Speaking ahead of INTERMAT Middle East - one of the UAE’s leading construction shows - Rajen Khoda, Director of Sales - Middle East, Powerscreen, discusses: the growth of the construction industry in the region, the future of the company in the Middle East, its upcoming and current products, as well as its participation in upcoming global events.

With Dubai, UAE, winning the bid for Expo2020, the construction industry as a whole is expected to gain, as an estimated 30 per cent of the jobs will be created in the construction industry. Projects are distributed across hospitality, transport and amusement facilities, and the UAE government has also announced that all new and existing construction projects will be fast-tracked to be ready for 2020, instilling reinvigorated confidence in the construction industry.

Discussing this year’s growth across the construction industry in the UAE and Middle East when compared to last year, and the status of Powerscreen’s sales, Rajen Khoda, said: “We have not seen much growth so far in the UAE, particularly in the quarry industry. However, Oman and Qatar have seen growth. There has been demand for both crushing and screening Powerscreen equipment in Oman, and we continue to hold the largest market share in the country.”

“Overall in line with all major manufacturers, 2013 has been somewhat challenging with demand being in line with expectations in some markets, but remaining weak in others. Europe remained weak, although the second half of the year saw a modest upturn in parts of Europe; North America remained steady throughout the year; and Australia saw a slowdown, which was expected with the decline in the mining industry. We have seen new opportunities in Africa, and parts of the Middle East have remained strong, but overall demand could be best described as being patchy till now.”

He further elaborated: “Talking specifically about the UAE, I can say there are positive signs showing good movement in the quarry industry. Quarry operators are quite optimistic with anticipated demand from Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, and from the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. There is also some improvement in demand of aggregate from Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. This forces contractors and cement factories to buy material from Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah and as a result they stopped or reduced their procurement from Oman. In the near future we expect to see Saudi Arabia with the biggest growth due to general investments in infrastructure all around the country.”

Suitable for a multitude of applications across the mining, aggregates, recycling, and sand and gravel segments, Powerscreen has machines working globally on construction projects. Currently the company has multiple Warrior 2400 screens working in Oman making aggregates for the construction of the Al-Batinah Expressway.

Powerscreen believes that their biggest potential lies in the quarry and recycling industry and looks forward to being involved in the new developments coming up in UAE as the rewards far outweigh the risks.

Powerscreen offers a comprehensive portfolio of tracked mobile jaw, cone, and impact crushers, as well as incline and horizontal screens to meet the needs of our customers worldwide. Operators of their equipment vary from small family owned quarry and mine operators to multi-national industry players, as well as contractors of all types.

Sharing insight of their expansion plans, Rajen Khoda, said: “We have a strong distribution network in Oman, UAE and Qatar, and we continue to work with and strengthen these distributors. We are also working to establish distributors in KSA, Iraq, Kuwait and other Middle Eastern countries. To ensure that our local partners are aligned with our objectives, we look at the following factors: their experience in managing construction equipment businesses in a country, their countrywide network, financial strengths, and their passion and commitment towards developing our business.”

Organised by Comexposium and Clarion Events Middle East, the third annual INTERMAT Middle East will take place from 14 – 16 January 2014 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Demonstrating its commitment to the region, Powerscreen will be present at this year’s event to meet potential customers and distributors, as later in 2014 they will launch the Trakpactor 320SR Impact Crusher, Premiertrak 300 Jaw Crusher and Warrior 2100 Screen. 

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