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MEP suppliers you should know [Construction Week (United Arab Emirates)]
[September 17, 2014]

MEP suppliers you should know [Construction Week (United Arab Emirates)]


(Construction Week (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Bosch Thermotechnology 100,000 systems sold in 140 countries $41.12bn 2013 turnover In 2013, Bosch Thermotechnology achieved $4.12bn in global sales revenues through its heating, air conditioning, domestic hot water heating, and solar thermal systems.



This figure represented an increase of approximately 2% compared to 2012; an impressive statistic when one considers the scale of the company's operations. Moreover, the firm's senior management team expects this trend to continue into the foreseeable future.

"We are witnessing more positive signs in key thermotechnology markets," says Uwe Glock, president of the board of management at Bosch's thermotechnology division.


[[banner]] "We have been satisfied with our performance over the past year; we were able to improve our cost position significantly. This allowed Bosch Thermotechnology to begin 2014 in a strong state, and we now intend to further strengthen our activities, especially within the sector of residential heating systems," he adds.

During the last 12 months, Bosch has secured a number of sizeable orders across the Middle East. The manufacturer has agreed steam boiler, control unit, and accessory supply deals with Al Hathboor Laundries in the UAE; Americana Cake, United Food, and PepsiCo in Saudi Arabia.

Naturally, Glock points out that the quality of its thermotechnology also represents a major contributing factor in the company's continued success.

"Bosch Thermotechnology has supplied more than 100,000 systems in over 140 countries; a clear testament to the high quality and reliability of the products we offer," he explained.

"Our systems can be found at the premises of many industrial and commercial companies, energy suppliers, local authorities, and both public and private institutions. Everyone – from global players such as E.ON, Coca-Cola, BASF, Siemens, Ytong, Heineken, Nestle, and Esso, to local businesses and energy suppliers – relies on our innovative systems," he told MEP.

During the past year, the company has also made significant strides in terms of its regional infrastructure, concentrating on improving the level of service offered to its existing clients.

"We have taken steps to ensure that the Bosch factory can make direct shipments to customers' sites," said Glock.

"This has decreased the lead time of our deliveries, and has made our operations much more flexible," he explained.

Unsurprisingly, the company has no intention of slowing its Middle Eastern efforts during the coming 12 months. As Glock explained, this is a key territory for his division.

"The GCC, with its rich oil and gas resources, has been identified as a unique market for Bosch," he said.

"Our major focuses in this region will be product reliability and automation. Bosch has enjoyed previous success in its efforts to address these factors, designing high-quality, market-specific, 'fit-and-forget' devices, and supplying them across the region," Glock concluded.

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[[page-break]] Viessmann 11,400 Numner of employees worldwide $2.8bn 2013 turnover The past year has certainly been a lucrative period for Viessmann Group, especially within the UAE market.

The German manufacturer has transformed an array of big-name prospects into tangible order forms, penning deals across the emirates. Viessmann has secured business with Dubai International Airport's Concourse 4, the Address Boulevard Hotel, Bright Start Beach Resort, and the Palazzo Versace Hotel. The company has also signed up a number of high-profile clients in Abu Dhabi, such as Central Market Tower and the headquarters of Masdar Corporate.

The firm has enjoyed success across the wider Middle East too, as R Praveen Kumar, sales director at Viessmann Middle East, explains.

"We are continuing to do extremely well in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Egypt, and Bahrain," he says.

[[banner]] "We've been successful in increasing our business in terms of market share and market presence; we are growing at a steady pace," he adds.

Viessmann Group generated turnover of approximately $2.8bn during 2013, and currently employs in the region of 11,400 staff members.

With 27 production divisions spread over 11 countries, subsidiaries and representatives active in 74 markets, and 120 sales offices globally, the firm is – without doubt – one of the largest outfits operating on the international heating systems stage.

Even so, the Middle East remains a key strategic territory for Viessmann, according to Kumar, with high levels of demand across the spectrum of its heating system range.

"Over the past year, we have supplied solar thermal systems, steam boilers, hot water boilers, condensing boilers, and storage cylinders to the market," he explained.

"Compared to conventional boilers, Viessmann's condensing models deliver significant efficiency improvements during oil or gas operation. We foresee that the use of these units will become increasingly common in the future, as projects strive to achieve higher efficiency and performance," Kumar predicted.

The company has also added to its product range in the form of Viessmann Coldrooms, a line that should enable the company to make fresh inroads in the energy sector. Despite such developments, however, Kumar emphasises that the firm will continue to concentrate on its core strengths.

"Viessmann products are oriented towards efficiency, quality, and performance," he said.

"We believe in sharing our knowledge and experience to educate the market and to encourage the prevalence of high-efficiency products. In keeping with growth in the region's economy, Viessmann will continue to focus on scaling greater heights across the Middle East," concluded Kumar.

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[[page-break]] Trox 3,600 number of employees worldwide TROX certainly knows a thing or two about the HVAC market. Fortunately for the company, its business hasn't been blowing hot and cold during the last year.

In 2013, TROX's 3,600-strong workforce generated global sales revenues in excess of $600m. With perennial demand for ventilation and air conditioning systems, it should come as no surprise that the Middle East played an important role in the achievement of this figure.

[[banner]] "Earlier in 2014, we introduced a series of new products to the Middle East region, including the AHU XCube, VAV EC Fan Coil Units, and our XFans line," says Matthias Kasprowicz, managing director of TROX Middle East.

"Our vision is to be the one-and-only choice for those who want the best. With the latest portfolio elements that have originated from our strong R&D team, we are continuing to engineer for the future, and we will remain dedicated to delivering excellent service, comfort, and safety to our customers," he adds.

It is not only products that TROX has brought to the Middle East during the past 12 months. The company has also enjoyed significant success in drumming up fresh business.

TROX has secured orders from airport projects in Doha and Dubai, Abu Dhabi's Mafraq Hospital, Jamjoom Pharma in Saudi Arabia, the headquarters of Qatar Foundation, and an array of other high-profile clients.

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[[page-break]] Herz $22.5m expenditure on product development in 2013 $200m 2013 turnover With more than a century of experience on the international HVAC stage, Austria-headquartered HERZ Group has continued to strengthen its position in the Middle East market during the past year.

In 2013, the company's global turnover topped $200m, thanks in no small part to its activities in the GCC and wider Levant. Over the course of the last 12 months, HERZ has secured orders with a raft of high-profile customers, including Abu Dhabi's Federal Supreme Council, Dubai Gate Tower 2, Al Othman Towers in Saudi Arabia, and Harmony Towers in Turkey.

[[banner]] "Here at HERZ, we are proud of our tradition, but we prefer to think about the future and look forward to the steady development of our products, our product range, and the growth of the group," comments Zoran Bankovic, export manager at HERZ Middle East.

"HERZ has been in existence since 1896 and, since then, has survived wars, hyperinflation, world economic crises, and even occupation.

"This is due to the incredible performance of our employees and management over the years," he adds.

The firm has also continued to strengthen its product portfolio with the addition of pressure independent control valves (PICVs). According to their designers, the latest HERZ PICVs, which are suitable for both residential and commercial HVAC systems, can deliver energy savings of 20% to 25% compared to conventional devices.

Despite investing $22.5mn in product development during 2013, it's not only the HERZ range that has undergone expansion; so too has the company's Middle Eastern footprint.

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[[page-break]] Geberit 370 products that carry water efficiency label "well" 20% targeted carbon emission reduction by 2020 "Our sustainable business management has made it possible to increase the value of the company over the long-term and minimise risks for its future development," says André Winogradsky, head of Gulf at Geberit.

Sustainability seems to be central to the company's products too, as Geberit was once again listed among the 100 most sustainable companies in the world in 2013, according to Corporate Knights.

"Our long-term goal is to roll out new products that set new standards in water conservation and sustainability. At the same time, we are pursuing ambitious goals throughout the group.

[[banner]] "By 2020, we want to reduce CO² emissions by 20% compared with the year 2000, based on organic growth. We will continue to provide building solutions for MEP professionals to comply and improve the sustainability of buildings." Geberit has enjoyed a stellar year, working on a number of significant projects over the last 12 months.

Contracts the firm has worked on include the Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal, the Ministry of Interior in Kuwait and the Twin Towers in Doha's West Bay.

In addition, Geberit has signed deals to supply further projects such as the Qatar Petroleum District in Doha, and the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh.

Key to the company's philosophy is sustainable products; eight Geberit product groups – a total of over 370 sales products – carry the water efficiency label WELL, which enables customers to consciously opt for water-saving.

Seven of these eight product groups carry the top A class label and account for around 20% of Group sales.

A number of recent product launches have strengthened it offering yet further.

It has recently introduced the AquaClean Sela complete shower toilet product that offers 65% less water consumption and 33% less electricity consumption compared with similar models.

"Continuously optimising and extending the product range is crucial for future success in the region," said Winogradsky. "Each year, two or three important innovations are put on the market.

"In addition, the existing products are continuously developed further and improved. New and further developments of the traditional product lines are still at the forefront; however, the trend towards more comfortable bathrooms places new demands on sanitary technology.

"In accordance with the changing customer demands, the aesthetics and attractiveness of the products is playing an increasingly important role.

"Design innovations have become more important, along with technical innovations, and have become an important cornerstone of product development." Article continued on next page...

[[page-break]] Leminar air conditioning 20% growth in the last year 80m+ 2013 turnover Doing business has proven somewhat of a breeze for Leminar Air Conditioning of late.

The company achieved turnover in excess of $80m during the course of the 2013/14 financial year, representing 20% growth over the previous 12 months.

The Dubai-headquartered firm has certainly been keeping busy in its native UAE. During the past 12 months, Leminar has supplied air conditioning products from Rheem, Mueller, and Weicco across the emirates.

"Leminar has always been about commitment," says Navin Valrani, the company's CEO. "Over the last 12 months, we have continued to invest strongly in our regional distribution network, and we have strengthened our commitment to our customers by ensuring we deliver what we promise.

[[banner]] "We have also added a number of key brands this year, and the company's growth rates have been truly phenomenal," he adds.

In Dubai, the company has supplied units to projects such as Meydan Heights, DAMAC Heights and Dubai Tram. Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, Leminar has provided products for the Central Market Project, Fairmont Hotel, and Ruwais Housing Complex.

To support this level of activity, and to prepare for future growth, the supplier has also added a number of new products to its portfolio, including S&P ventilation fans, pressure independent control valves (PCIVs) from Frese, and plate heat exchangers from Alfa.

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[[page-break]] Amtech 25,000 licenses sold 30 years of sales growth "The past 12 months have been particularly exciting for us. We held our second BIM Conference in London in March, which was a great success and generated very positive feedback," says Nick Harper, sales director at building services software developer Amtech.

"Additionally, our XG (neXt Generation) products are now being released, bringing significantly higher levels of functionality and integration to the product range. As these developments continue to drive rapid expansion we are also currently preparing for an imminent move to larger premises." Amtech recently purchased 3D asset management software, ArtrA, which allows users to track all assets in a project and instantly locate them in a 3D walkthrough, making it a powerful tool for BIM projects.

[[banner]] Amtech has also developed a specific Middle East version of ProDesign, its electrical design software.

"ProDesign is considered the industry standard in the UK and is used by all the leading consultants," said Harper.

"This now produces schedules that meet DEWA and ADDC requirements so that electrical engineers operating in the Middle East no longer need to produce these manually.

"In addition, we have released the latest XG version of our MEP estimating software which is now faster and easier to use than ever," he adds.

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