Month: October 2019

Main contractor hired for Oman mixed-use project

A main contractor has been appointed to work on a new mixed-use project near Muscat international Airport.

Real estate developer Tasmim has named Unique Contracting as main contractor for its Habitat project in Al Khuwair, which is expected to complete by December 2021.

Construction works have already commenced on the site, and demolition works will begin soon, a statement said, adding that the development is touted to be a “destination to live, work, shop or simply hang-out”.

The project is being developed under a joint-venture between Omani conglomerate Shanfari Group of Companies and European architecture firm Mandressi.

“The appointment of the contractor and soon to commence substructure works, means that we are several key steps closer to creating great moments for everyone, every day, in the Al Khuwair community,” said Mr Alessandro Daverio, CEO of Tasmim.

Designed by Mandressi, Habitat will include 44 residential units, 44 retail units, one roof top restaurant and 118 office units.

For business purposes, Habitat will offer flexible layouts for any type of company, the latest technology, dedicated parking spaces and valet parking.

Jan-Willem Krijgsman, project development manager at Tasmim said: “Habitat is situated amidst a panoramic view, and will offer a mix of residential, commercial, shopping, and entertainment venues on an impressive scale.”

The project’s sales office is scheduled to open during the fourth quarter of 2019.

Source:https://www.arabianbusiness.com/construction/426065-main-contractor-hired-for-oman-mixed-use-project

Closure of iconic Muscat hotel sparks frenzied buyers

The closure of Oman’s iconic Golden Tulip Al Seeb has sparked a frenzy after its owners announced that the entire contents of bedrooms were on sale for as little as OMR 200 ($519), according to local media reports.

According to a report in the Times of Oman, the auction – which was scheduled to run between August 18 and 28 – was over in two days.

The hotel was closed in July after Oman Aviation Services announced that the land would be used for other projects.

“Oman Aviation Services is working hard to upgrade its various services, anticipating future developments in accordance with the latest updates in international hospitality,” said Dr Khalfan bin Saeed Al Shuaili, the firm’s CEO. “The ongoing development of the sector has led to a wide range of investment opportunities.”

“After 35 years of continuous success in the industry, we maintain our strong commitment to actively support the growth of the hospitality sector in Oman,” he added.

The hotel, formerly known as Novotel Al Seeb Muscat, was founded by Accor Hotels in 1984 and was one of the oldest hotels in the city. In 2004, it was taken over by Golden Tulip Hospitality Group, who renamed it the Golden Tulip.

Ownership was transferred to Oman Air in 2009, before finally being taken over by Oman Aviation Hospitality in February 2018.

Source:https://www.arabianbusiness.com/travel-hospitality/426150-closure-of-iconic-muscat-hotel-sparks-frenzied-buyers

Officials in Oman are investigating an alleged scam by a popular e-commerce store, which stands accused of selling counterfeit goods and electronic gadgets.

The store in question, which cannot be named until all legal matters are concluded, reportedly sold a vast array of items, including electronic gadgets that were considerably lower than their market price.

According to the Sultanate’s Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP), over 68,600 customers bought goods from the online store.

A statement from PACP said: “The details of the seizure are due to the authority receiving repeated complaints and communications during a specified period of time from consumers stating that there are defects in some electrical and electronic goods. It turns out they all bought it from an online sales site.”

PACP revealed that the customers had been defrauded of an estimated $6,500 (OMR2,500) through purchases from the portal, although this number is expected to increase as the investigation continues.

Source:https://www.arabianbusiness.com/retail/426931-oman-officials-investigating-e-commerce-store-over-suspected-fraud

Oman low cost carrier SalamAir is close to breaking even this year and could turn a profit in 2020, thanks largely to low fuel prices and rivals dropping capacity on certain routes, according to company CEO Mohamed Ahmed.

Speaking at an aviation conference in Dubai, Ahmed revealed that the airline was sitting at around 85 percent seat occupancy on its fleet of seven Airbus A320 jets, which are a mix of current model and new model neos.

Ahmed said SalamAir, which was launched in 2017, is hoping to carry 1.3 million passengers this year, with that number expected to double to 3 million in 2020

The airline carried 800,000 passengers in 2017 and previously revealed plans to hit the one million mark this year.

Earlier this month SalamAir added a new direct service from Chattogram (Chittagong), Bangladesh’s second largest city, to Muscat.

While in September the budget airline began four weekly flights from Abu Dhabi to Muscat.

Source:https://www.arabianbusiness.com/transport/430465-omans-salamair-expects-to-be-profitable-in-2020

Al Hassan Industrial Estate is recognized as the platform for the Jordanians companies manufacturing Pesticides and veterinary medicines and agricultural fertilizers, which have made their way to enter the world markets due its quality and conformity to international standards.

The statistics and figures of the Jordanian Industrial Estates Company, reveals more than ten industrial companies working in the estate in the field of pesticide, veterinary and agricultural fertilizers. The volume of investments amounted to approximately JD 36 million, offering about 400 jobs In various professions and functions, which export their products to various international markets.

Eng. Mohammed Owais is an investor in this field and his company ‘Mopidco’ is one of the largest companies working in this field in the industrial estate with a capital of about 20 million Jordanian dinars and includes half of the workforce working in this field that the veterinary industry is comparable to the human medicine industry which they reach almost 1000 workers.

Owais said that the success achieved by MEPEDCO was reflected in the new job opportunities in this field, which were found by qualified Jordanian youth in various medical and agricultural specialties, as well as training and qualification opportunities in the company’s laboratories, which are the latest in this field. MEPEDCO today is a Jordanian success story that has reached 40 countries around the world and is able to keep abreast of developments in the agrochemical industry and public health pesticides, adding that his company owns two external factories in KSA and Syria.

Like other industrialists, Oweis calls for more support to industrialists to maintain the existing industries in general and the industry of veterinary medicines and fertilizers in general, pointing out that the increase in production costs affected the competition in addition to reviewing the international conventions that the private sector did not achieve any benefit In addition to protecting the Jordanian product and intensifying control efforts.

Moreover, Oweis also calls for helping industrial companies to achieve integration among industrial companies by exchanging raw materials in addition to increasing the period granted in annual licenses and contact the official authorities of these procedures such as Customs Department, Ministry of Agriculture and others, since the delay in issuance of approvals sets an additional cost on industrial companies.

Source:https://www.jiec.com/en/news/70/

Following a Cabinet decision to lower prices and rent in Tafileh, Madaba and Salt industrial estates under certain conditions, the Jordan Industrial Estates Company (JIEC) was able to attract six industrial investments in Salt and Madaba within less than a month of implementing the decision.

JIEC signed six investment agreements with two Jordanian investors, one Iraqi-Jordanian joint investor, a Yemeni, and a Syrian investor at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply.

During the signing ceremony, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri said that the investment volume for all six investments stands at JD7 million, and are expected to provide over 160 job opportunities in their first phases.

JIEC CEO Omar Jwaid said the investments are the first in the new industrial estates and are a result of JIEC’s efforts after the implementation of the Cabinet decision to lower rent and sale prices in those estates.

It was revealed earlier that under the decision, for the first 15 industrial company investments in each estate, prices will be lowered between 30 to 80 per cent for the first five dunums, while rent will be lowered by 40 to 70 per cent for the first three years of the contract.

The decision also stipulated that the industrial company must have at least 10 Jordanian employees, registered with the Social Security Corporation from the start of the investment.

Two of the Jordanian companies in Madaba will specialise in foodstuffs as well as aluminium stands and lighting units that work on solar power.

The third Jordanian investment in Salt will focus on manufacturing educational tools, while the Iraqi-Jordanian joint investment in Salt will also focus on plastic industries.

The Yemeni investor voiced his interest in the pharmaceutical industry while the Syrian company will focus on construction.

Jwaid said the companies have achieved the different conditions and investment approvals to benefit from the exemptions and advantages.

For his part, JIEC Chairman Loay Munir Sehwail commended the government’s decision that allowed the JIEC to announce the investment incentives in the new industrial estates.

For their part, the investors voiced their appreciation for the incentives and voiced several concerns, which the minister and JIEC management promised to look into.

 Source:https://www.jiec.com/en/news/76/

Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation (JIEC) and the Arab Businessmen Forum in China on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation between the two countries and promote Jordan’s investment environment.

The MoU, signed by JIEC CEO Omar Jwaid and the forum’s head Arafat Harahsheh, seeks to underpin the promotional efforts of Jordanian industrial zones, according to a JIEC statement.

The signing ceremony was held on the sidelines of the Jordanian participation in the third China-Arab States Expo and fourth China-Arab States Business Summit, which aimed at intensifying the Kingdom’s promotional efforts with a focus on the Chinese market, along with exploring potential investment opportunities, mainly in industrial zones.

The Arab Businessmen Forum in China, with its widespread relations, serves as an umbrella for Arab and Jordanian investors in China, Jwaid said, pointing out that the agreement would promote the Kingdom’s investment climate through expertise exchange and holding a variety of promotional activities.

Harahsheh said that the MoU emphasised active public-private sector partnership intended to serve the Kingdom’s investment environment, affirming that the forum will make every effort to support JIEC’s promotional efforts in the Chinese market.

The memorandum stipulates cooperation in promoting the Kingdom’s investment environment and opportunities, as well as conducting training courses for JIEC’s employees by linking them with the related bodies in China, through the Arab Businessmen Forum in China.

Under the agreement, the two sides will hold a variety of forums and workshops on promoting investment opportunities available in Jordan’s industrial zones affiliated with JIEC, according to the statement

Source:https://www.jiec.com/en/news/77/