Ahmadiah rises to yet another challenge.

(From Gulf Construction)

Renowned local contracting firm Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading Company has added yet another commercial complex to its extensive portfolio of successfully completed projects as it is handed over the Dar Al Awadi office tower and shopping mall to its owners at the end of last month (June)

For Ahmadiah - which has a track record of handling several other similar projects over its 51-year history - the task presented a few challenges though none that it could not tackle efficiently, according to a spokesman for the contract

Highlighting these challenges, he says: "The major challenge on this project was the erection of 100 tonnes of steelwork at a height of 150 m. To achieve this, we had to erect a platform with a 9 m cantilever at this height to accomplish a high standard of finish. The building stands at 171 m including the mast." "Besides this, we have ensured that the building has been constructed to a very high standard of construction." Ahmadiah started work on the KD15.2 million ($52 million) contract for the project in April 2002. Apart from the Dar Al Awadi tower, Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading Company has been busy with a string of other high-profile projects

Among the largest projects in hand is the KD40 million ($138 million) phase 1 package on Al-Khiran Pearl City. The contract covers infrastructure work for 1,200 residential plots on 2.5 million sq m of land close to the border with Saudi Arabia. Ahmadiah started work on the project in May last year and expects to complete it by end of next October. It involves laying of 49 km of sanitary sewer pipes (900 mm in diameter), six km of microtunneling (dia 700 to 900 mm), 32 km of storm water pipes (dia up to 700 mm) and 63 km of water supply and irrigation pipes (dia up to 400 mm); construction of three 40-m-high water reservoirs with a capacity of 2,600 cu m each and 54 substations; installation of power and telephone cables; and soft landscaping and road works, according to regional and business development manager Georges Hage

Pearl City will be developed in phases over a total area of 6,500 hectares, and will eventually be home to about 50,000 residents. The client is the local La'Ala al-Kuwait Real Estate Company while the consultant is a team of the UK's Buro Happold with the local Gulf Consult. Ahmadiah is also working on other projects, namely the Al Hamra Complex, Al Dhow Tower, the Cardiac Hospital, Arraya office tower, Al Manshar Rotana Suites Hotel and others

The Al Hamra Tower and Mall Complex for the Al Hamra Real Estate Company will have a total built-up area of 235,000 sq m. Work on the mixed-use project - which includes a 70-storey tower - started in June last year and is due for completion in December 2007. Ahmadiah started construction of the 34-storey Al Dhow in March last year and expects to complete it by March 2006. Al Mal Real Estate is the client on the office tower, which will feature a high standard of finishes