Dubai: The Al Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) Tuesday said it has secured a new project worth Dh1.04 billion ($285 million) as part of the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ) in Taweelah for the Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC).
The project, known as KPIZ Industrial Zone A Infrastructure Central and South, will commence immediately and is due for completion in September 2012, the company said in a statement.
HLG's scope of works includes relocation of 12 million cubic metres of earthworks, 18 kilometres of two, three and four-lane dual carriageways, building five bridges, 48 major services culverts and bridges, 7 kilometres of MSE walls, 124 kilometres of electrical reticulation, 79 kilometres of telecommunications distribution amd laying 91 kilometres of pipelines.
With this, the company's orderbook rose to Dh20 billion. It has 25,000 workers on payroll.
This is HLG's second project for ADPC at KPIZ. The company is well advanced on a Dh1.4 billion ($380 million) project it was awarded by ADPC in July last year for the construction of the onshore port facilities and including the construction of 47 buildings and associated infrastructure works.
Leading providers
HLG CEO and Managing Director Laurie Voyer said the new award reaffirmed HLG's position as one of the MENA region's leading infrastructure providers.
"We've been working with ADPC for over a year now and have developed a strong working relationship with them. We look forward to supporting ADPC's new CEO Tony Douglas to ensure operations at KPIZ commence as scheduled in 2012," he said.
Voyer said Abu Dhabi remains HLG's single most important market, and that the group is confident of securing further new work there in the near future.
KPIZ will be a multi-purpose facility located in Taweelah, Abu Dhabi and strategically placed between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The project includes the construction of a container and industrial port and the development of industrial, logistics, commercial, educational and residential special economic and free trade zones. KPIZ is scheduled to commence operations in 2012.
With a number of major industrial players already committed to establishing capacity at KPIZ, the Taweelah area is set to become one of the world's top industrial and logistics hubs.
Despite the current slowdown in construction activities, investment in infrastructure is helping rebalance the construction market, officials say.
"Although the property market is slow, infrastructure development will keep the construction sector buoyant," Ziad Makzhoumi, Chief Financial Officer of Arabtec, said.
