23 Marina Tower construction photos,Dubai Marina, 15/January/2010

Elite Residences construction photos,Dubai Marina, 15/January/2010

Jotun Paints partners with KidZania in Dubai Mall

Jotun Paints partners with KidZania in Dubai Mall

Move aimed at further strengthening brand’s presence in the UAE end-user segment

January 20, 2010

Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, has partnered with KidZania, a unique children's edutainment centre located within the iconic Dubai Mall, which replicates an actual city and allows children to role play various professions. The partnership has resulted in the creation of ‘Jotun’s House Painting’, which is one of several building-themed activities within KidZania where kids can role-play as professional painters and engage in tasks of varying degrees of difficulty for either interior or exterior applications. The creation of the branded establishment is aimed at further strengthening Jotun’s brand presence among the UAE end-user segment.

Set to offer an extensive range of hues, Jotun has identified the potential of its involvement with KidZania in providing children an excellent opportunity to cultivate their creativity by mixing and matching different colours. The children will be taught the painting process and allowed to feel and touch the paints - a move, which can potentially promote the ‘Do-It-Yourself (DIY)’ market in the Middle East. As part of the agreement, the company will also provide the paints, rollers, brushes and branded overalls to be used by the kids.

“Jotun is proud to be a part of KidZania as it provides children with an environment to learn and excel while tapping their various potentials,” said Ashish Vasudev, Marketing Manager, Jotun Paints - UAE. “Our presence within the edutainment centre will also be a wonderful way to build awareness and engage with the residents of Dubai and UAE, which can create a better market for our products. In addition to children being major influencers in the family, we would be able to reach our target - the end-user market - while creating a strong foundation of brand loyalty among the children who will grow to associate the name Jotun with vibrant coloured paints.”

Spanning a total of 80,000 sq. feet, KidZania features real buildings, shops and roads scaled down two-thirds of a child’s size and offers kids up to 15 years over 70 different occupations to play and get dressed up as. ‘KidZos’ is the accepted play currency, which children can use in various facilities within the edutainment centre, which can give children a fair appreciation of the use and value of money. It also features the KidZania International Airport, a hospital, bank, central town square, fashion catwalk, fire station, offices, pizza restaurant, race track, radio station, service station, supermarket, theatre and university, among others. Other leading brands that are also part of the amusement park include Emirates Airlines, HSBC, ENOC and Pronto Café.

“The concept of KidZania is based on letting children experience a real-life business and social environment, thereby broadening their knowledge and familiarizing them with real-world careers and responsibilities. By partnering with KidZania in this unique concept, we believe that this will open a new paradigm for us to interact with our target market and also know more about how Jotun can meet the end user needs,” concluded Vasudev.

About Jotun

Founded in 1926 in Norway, Jotun - one of the world's leading paint manufacturers established its presence in the Middle East in 1974, with Jotun UAE Ltd. Ever since, Jotun has expanded dramatically throughout the region and is the first paint manufacturer to be awarded the ISO 9001 certification. Jotun has consistently invested in state of the art factories including the recently opened plant in the Al Quoz area of Dubai, UAE - the biggest worldwide for Jotun and the Middle East.

Jotun has been at the forefront in terms of developing products specifically suited to local conditions. Three decades of experience in the Middle East region, has helped the company produce a variety of conventional and specialized coatings - each incorporating the latest technological developments while offering performance with economy - catering to the various product segments and demands of the different markets. Today, Jotun's diverse product range includes Decorative, Protective, Marine, Floor/Concrete Protection, Powder Coatings and Intumescent coatings, bearing a solid testament to the company's reputation of being truly a single source solution for clients, consultants and contractors alike.

Denmark Crown Prince and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed inaugurate UAE's largest pre-insulated pipe manufacturing facility

Denmark Crown Prince and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed inaugurate UAE's largest pre-insulated pipe manufacturing facility

$25 million Empower-Logstor Insulated Pipes Systems (ELIPS) signifies UAE’s drive towards diversification of economy

Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE, 20th January, 2010: H.R.H. the Crown Prince of Denmark, Frederik and HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum today inaugurated Empower-Logstor Insulated Pipes Systems (ELIPS), UAE's largest pre-insulated pipe manufacturing facility, in Jebel Ali. The move signifies UAE’s drive towards diversification of economy in order to sustain growth.

ELIPS is a joint venture between Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER), UAE’s leading district cooling company and LOGSTOR, the world's largest manufacturer of pre-insulated pipes. The $25 million facility will cater to the requirements of District Cooling Services and Oil and Gas across the Middle East.

District cooling is over 50% more efficient than conventional air conditioning solutions; it also removes the heavy load on the electricity grid when demand for cooling is high. District cooling is the most eco-friendly air-conditioning technology in meeting the world’s CO2 reduction targets. Therefore we believe that the global growth in district cooling systems will be huge in the years to come.

Speaking at the launch, Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower (51% partner), said: “This factory represents Dubai’s success in bringing fresh investments into the Emirate. Further, it demonstrates Dubai companies’ progressive outlook reflected in investing in new ventures, expanding existing facilities to provide full integrated solutions and producing raw material internally instead of importing it.”

“Empower decided to enter this joint venture with an eye on securing the supply chain of pre-insulated pipes used in District Cooling Services (DCS) networks which constitute 20-25% of our total capital investment. The facility will ensure timely delivery and installation of pipe networks that will have a major impact on Empower’s project timelines,” Bin Shafar added.

ELIPS will ensure high quality of insulation and casing of pipes, enhancing efficiency and maintenance costs of District Cooling Systems services. It will also ensure price control by improving supply chain and eliminating artificial price fluctuations created by various players due to the demand-supply gap, Bin Shafar said.

Preben Tolstrup, CEO OF LOGSTOR, which owns 49 per cent stake in ELIPS, said: “We are the world’s leading pre-insulated pipe manufacturer with more than 50 years of experience and 10 factories worldwide, serving customers in more than 50 countries. With the prime purpose of supplying top quality District Cooling pipe systems to the entire Region, the world’s most advanced technology introduced at this new plant will set the standards for many years ahead.”

Commenting on the UAE’s economy, Preben Tolstrup commented: “We believe that UAE’s economy is in good hands, and our outlook on the future is optimistic. LOGSTOR’s aim is to serve the Gulf region through Dubai, which has strong infrastructure and logistical connectivity.”

Bin Shafar said: “ELIPS will also specialize in and supply pre-insulated pipes to the oil and gas sector as well as district cooling. Through ELIPS, Empower will be saving between 15–25 % on the cost of pre insulated pipes for its various projects.”

EMPOWER's vision to supply reliable and environmentally friendly comfort cooling is in sync with LOGSTOR's ambition to meet the critical need for high-quality pre-insulated pipes across the Gulf region. ELIPS will supply world class pipe networks and meet the demand for hundreds of kilometers of pre-insulated pipes for the region’s future district cooling.

ELIPS will benefit from its location in Jebel Ali Industrial area, which will provide easy access to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi markets, which are one of the biggest markets for District Cooling and Oil & Gas sectors in the region.
“This factory represents an opportunity for Empower to achieve backward integration. It will also consolidate our status as a leading regional player in pipeline systems by meet the industry's primary requirement for pre-insulated pipes. Empower’s position as the region's number one company for district cooling is more realised now with the opening of this factory,” said Bin Shafar.
LOGSTOR has been serving the Gulf region since 1992 and is now marking its commitment to serve the region by establishing an anchored presence with the ELIPS factory.

Depending on dimensions and output from 100 to 300 pipe joints a day, the ELIPS factory will offer job opportunities for a wide range of competences, from operators to highly skilled engineers within sale, engineering and production technologies.

ELIPS is using Spray Technology for manufacturing large diameter pre-insulated pipes which will ensure high quality products and also result in savings in raw material costs as compared to traditional injection technology. This technology also enables foray into the oil and gas industry which is not possible with traditional injections. Currently, only 1 out of 5 existing pre-insulated pipe manufacturers are using spray technology.
ELIPS aims to make major contribution to green environment as its technology helps lower CO2 emissions. District cooling is the most eco-friendly technology in meeting the world CO2 reduction targets.

About Empower:

Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) is a joint venture between Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone (TECOM) Investments and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), created to provide energy-efficient district cooling services to large-scale real estate developments. Empower plans to diversify into other energy efficiency and conservation services. Empower's district cooling systems (DCS) provide effective and efficient means of air conditioning. Water is cooled in central plants and distributed through a network of piping systems to individual customer buildings. DCS achieves economies of scale by using centralised plants instead of individual cooling units in each building. The centralised system results in reduced capital and operating costs, thus reducing air-conditioning set-up and energy costs per building. Empower is set to become one of the largest district cooling companies in the region.

LOGSTOR

LOGSTOR is the world’s leading manufacturer of pre-insulated pipes for energy efficient transportation of gases and liquids for district heating and cooling, oil and gas, solar, marine and industrial purposes. LOGSTOR invented the pre-insulated pipe system technology and has delivered more than 160,000 km pre-insulated pipes to date. LOGSTOR provides products which contributes considerably to reductions in CO2 emissions and improved energy efficiency.

Today LOGSTOR is an international group with subsidiaries in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, China, Romania and Lithuania. A network of 30 agents and LOGSTOR’s 12 sales offices support the sales activities.

LOGSTOR supplies customers in more than 50 countries and sells its pipe systems in markets where energy savings and CO2 reduction considerations will affect clients choice of how they heat or cool residential and commercial property and how oil, gas and other liquids are most efficiently transported.

LOGSTOR is headquartered in Løgstør, Denmark, and employs approximately 1,300 employees. Production is carried out in the Group’s own 10 factories situated in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Poland, China, Romania and in its joint venture in Korea and Dubai. All 10 factories of the group hold the ISO9000 quality certificate and the ISO 14001 environment certificate.

LOGSTOR is owned by Montagu Private Equity.

Montagu Private Equity

Montagu is a leading private equity investor in the European mid-market with offices in London, Manchester, Paris, Düsseldorf and Stockholm. Over the last 40 years Montagu has supported more than 400 businesses operating across a range of different segments and sectors, and currently has more than €3.5 billion under management. Montagu is focused on investing in management buyouts in partnership with the incumbent management team. The firm has an extensive network of contacts and offers its portfolio companies capital, financial expertise and strategic assistance in order to unleash their full development and growth potential.

MASDAR, SENER JOINT VENTURE TORRESOL ENERGY SECURES US$760 MILLION LOAN FOR VALLE 1 AND VALLE 2 THERMAL SOLAR PLANTS

MASDAR, SENER JOINT VENTURE TORRESOL ENERGY SECURES US$760 MILLION LOAN FOR VALLE 1 AND VALLE 2 THERMAL SOLAR PLANTS

The two Spanish plants will have up to 7.5 hours of thermal storage capacity
and will provide clean and safe energy for 80,000 homes and
prevent 90,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year

Abu Dhabi, 19th January 2010: Torresol Energy, a joint venture between Masdar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company, and SENER, a leading international multidiscipline engineering company, with offices in Abu Dhabi, has secured US$760 million project finance loans for the construction of its twin Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants - Valle 1 and Valle 2 - in Andalucía, Spain. The total investment value for the two plants is US$1bn.

Work on the two 50 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants began in March 2009 and is the first time that twin thermo solar plants have been built simultaneously. Both plants incorporate energy solutions developed by SENER, including molten salt thermal storage capacity of up to 7.5 hours. This means that the state-of-the-art plants will be capable of generating electricity at night and through periods of poor sunlight, enabling a continuous supply of electricity and overcoming intermittency, one of the drawbacks of some renewable technologies.

Valle 1 & 2, together with the Gemasolar Central Tower Plant (17MW / 110GWh per year), which was project financed in November 2008 and continues to progress construction as expected, represents a total investment by Torresol Energy of $1.4bn across 3 CSP projects over the past 12 months.

Talking on the announcement Enrique Sendagorta, Chairman of Torresol Energy, said: “We are very proud that Valle 1 and Valle 2 solar plants secured this important financial support, which allows us to continue on schedule with our strategic plans”.

“With a combined production of 340 GWh per annum, which equates to the clean and safe energy for over 80,000 homes and a saving of 90,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year, Valle 1 and 2 will be leaders in the delivery of concentrated solar power and a major contribution to the region’s power supply. A significant feature of these plants will be their ability to produce electricity at night and at times of poor sunlight, which is obviously an important consideration for consumers who require and demand uninterrupted electricity supplies,” he added.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO, Masdar, said: “The CSP projects currently under construction in Spain will introduce and test new technologies, which will help promote CSP as an economically competitive and viable alternative to traditional power sources. Through Torresol Energy, we are actively promoting the development and operation of large-scale CSP plants throughout the world and hope to implement additional projects across Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Southwest United States”.

The construction of the new plants will have additional benefits for Spain, such as an estimated 3,200 new direct employment opportunities during the two year construction period – with a further 150 specialised professionals required to manage operations after completion.

About Torresol Energy

A joint venture between the companies SENER and MASDAR, Torresol Energy was set up with the aim of becoming a global leader in the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) sector, promoting the development and operation of large-scale CSP plants throughout the world – especially in the “sun belt”: southern Europe, including Spain, North Africa, the Middle East and the south-west United States.
Torresol Energy is currently focusing its efforts on the GEMASOLAR project (17MW / 110GWh per year) and the construction of the two aforementioned 2x50 MW / 2x170 GWh per annum parabolic trough plants, VALLE 1 and VALLE 2, in the province of Cadiz (South of Spain).
In the medium term, Torresol Energy plans to build at least two CSP plants each year, introducing and testing new technologies in order to turn CSP into an economically competitive and viable alternative to traditional power sources. The main aim of Torresol Energy’s research activities is to drive down the costs of power generation.
For further information about Torresol Energy´s plants, please visit www.torresolenergy.com

About Masdar

Masdar is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions. Masdar is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), a wholly owned company of the government of Abu Dhabi through the Mubadala Development Company.
For more information about the Masdar Initiative, please visit www.masdar.ae

Al Tayer launches Dubai Metro new portal, RTA website voice browser service

Al Tayer launches Dubai Metro new portal, RTA website voice browser service


Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority, has launched the new portal of Dubai Metro (www.rta.ae/dubai_metro) along with the voice browser service of RTA website for the use visually-impaired surfers, in order to enable them benefit from the services offered by the RTA. In this capacity, the RTA has become the first Middle Eastern government body to offer such type of services to this segment of the community.

“The new portal has been designed following an extensive study on how to plan a Dubai Metro journey. The Guide starts with the planning process, and identifies the stations nearest to the starting and terminal point of the journey. It also sets the locations of stations to be used, and the most suitable method of arriving at the station through various transportation means such as buses, taxis and marine modes, besides checking trains’ arrival and departure timings” said Al Tayer.

“The second step involves buying tickets, introducing the features of Nol cards & tickets, journey cost & calculation, and the locations of buying, topping-up and or adding trips to Nol cards. The third step includes information about Dubai Metro carriages such as different classes, ladies & children exclusive carriages, wireless internet service (WiFi), special needs services on board the metro trains, and the rules & regulations of using the metro” he continued.

RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director further added: “RTA has upgraded its website (www.rta.ae) through adding Voice Browser service in a bid to showcase the e-services offered by the RTA such that visually-impaired users will be able to browse the website and check its contents fairly easy regardless of the extent of their visual disability. Launching this service comes in the context of RTA efforts to reach out to all segments of the community; particularly the disabled as they are an integral component of the community and the RTA is always seeking to address the requirements of this category and communicate with them in a way that adds to their social integration”.

“RTA has carried out an extensive study before the launch of this service spanning RTA visitors from visually-impaired individuals. Based on their feedback, RTA identified the services to be offered to them. This service is marks an initial phase that will be followed by other phases through which more sophisticated services will be added. RTA has applied high standards to meet the needs of special needs in the new portal, enabling accessibility of the system, improved format for presentation of RTA e-services, and exploring the possibility of using the system without having to use a special keyboard for visually-impaired individuals” concluded Mattar Al Tayer.

Marina 106 Tower plot, Dubai Marina , 15/January/2010

Sulafa Tower , Dubai Marina , 15/January/2010

Dubai Metro lifts 7m commuters in 4 months

Dubai Metro lifts 7m commuters in 4 months

1.2m passengers use Mall of the Emirates Station

Dubai (RTA) Fahad Al Maamari:
A statistic compiled by Rail Agency of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) indicated that Dubai Metro had lifted 7,592,066 passengers from the date it was launched on 9 September 2009 to January 2010 through 11 stations on the Red Line.
Ramadan Abdullah, Director of Rail Operation Department at Rail Agency, stated that the Agency opened Dubai Mall Station on 3 January this year, one day before the official inauguration of the tallest tower in the world coinciding with the 4th anniversary of Accession Day of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as Ruler of Dubai.
Ramadan emphasized that the Mall of the Emirates Station was still the most attractive to commuters and tourists alike topping the list during the period from 9 September 2009 to 9 January 2010 with 1,265,646 passengers followed by Khalid bin Al Waleed Station with 1,111,301 passengers, Al Ittihad Station with 1,007,564 passengers, Al Rashidiya with 766,908 passengers, Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station with 766,472 passengers, Deira City Center Station with 749,930 passengers, Financial Center Station with 652,149 passengers, Al Rigga Station with 539,692 passengers, Al Jafiliya with 407,878, Airport Terminal 3 Station with 294,004 passengers and Dubai Mall Station with 30,522 passengers.
He continued: “The Metro is witnessing considerable turnout on Fridays, official holidays and public events such as the two Eids and National Day celebrations. We, therefore, urge Metro users to be patient, not to push their way hastily to the trains, and read the tips & guidelines compiled by those Rail Agency specialists for the safety of all passengers. Commuters need not throng at the train doors as it is a key factor responsible for the slow traffic in boarding and alighting of the metro”.
Ramadan continued that the success of the Metro was a real success for the city of Dubai and a true reflection of the bustling passenger traffic. “What we see today is an evidence of the urban mutation witnessed by the city of Dubai in various fields, the latest of which is the Dubai Metro. He further noted that Dubai Metro succeeded in attracting many people towards using the metro as their main mode of transportation and contributed to reducing traffic congestions and gas emission from some vehicles and motorcycles thus assisting in conserving the environment and adding an atmosphere of fun and joy” he concluded.

MAG 218 Tower photos,Dubai Marina, 15/January/2010