec-tors, Automobile sector & Contractors are our major customers. Actively embracing change in market and constantly exploring new chan-nels, Exhibitions,conducting regular seminars and trainings for business growth across the region help us enhance our customer base,” further adds Al Mahroos.

Along with the market growth, competition is also increasing in the focus areas of the company.

“Yes, of course we are facing competition in the market.But, by understanding the customer needs and by ensuring quality of services and products, we have managed to


conquer and maintain a high market share in the region. Moreover, we have moved one step closer to ensuring customer satisfac-tion by commissioning our Online Spare-parts shop –AlMahroosonline.com. In addi-tion to the online portal, our Customer care call centre will further facilitate better inter-action among the customers and our sales engineers. Unquestionably, our efforts to develop a better relationship with our cus-tomers, is what sets Al Mahroos apart from its contemporaries,” said Al Mahroos.

Company’s focused geographical markets include UAE, KSA and Qatar. Elaborating further on the diversification/merger/expan-sion plans for the region in the near future, he explains: “We have already diversified, but no planning for merger so far. Our primary focus is on expansion in Middle East market while maintaining our share in niche market.”

After the global economic recession, the squeezed economy across the world has started impacting margins in the industry. Hence, pricing has become more vital tool in deciding the success in the market.

“Of course, pricing strategy is one of the key factors that define the success of every organisation in the market and more so, in a trading sector. However, it posed no threat to us, owing to the quality of the services and products we offer at Al Mahroos. When it boils down to quality, we do not take chances or compromises in the delivering the best,” observes Al Mahroos.

Shrugging of any change in customers’ priorities or existing customers opting for competitors’ products, he said: “We have an outstanding technical division handling maintenance and servicing. We have skilled, energetic and technically sound engineers handling the sales division for both prod-ucts themselves and their spares. To top it all, we have a visionary executive manage-ment. We need not put further efforts to ensure customer loyalty. The company and what it stands for, does it for us.”

The cleaning sector started off as a sup-

portive industry which ensures that all other segments function effectively. With the con-tribution of pollution and other environment related problems, the cleaning industry is slowly shifting from a supportive industry to a whole independent sector with its own target customers and independent market. When asked to shed light on the same, he said, “Of course it’s a challenging task to ensure hygiene standards are met, both in the industrial sector and residential sec-tor, especially in the gulf, due to its weather conditions. Hygiene starts from one’s home and echoes through to the entire com-munity. We are glad to say that we render solutions to our customers, both in residen-tial and industrial sectors with the Kärcher range of products.”

Hygiene and cleanliness contribute more to the healthy and habitable environment. The environmentdegrades overtime. How-ever, we are in no position to accelerate this degradation. By keeping the surroundings clean, by organising seminars and training sessions for the employees about waste management, the company gives utmost priority to the healthy environment. “The best way to keep the environment clean is to ensure that all waste ends up in the ap-propriate place and disposed in the safest possible manner.”

Al Mahroos has taken up an action plan to support Green and eco-friendly Earth. “In Kärcher, we introduced a core range of pre-mium ECO!OGICAL machines which consist of recycled material and they contain no phthalates and no Styrofoam is used to conserve resources. This range of product will ensure that you have done your part for the environment as well.” When asked if any particular product is emphasized, he replied, “At the moment, we are focusing more on the Kärcher ride-on scrubber/drier and sweeper. It’s a mechanized machine which has a superior efficiency compared to the other machines in its class and highly reduces the man power.If you have a com-pany handling the cleaning sector, this class of products is what you should be looking forward to”

Company’s focused geo-

graphical marketsinclude

UAE, KSA and Qatar.


Omanfocusing on

environmentalsustainability

be’ah leading the changeBy Swaliha Shanavas

Focus


The waste management sector in Oman is evolving at a rapid pace and Oman Environmental Services

Holding Company “be’ah” (established in 2007) is leading the change. In 2009, the Royal Decree No. 46/2009 granted be’ah the mandate and the legal status as the entity responsible for solid waste management in the Sultanate of Oman. As per the Royal Decree 46/2009, be’ah’s responsibility is to restructure waste management activities across the Sultanate; take over waste management responsibilities from other municipalities and stakeholders; and streamline, commercialise and privatise the waste management sector.

Earlier, there was a lack of coordination among stakeholders and everything was done on a reactive basis. So there are many concerns to be addressed including the absence of policy and a strategic master plan; lack of a single responsible entity; lack of an Integrated Waste Management system, resources, and infrastructure; inadequate data and records of waste; and inadequate laws and regulations. Current practices include: 317 official dumpsites + several others; 3 engineered landfills; common practice to burn waste leading to pollution; outdated and inefficient collection services; outside Muscat, healthcare waste is incinerated in plants without flue gas cleaning or

dumped in municipal dumpsites; and lack of hazardous waste treatment facilities. By 2015, this situation is expected to change, with targets including zero dumpsites; 13 engineered landfills; 34-36 transfer stations; awarding of outsource tender for waste management operations in several governorates.

Corporate Strategy At present Oman Environmental Services Holding Company be’ah is actively engaged in addressing the above mentioned issues in a strategic manner. be’ah’s main objectives are to control environmental damage incurred during traditional waste dumping processes; structure the waste sector and its related services in a sustainable manner; develop the industry; and support the economy, says Sh. Mohammed Suleiman Al-Harthy, Executive Vice President - Strategic Development, be’ah. “It is necessary to point out that waste management in Oman was conducted in a reactive manner leading to isolated solutions. However, the creation of be’ah is the first step towards establishing a proactive, needs-based, integrated, and sustainable waste management practice in the Sultanate,” he observes. As per the corporate strategy, Phase 1 (2012-2015) of the project includes the establishment of required infrastructure; restructuring the municipal waste collection

be’ah’s main objectives

are to con-trol environ-mental dam-age incurred

by tradi-tional waste

dumping processes,

structure the waste sector in a sustain-able manner, and support

the economy.

Sh. Mohammed Suleiman Al-Harthy,Executive Vice President - Strategic Development, be’ah


services; working towards an optimal administrative framework for the sector (Policies, Legislation, Strategies, Plans); and improving public awareness of waste management. Phase 2 of the project (2016-2020) includes management of the sector as per sustainability principles (Environmentally, Economically, Socially, Financially); implementation of waste management practice and operate according to international standards; improving and aligning the administrative framework of the sector; and further increasing awareness regarding sustainability and waste management. According to Al Harthy, be’ah is mainly focusing on Solid Waste Management which is divided into two units – Industrial Waste, which is entitled to focus on Hazardous Waste such as oil sector waste and the healthcare waste; And General Waste which focuses on Municipal Waste and many other streams including End of Life Tyres (ELT), End of Life Vehicles (ELV), Lead Acid Batteries (LAB), Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste, and Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment (WEEE).

Key developments “be’ah’s strategy is to control the damage initially, build the infrastructure in terms of landfills and transfer stations and then outsource the waste management services in terms collection, transportation to the landfills and treatment facilities,” says the Vice President.

The company has recently floated its first sector take over tender in South Al Sharqiya Government in Oman. The tender entails the collection, transportation and disposal of municipal waste to designated engineered landfills. It also covers supply of associated bins and management of designated transfer stations and landfills.“The company will float tenders taking over one region after another, by which, in 2016, all dumpsites will be shut down and all waste would be treated as per international standards,” Al Harthy remarks. In terms of Hazardous Waste, he says Oman is in the process of implementing a national system for handling Healthcare waste. be’ah is already treating the majority

of the healthcare waste in Muscat, and plans are progressing to treating the majority of the healthcare waste all around the Sultanate by adding facilities in Sohar (North al Batinah) and in Dhofar as well as expanding the current facilities in Muscat. As for the other Hazardous waste, be’ah will build the necessary infrastructure (Landfills and hazardous waste treatment facilities) which is expected to be ready by 2018-2019.

Recycling projects “The infrastructure work is still in progress, which is the main challenge in commencing recycling activities,” notes Al Harthy. In addition to that, there is a tremendous lack of awareness among the public regarding waste and the urgent need in preserving the environment in a sustainable manner or the dangers associated with waste on humankind, he adds.

“Therefore, the company is planning to increase awareness building programmes for various segments of the society and conduct many awareness campaigns.” Furthermore, there is a lack of legislation in terms of waste management. However, be’ah is working closely with the relevant Governmental authorities to establish the necessary legislations, the VP states. “be’ah is currently working on streamlining the waste management sector and controlling the waste management throughout the Sultanate. As soon as be’ah completes building the infrastructure, recycling projects will commence,” Al Harthy concludes.

be’ah is working on streamlining the sector and control-ling waste management throughout Oman. Once the infra-structure is ready, recycling projects will commence.

28 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - BAHRAIN / OMAN SUPPLEMENT | July 2014 www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

The moni-toring bod-

ies of the airport

- OAMC and Oman Air govern the clean-

ing and in-flight cater-ing services

ensuring passengers travelling

through Muscat air-port experi-ence a safe

haven.

The clean ‘port of entry’Battery-operated machines, pest control team, and hundreds of trained staff maintain the environment inside Muscat International Airport healthy and clean, reports Nickyta Ray

Imagine a long flight with chaos and chasm, and then this ordeal ends as you land in an airport decked with

shampooed carpets, reflective marbled-floors, ornate walls, luring lounges and glasses sans stain. Isn’t it a blissful feeling in this relaxing and clean ambience? Welcome to Muscat International Airport, located 32 kms west of Muscat, the land of contrasts including mountains, islands and caves. The Muscat International Airport which is a gateway to the Sultanate of Oman connects millions of passengers to the Gulf, Middle East, Europe and Far East. This airport is operated successfully by Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC).

The monitoring bodies of the airport - OAMC and Oman Air govern the cleaning and in-flight catering services ensuring passengers travelling through Muscat airport experience a safe haven. Al Nab’a Services LLC, with their trained staff and cleaning services including marble polishing, marble crystallisation, carpet shampooing, pest control, waste management, landscaping among others contribute to render a cleaner airport.

Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC)Clean Middle East magazine on entering the airport found a well-maintained terminal with staff designated right from the check-in-counters to the cabin area.

Farid Said, terminal duty manager, OAMC greeted with a smile, said, “Look at our floors which is reminiscent of mirror reflection. We have ensured to use chemicals that do not affect the environment and the cleaning staff. They work round the clock to clean the airport with chemicals and battery-operated systems such as scrubber driers and walk-behind floor scrubbers.”

Speaking about the terminal clean-up activities, he said, “We have ensured to keep the ambience healthy and clean by using non-toxic chemicals used in the cleaning and polishing of marble reflective floors.”

Airport Maintenance

Farid Said, Terminal Duty Manager, OAMC


“Our focus points are not only departure and check- in counters but we also ensure the cabin environment is clean and healthy. Our staff are speedy in coping with passenger flow, cleaning of male and female washrooms among others ensuring that the airport is well cleaned and managed,” he added.

On the expansion plans of OAMC, Farid said, “OAMC is a joint stock company owned by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman undergoing an expansion plan of the airport. The project which costs $1.8 billion according to the latest government figures includes expansion of the existing terminal and the construction of a new terminal.”

Al Nab’a Services LLCAl Nab’a Services LLC has been associated with Muscat International Airport since the last seven years in cleaning, in-flight catering services, baggage handling, pest control, landscaping, planting of seasonal flowers

and waste management among others. Celebrating 30 years of market presence in the Sultanate, Al Nab’a deploys around 850 staff to cover the operations at the airport. The company, well supported by OAMC team, also maintains indoor and outdoor landscape with skilled gardeners stationed at the airport with a service area of

approximately 46,000 square metres. Rushikesh Mane, manager, operations and marketing, Al Nab’a said, “We are adopting environment friendly methods in our services with advanced technologies to carry out the cleaning process. Hygiene practices are adopted by meticulously trained staff in the catering unit by way of wearing masks, gloves and sanitising hands.”

“There are static compactors provided along with skip bins for waste collections along with skip loader vehicles. Our activities are supported by the OAMC team with terminal duty managers and airside duty managers who co-ordinates with us on a daily basis on all aspects of cleaning and in-flight catering services”, added Mane.

Speaking about Al Nab’a’s role in cleaning and in-flight catering, Daniel Fernandes, assistant manager, operations and marketing said, “We are a major stakeholder at the airport with their cleaning, pest control, shampooing of carpets, cleaning of outdoor and indoor plants. High level dusting above three metres is carried out along with vacuuming in all dusting areas.”

Static compactors and skip bins are pro-vided for waste collection along with skip loader vehicles.

Daniel Fernandes, Assistant Manager, Operations & Marketing, Al Nab’a Services LLC

30 CLEAN MIDDLE EAST - BAHRAIN / OMAN SUPPLEMENT | July 2014 www.cleanmiddleeast.ae

“Manpower is provided for in-flight catering services while Oman Air is the catering supplier for all in-flight meals at Muscat International Airport. The production kitchen has more than 140 chefs from different nationalities ensuring authenticity in cuisines. The catering unit caters to an average of 110 flights per day with approximately 250 passengers on each flight. We are also prepared for an emergency situation when a flight arrives early and the meal boxes have to be stored into the chiller box of the next flight,” he explained.

The staff lays great emphasis on hygiene wearing gloves and caps before entering the catering unit. A team of 275 catering staff from Al Nab’a carries out the duties at the unit upon entering with clean-shaven looks and dressed in laundered uniforms as part of hygiene standards. Staff members are of the view that there are instances when they have to proceed with cooking 2kgs of fish out of 5kgs for hygiene and cleanliness purposes.

Oman AirThe ground handling line maintenance services are provided by Oman Air at Muscat International Airport which handles millions of passengers each year. To meet the demands of crew and staff uniforms, a group of laundry workers operate the high-end facility which includes systems such as auto dosing of chemicals into the machines used for product consistency and cost saving. Other services include laundering of blankets, linen, and uniforms among others.

Special meals are provided to passengers who have recommended meals with

specific medical or dietary needs, religious requirements or special requests. A fully equipped bakery enables the production of an extensive range of breads and patisserie products throughout the day. “We have a busy schedule inside the catering unit by way of washing, cleaning, cutting vegetables, fruits, salads and preparing the food; and later packing them in meal boxes by filling in the necessary items. Salads and vegetables have to be washed well with a solution to ward off against germs. We use cart washers, a trolley type of a machine used to transfer the packed food items easily into the airplanes. After the food is ready and packed, it is dispersed from the kitchen with the help of this machine to load the flight with meal boxes.” said Mohammed al Balushi (name changed), a staff of the in-flight catering services.

The success story of the cleaning and in-flight catering services doesn’t end here. The facilities would get bigger and better with the new airport in Muscat which is almost 80 percent completed and nearing its opening. The architects have masterminded the interiors with local Omani patterns based on the natural diversity of the Sultanate while the planners have ensured that the cleaning services are rigorous with an emphasis on waste management and aesthetics by way of planting more seasonal flowers inside the pier building. With the completion of the first stage of the project, the new Muscat International Airport would be able to handle 12 million passengers annually. The project would also include two office buildings, a four-star hotel, two five-level parking garages among other support structures and road works. So let the bigger challenges begin!

Airport Maintenance

To meet the demands of crew and staff uniforms, a group of laundry workers operate the high-end fa-cility which includes auto dos-ing systems for the ma-chines used for product consistency and cost saving.


Consumer’s Response


Optimum resultsfrom Diversey Taski:Grand Hyatt Muscat

In addition to typical weather conditions in the Middle East, the geograph-

ical water quality also plays a vital role in the cleaning process. For Abhijeet Nargol-kar, Executive Housekeeper at Grand Hyatt Muscat, water hardness is a real challenge in getting the desired results in cleaning process as it plays a crucial part in destroying the cleaning process. “Di-versey Taski helping us in coping with high water hard-ness in the cleaning activity at Grand Hyatt Muscat, says Nargolkar.

Which hygiene/ cleaning product or equipment do you find most useful in your ho-tel?

We use Diversey clean-ing products in the clean-ing process at Grand Hyatt Muscat. And coming to the equipment, we use Diversey Taski. Diversey’s products are the most useful solutions in keeping my hotel clean and hygienic.

Based on your experience with the product, why would you recommend it?

These products are very user friendly, they are safe to use, they are eco-friendly, they provide optimum results and moreover they are economi-cal as compared to other products.

What’s the USP or special feature of this particular product? How does it help in maintaining cleanliness at your hotel?

They provide optimum re-sults for cleanliness and freshness which in turn help us maintain the high cleaning and hygiene standards at the hotel.

As a house-keeping man-ager, what challenges do you face regarding the main-tenance of cleanliness in a hotel?

Challenges as such are sometimes due to the wa-ter hardness that we find in

the water here, which in turn makes the cleaning tasks a little difficult.

Which is the toughest cleaning task to execute?

High level glass cleaning is one of the toughest jobs as it requires expertise to do the task. And also marble polish-ing which also requires ex-pertise to complete the task.

Any flip side of using this product?No there is no flip side of us-ing the product.

How would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10?I would rate it at 8 on 10.

Abhijeet Nargolkar, Grand Hyatt, Muscat

The compa-ny sees more

demandcoming for

specialvehicles

for heavyduty street

cleaning.


Trade Dynamics


ALBARIQ Equipment

banking on quality, after

sales serviceALBARIQ Equipment LLC, an Oman-

based leading supplier of cleaning equipment, waste management and

wash room hygiene services, is charting a new business strategy based on sustain-ability where the company sees increased demand. With the Oman government giving top priority to cleaning and hygiene stan-dards, ALBARIQ is relying on high quality products and superior after sales services to enhance its business volume.

Nikson Mathew, Divisional Manager, AL-BARIQ Equipment, says, “We see more de-mand coming for special vehicles for heavy duty street cleaning. Companies from ma-jor industrial sectors and all the cleaning contractors are our major customers.” With its lion’s share in the Oman market, ALBARIQ Equipment is keen on sustaining its business in Oman and strengthening market share in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

“ALBARIQ as a group is well known in the region and our expansion plans are gener-ally managed by the Dubai office for the re-gion which is now focusing largely on Qatar and KSA. In Oman we represent the entire region,” adds Mathew.

Under the leadership of its CEO, Erik Fran-zen, ALBARIQ Equipment has emerged as a leading brand in Oman in segments such as cleaning equipment, waste management and wash room hygiene. ALBARIQ Equip-

ment has a strong presence in Muscat, So-har and Salalah. The frontline of products from ALBARIQ includes Dulevo Sweepers, FIMAP and Factory Cat Scrubber Driers and recycling solutions from Sulo. After the global economic recession, the market in general has slipped into a credit crunch and as a result, many companies are feeling the heat of budget constraints. This is also im-pacting the cleaning industry. Many com-panies are running on thin margins due to tight budget schedules. However, ALBARIQ is not overly concerned about the budget constraints in the industry as demand for cleaning equipment continues to be strong.

Shrugging off the impact of budgetary constraints on pricing, Mathew explains: “Yes, it’s there and varies from time to time. However, we as ALBARIQ don’t face this much as our customers are loyal to us considering our high standard after sales support.”

ALBARIQ has a team of 43 people in Oman including mechanical engineers, electri-cians and other technical experts.

IT applications are influencing every sector and every aspect of society. The cleaning sector is no exception. Many cleaning and FM companies prefer to use the latest technology applications. “It is not easy to change the minds out here. How-ever, our innovative product line helps us demonstrate and win the minds,” further adds Mathew.

During a recent demonstration on underground waste management.

Erik Franzen, CEO


Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is playing a vital role in bringing companies to improve social life and contribute to society.

ALBARIQ has been very active in CSR initia-tives as its supports Green and eco-friendly Earth campaigns.

“We have a strong segment for Green products, especially in cleaning chemicals. We focus on Sutter Chemicals from Italy,” said Mathew.

Nikson Mathew, Divisional Manager, ALBARIQ

ALBARIQ sales team

Focusing on branding, after sales service.The cleaning equipment and

solutions provider ALBARIQ is keen on enhancing brand image further in Oman and across the region. “We believe in quality rather than pricing,” says Nikson Mathew, Divisional Manager, ALBARIQ Equipment.

How do you see demand and growth potential in the region and Oman in particular?

The Omani government with the vision of His Majesty Sultan Qaboose give a lot of importance to a clean environment. The government is spending on this is well noted.

How are your focus areas such as professional cleaning equipment, waste management solutions, golf cart and utility vehicles segments doing?

All the above requirements are coming under facility management which is the reason we operate all the above under one roof.

Do you feel margin pressure? If so, what measures you take to overcome this challenge?

No. We believe in quality. Our custom-ers are keen on quality rather than pric-ing. Hence, there’s no pressure on the margins.

What challenges you see for main-taining high hygiene standards in the in Middle East?

I can talk only about Oman. Yes, as for Oman Municipalities, they are very par-ticular on this issue.

What measures you take to sustain the top position?

We’re already a leading brand in Oman. We would like to enhance our brand im-age further and in addition to this, we focus on after sales service in a profes-sional way.

Is there any change in customers’ priorities or existing customers opting for competitors’ products or ALBARIQ Equipment is eating into competitor’s market space?

We focus on quality oriented customer segment. As a policy ALBARIQ works

with only European and American manufacturers.

How are pollution and environment-related problems affecting the clean-ing segment?

In Oman, the authorities are well focused on this issue and regulatory bodies have set the terms as not to in-crease the pollution. An effective clean-ing and waste management can bring a higher standard.

How do you consider the Key factors such as environmental regulations, health and safety issues, energy sav-ings, productivity and operating cost when compared to the efficiency and performance of the company?

The Oman government is keen on standards in the health and hygiene segment and working with different organisations on this.

How do you consider the competi-tion in the market and where do you place yourself in terms of market share?

Our operation is very different from other players in the industry which makes us a unique provider and work-ing closely with facility management companies. ALBARIQ is the only sup-plier in Oman who provides total solu-tion for cleaning, waste management and treatment.


Augmentation


Al Nab’a Servicescharting new

growth strategyFocusing on MEP,

landscaping services;working on developing

innovative plans on waste management

Oman-based Al Nab’a Services LLC is expanding business operations within the Middle East region and be-

yond it. The company is planning to explore untapped markets that would provide more business opportunities. The company is focusing on technical services (MEP opera-tions and maintenance) and landscaping.

“Strategic planning for unexplored market segments is currently on the organization’s radar. On analyzing the opportunities avail-able and in-house competencies, the or-ganization has defined vision to expand its operations in other regions.”

Led by Sayyid Khalid bin Hamed bin Saif Al Busaidy, Chairman, Al Nab’a has emerged as a pioneer in integrated facilities management (FM), soft services, catering services, infra-structure development and equipment trade. Al Nab’a has its branch in Abu Dhabi and it’s doing well in mainly catering and equipment trading.

From a humble beginning in 1984, the com-pany’s journey has taken it to become one of the Top -10 brands in Oman. The company attributes the factors for this rapid and sus-tainable growth to the policies of the Oman government, post renaissance, which saw exemplary surge in economic development.Strengthened with its 30 years of rich experi-ence in the industry, Al Nab’a, the company believes in deploying a good system gov-erned by highly professional people with defined authorities and responsibility. The bonding of huge work force headed by a team of professionals has spearheaded its growth geographically in various verticals. Extension of its services in UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia spells its vision.

Al Nab’a is a leading player in the field of facilities management in the Sultanate of Oman with over 7,500 workforce and more than 1500 sites across diverse clientele base.Further elaborating on customers’ priorities, he said: “It is an open market with a numer-ous small and medium facility players. Cli-ents opting for quality services however will always prefer a more organized & structured facility partner to maintain their premises.”

More than cleaning it is the waste manage-ment that is a concern. Currently waste man-agement in Oman is in a transition phase. We are working with an organization to come up with innovative means for handling waste.Sayyid Khalid bin Hamed bin Saif Al Busaidy, Chairman

Availability of skilled manpower is scarce. Al Nab’a houses a Knowledge centre that com-prises of trained SMEs to train the manpower on Al Nab’a Standards. Al Nab’a has been growing on the support from key segments such as government departments, automo-biles, banking and airport management.IT-enabled applications are fast catching up in every sector. The cleaning and FM compa-nies prefer to use latest technology applica-tions.

“We have web-based software to capture the operations intricacy. Since the operations are scattered across the Sultanate. Our Supervi-sors and Officers are equipped with Tablet phones to capture and control operations. A simple step goes a long way. Updating atten-dance ensures that the payroll is generated timely, timely invoicing and avoids delay in receivables too,” he said.

Al Nab’a gives utmost priority to environ-ment-friendly measures in all its operations. “Al Nab’a is an ISO – IMS certified. An ISO Integrated Management System ensures that the operating procedures are conducive to quality, environment and safety. Our strict audits aid in identifying areas of improve-

ments to refine the system and ensure con-tinual improvement,” he said.

The Oman government is keen on standards in the health and hygiene segment and work-ing with different organizations on this. “As a part of the CSR, Al Nab’a is associated with clients and individual entities in creat-ing awareness related to hygiene, safety, environment etc. Our quarterly newsletter Al Nab’a Voice is an apt platform to nurture this kind of awareness.”

Expressing his opinion on the difference be-tween government-registered cleaning ser-vices providers and other unorganised firms, he explains: “An integrated approach is a must if the focus is on quality and environmental standards. An organization with deep proto-cols on quality system will contribute more compared to an unorganized corporation.”

Al Nab’a ensures use of eco – friendly and bio degradable cleaning agents, tools, equip-ments and machines that consume less chemicals and power. Latest technology that allows electrochemical activated water to be used as a highly efficient cleaning and disin-fectant solution.

“More than cleaning it

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