Arabian Construction Company received multiple recognitions by Abu Dhabi City Municipality and the Client Directors for achieving a significant health and safety milestone in reaching 7 million safe man-hours in the Jubail Island Development project on 5 December 2022.

This milestone, recognizing our construction management teams and safety practitioners for their outstanding professional achievements. The team had demonstrated a robust and unwavering determination to adopt safety digitalization throughout the project – including using dynamic QR code system in sharing plant & scaffold inspection certificate, and employing IoT (internet of things) solution in the project employee’s safety helmet to improve safety, efficiency and productivity on the site.

”The safety of our team is our top priority, and this milestone shows our dedication and commitment to Health and Safety”, says Projects Director, Mr. Tarek Merhebi. “It is indeed a great achievement, a big salute to our workers”, Mr. Tarek adds.

To celebrate this remarkable achievement, ACC executive director, Abu Dhabi City Municipality, Client Directors, PMC top managements, Consultant Managements as well as project supervisors and workers attended the celebration.

”In the last 21 months, under the project leadership, we have been focusing on Safety First. We are doing things right the first time, every time,” concluded by Raymond Fung, Group HSE Manager. “We are all in this together to turn zero injury into a reality, for all our workers to return home safe and healthy every day”

As one of the leading contractors in the region, ACC shall continue to strive for excellence and to lead the advancement in the construction industry.

For more than 50 years, Arabian Construction Company (ACC) has commanded itself as one of the top contractors in the region with a portfolio comprising some of the Middle East’s most iconic developments including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi.

While the majority of construction firms have faced many obstacles, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and recessions, for decades, ACC’s secret for overcoming these challenges is to navigate a “conservative approach”.

Speaking exclusively to Construction Week, ACC’s director Rasheed Mikati, said: “It’s obviously a challenging period not only for the region but on a global scale. Throughout ACC’s 53-year history, we have witnessed many recessions; and our conservative approach has helped us navigate through every one of them.”

Expanding on how the business is responding to COVID-19, ACC has implemented several measures across its sites to help relieve pressures for the firm.

“Across our Africa, Middle East and India operations, we have seen increased operating difficulties during the coronavirus outbreak associated with travel restrictions on staff, reduced supply of materials and more onerous self-imposed workplace practices.”

He adds: “ACC has instituted new measures to help workers stay physically distant. These include practices like splitting shifts, staggering breaks and creating separate walkways for workers. We have had to source more buses to ensure that distancing is maintained during travel and opened up more space for storage and laydown areas offsite to permit round the clock delivery.”

Mikati expands that the firm’s short term focus is to deliver its ongoing projects by making the necessary changes needed to maintain a healthy business while protecting its employees.

“We believe the interests of our customers and our projects are best served by working together with all project stakeholders to identify the greatest risks and coordinate our efforts to prevent or mitigate any impacts that may arise,” Mikati explains.

“Naturally, forward-thinking companies focusing on self-preservation will scale back their operations in anticipation of decreased backlog over the coming months. Though it may mean fewer profits in the short term, it helps businesses adapt to an ongoing recession in the future.”

In terms of its project pipeline, ACC revealed that they have delivered “extremely large projects” throughout the Middle East and North Africa recently, as well as being awarded a new contract to extend one of the largest children’s cancer hospitals in the world.

“In the UAE, we delivered the megaprojects of Address Sky View and Address Fountain Views for Emaar and the iconic new Mashreq Bank HQ,” says Mikati.

“In Egypt, ACC have been heavily involved in renovating and restoring historic buildings such as the Mena House, Old Cataract Hotel and the Nile Ritz Carlton. We have also recently been awarded a new contract to build an extension to the Children’s Cancer Hospital, a project ACC originally completed and is one of the largest children’s cancer hospitals in the world.”

ACC also elaborated on expanding further into the “promising and growing” market of Saudi Arabia, but Mikati insisted that the firm must remain “careful” to ensure their track record is not compromised by putting too much on their plate.

“It’s [Saudi Arabia] a massive market and has its own unique challenges. The supply chain is stretched, and many contractors have hurt their operations there by growing too quickly,” says Mikati.

“ACC has secured, delivered or is currently constructing high-profile projects between Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and the Southern Regions, including recently handing over the twin tower Hilton Hotel in Makkah and is on schedule to deliver more than 2,500 housing units for the Ministry of Interior.”

The contractor also revealed to Construction Week that it is in discussions to set up a joint facility in Saudi Arabia with a leading European modular contractor as modular construction becomes “more pronounced” for future developments.

“What we feel the local market is currently lacking are high quality volumetric producers who can produce fully integrated modules suitable for residential, hospitals and hotels,” explains Mikati.

“With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for offsite modular has obviously become more pronounced for future developments.

“However, this poses a challenge for the logistics of importing such modules that would have been greatly impacted with recent worldwide border closures and supply chain disruptions. They need to be based here.

“At the moment, we are in discussions with a leading European modular contractor to set up a joint facility in Saudi Arabia to fill this gap.”

Looking towards the future of the business and the industry, ACC said it remains committed to its long term visions of sustainable growth and quality project acquisitions, but admitted the longer the crisis continues, the more economic impact it will have.

“We have had to make necessary changes in the short term to adapt to the new reality.

“There is a sense of upheaval that comes from many arenas: how to keep employees safe, whether local jurisdictions will shut down jobsites, potential supply chain delays and government actions to respond to the crisis.”

He concludes: “ACC’s senior management team is working to stay on top of the rapidly changing situation within the region in order to ensure that employees and clients are satisfied.”

Beirut-headquartered contractor Arabian Construction Company (ACC) has been named Contractor of the Year at Construction Week’s Leaders in KSA Awards 2019, announced during a gala luncheon at Okku, Riyadh.

The contractor was recognised for its track record of delivery in Saudi Arabia, which includes projects such as the Emaar Residences development and Jabal Omar.

The awards were attended by a range of international and regional members of the construction industry, and followed the Leaders in Construction KSA Roundtable 2019, held to discuss how the Vision 2030 agenda would impact the Saudi Arabian construction industry.

The Leaders in Construction KSA Awards 2019 were supported by Gold Sponsors Parsons, Arabian Construction Co (ACC), C&P, HFW, and Salfo; Silver Sponsors, Khatib & Alami, Al Tamimi & Co, and Al Nasser Group; Category Sponsor, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS); Legal Partner, Reed Smith; and Official Claims Partner, HKA.

To explore the various commercial opportunities that our brand has to offer, please contact Construction Week’s advertising director, Riad Raad at riad.raad@itp.com and senior sales manager, Moutaz Gadelhak at moutaz.gadelhak@itp.com.

What is your educational background? Is it mandatory for an HR Manager of a construction company to have a construction background?

I graduated from Faculty of Commerce from Cairo University, and have been working at ACC since April 2011. In my point of view, it is not mandatory for an HR Manager of a construction company to have a construction background as we are applying the general HR techniques whatever the work industry is. However, what is mandatory is to review the updated HR and construction courses as self-study.

Given that construction industry’s workforce is extremely diverse, the selection techniques for recruiting are essential. What methods are being used to attract skillful staff?

One of the main methods used to attract skillful staff in the construction industry is the internal recruiting, especially the employees’ referrals. One of its advantages that it helps the new comer to be familiar with our company, and it reduces the employee turnover then we select the most appropriate and talented candidates who can add more value to our company, learn more skills and fit our company’s culture. In addition, we are using Social Media tools like LinkedIn for headhunting and selecting the most qualified and best fit candidates for the required positions.

Being a female branch HR Manager in a multinational company, how do you assess your role and your management style? 

My management style is democratic, which is a reflection of how I want to be treated and supported as I always feel supported by my managers and co-workers. We never have a gender discrimination or biases between us. Equality happens when the female manager is skillful, has a strong personality to lead people successfully, has enough experience to handle heavy-duty issues and has the ability to build a strong assessment on the technical values.

I always support my employees, appreciate their work and overcome any confusions that could happen and help them learn more skills of professionalism. I also like to hear more of what the employees are willing to say and think about different approaches to projects, jobs, and plans so I prefer meeting employees constantly.

What are the company qualities that you are promoting to potential employees?

That the company offers training and assessment for the employees, send them to a conference, showing recognition for professional accomplishments and milestones that help the employee to feel valued and appreciated for all of their hard work and contributions to the organization. We also care for a positive work environment that includes fun ways for employees to interact and have good relationships.

When you are interviewing male candidates, do you feel that you are given the appropriate recognition as a female manager?

Sure, I interview any candidate with the utmost professionalism to be able to full understand his/her professional background as well as personal characteristics. The real challenge is to ask all candidates the same questions and to recognize the different styles of communication. However sometimes in very rare situations, I can interview a male applicant who can act in an inappropriate way with less professional attitude. I attend such situations with a different, a more firm approach, and in turn this kind of experience gives me more courage to handle harder situations.

How are you up-keeping the internal human resources relations vis-a-vis improving the quality of work?

I believe that good workplace relationships and a positive work environment is critical for a successful business. We are trying to break the ice with all levels of employees, whether juniors or seniors. Either by communicating openly with them, setting periodical meetings with all the staff to make them feel much more at ease in the work space. We also apply the open door strategy of the Top Managers that allows for a more back and forth communication between the management and the employees for a better workflow.

A word of advice to the professional ladies with ambition: What can you tell them?

Be confident in your approach and believe in it, do not accept but the best out of yourself. The difficult situations always happen and they will teach you to be more qualified and more experienced to face the next challenge. Fight and work on yourself until you’re satisfied, learn and practice as much as you can, and never let hurdles slowdown your path.

The marathon presents an opportunity for companies and individuals to support causes and give back to the community.

This year, ACC chose to support Ajialouna, a non-profit organization engaged in charitable, cultural, healthcare, and educational programs dedicated to serve the Lebanese community. The ACC Team ran to bring warmth for the less fortunate in preparation for winter.

Around mid-day, ACC employees and their families made their way to the Gefinor Center Piazza for the traditional company brunch.

The announcement of timed races results by the Beirut Marathon Association was followed by an Award Distribution Ceremony where ACC honored its winners.

The company’s champion Edgard Saab won the 21.1 KM Half Marathon despite his injury after competing with challenging runners. Next in line was Bashar Al Halloush, a first time participant in the ACC Marathon experience and who completed the 8 KM race in a record time. ACC runners from U.A.E. and Egypt participated also in this year’s marathon.

In this marathon, ACC gave special attention to the ladies and paid tribute to women within the construction industry. Diala Bash won the 8 KM Race lady award, inspiring ladies to further achieve at the workplace and on personal levels.

ACC (Arabian Construction Company) operates under ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 standards and has been granted the British Safety Council International Safety Award since 2013.

By implementing ACC’s HSE Standards at the Waterfront City site through the company’s HSE management system, ACC-Matta has recently achieved 10 million safe man-hours LTI.

The celebration took place at the promenade area of “M1” building onsite at the Waterfront City Dbayeh, one of the current projects by Majid Al Futtaim that ACC-Matta is contributing to building, in the presence of Mr. Marwan Hajj Ali, ACC Regional Commercial Manager representing Mr. Maher Merehbi the CEO, Mr. Rene Matta, Matta et Associes CEO, Mr. Dany Chaccour, Majid Al Futtaim Commercial Director and Mr. Kamil Shamoun, Majid Al Futtaim Project Director with directors and managers from ACC, Matta et Associes, Majid Al Futtaim and DG Jones.

The gathering opened with a speech by Mr. Tarek Merhebi, ACC-Matta Waterfront City Project Manager who further introduced the occasion and continued “On Behalf of ACC-Matta, I would like to reiterate our commitment to apply international health and safety standards on sites to provide the proper working environment for our engineers, supervisors and workers.”

Mr. Fadi Abboud, ACC Operations Manager, thanked everyone from workers to engineers for having reached the final stages of the Waterfront City project. “With safe and healthy workers and staff we will together take the challenge over and over again with a commitment to achieve.” He further thanked Mr. Maher Merehbi, ACC CEO, for his continuous support that made all achievements possible.

Mr. Andre Chaiban, Matta et Associes Operations Manager expressed his enthusiasm to participate in a health and safety event that is considered an innovative step especially in Lebanon. “From the moment we put the first block on this project, with our partner ACC, renowned on the international level for achievements in the area of safety, we have committed to comply with the highest health and safety standards”.

Mr. Kamil Shamoun, Majid Al Futtaim Project Director, concluded “ACC-Matta has made great achievements to reach the final stages of the project” and hoped for further cooperation on future projects.

A number of selected employees and workers who demonstrated remarkable compliance in the health and safety fields received cash prizes as a token of appreciation for their commitment.

Management, staff and workers mingled around snacks and refreshments. A special booth dedicated to carry out blood tests and measure blood pressure was set up to end the activity on a healthy note!