FM EXPO 2015 Guide

“For this year’s edition of the FM Expo, we are championing the theme Driving Quality into Facilities Management,” explains Jaafar Shubber, senior project manager at FM Expo.

“We chose this particular theme because we aim to help enhance the knowledge within the industry and teach companies how they can improve the quality of their services, so that they can better serve the community and help their client maintain and manage their assets more efficiently.”

The three-day event will feature a range of conferences, guest speakers and workshops, tackling the latest trends and challenges of the FM market. The first day will kick off with a keynote address from Elie Matar, head of Electricity, Dubai Regulatory & Supervisory Bureau, on energy efficiency regulation.

The keynote will be followed by an FM Leader Panel discussing the balance of sustainability and operational efficiency to develop a valued service in FM.

The second day will feature a client panel discussion exploring the latest developments available within the sector that assists with service delivery. Additionally, the second day will also feature a number of finace clinics and highlight projects. The event will also host an innovation master class on the utilisation of BIM systems and the concept of smart buildings.

“We are predicting a higher turnout in the coming FM Expo, compared to last year. This is largely due to the fact that the construction sector is booming. Facilities management is more important now more than ever, as more buildings are being developed and rapidly completed,” explains Shubber.

FM Expo 2015 is expected to highlight the recent growth of the GCC’s construction market and its impact on FM. Particular focus will be paid to Saudi Arabia’s FM market that boasts significant potential, thanks largely to the increasing number of ongoing infrastructure developments within the country.

The senior project manager adds that the emergence of stricter regulations in regards to maintenance and management, has helped elevate the expected standards of the industry.

Furthermore, the trends has helped drive FM providers to become more imaginative with service delivery, while at the same time adopting a cost-effective approach to balance expectation and profit margins.

“FM EXPO 2015 will be a perfect place for direct access to key suppliers from across the region and the world, network with FM professionals, and gain a deeper insight about the latest industry trends by attending key educational events,” adds Shubber.

Looking beyond 2015, Shubber hopes the event will continue to grow and spread its influence beyond the confines of UAE’s borders.

“We have always been dedicated to pushing the boundaries; this is something we will continue to do in the coming FM Expos,” beams Shubber.

“Definitely, we will have more surprises as we continue to expand our scope to cover other areas and subjects. We will also leverage our global presence and explore ways that our strategic plans can be seamlessly integrated to businesses in other regions.”

Census
Though this is the FM provider’s first appearance at the FM Expo, Fawaz Al Amri, general manager at Census, shares with fmME, the company’s plans to leave an impression at this year’s edition of the annual event.

Can you tell us about your company and the work that you do?
Census International, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, is a facilities management provider delivering quality FM services within some of the region’s signature developments and communities. Census’ quest is for continuous self-improvement in the area of client satisfaction, cost control, expanded use of technology and strategic planning.

Our goal is to provide our client with a single point of contact for their facilities and property management needs. While our clients’ objectives may be varied, by employing services and partnering with a proactive company such Census International, our customers receive a service that is tailored, on an ongoing basis, to meet their specific needs.

Census International aims to provide the best customer service to our clients while offering the vigilance and efficiencies necessary to contain costs. Census International embraces change, growth and self-improvement to better serve its clients.

The property and infrastructure related services that Census International offer include energy management, mechanical, electrical and air conditioning maintenance, space planning wand building fabric maintenance.

What are your expectations from this year’s edition of FM Expo?
This is the first year we will be participating at FM Expo, but our expectations are big, like any other organisation. We expect to showcase our services to the large developers, retailers and the hospitality sector. Our objective is to showcase our latest technology in providing FM solutions and also demonstrate how we effectively use green technology in our industry.

ETS
Seasoned veteran Mohamad Basheer Al Hamwi, deputy managing director at ETS, reveals to fmME his expectations of this year’s FM Expo and the current state of the facilities management market.

Can you tell us about your company and the work that you do?
Engineering Techniques Services (ETS) is a leading pest control company in UAE. Since 1997, ETS has acquired an extensive expertise in pest control management. Today, having based ourselves on the needs of large companies we have created innovative, eco-friendly and economical ways of delivering our services.

ETS had grown to over 3,000 clients from diverse industries. Our business had expanded from pest control services to providing pest control products and building maintenance services.

What are your expectations from this year’s edition of FM expo?
For the undoubted significant opportunities in taking part in FM Expo, it had been an annual event for ETS. Each year, FM expo had been our platform of further introducing our services and products to potential clients.

I expect that this year’s edition, FM Expo will launch innovative strategies to skilfully entice audiences for its continuous growth and all industries taking part. FM is prominent industry, ETS believe as that the event will garner positive outcome and value to the sector.

What are your thoughts about the state of FM sector in the region?
FM sector in the region had continuously growing in terms of practices and promote a great place for different industries to showcase what they do best. On the other hand, the industry needs to continue making steps in developing innovative business practices to substantiate its value to its clients and to the sector.

Khidmah
Sara Momtaz, strategy and commercial development manager at Khidmah, shares with fmME her thoughts on the latest developments of the FM sector, as well as her expectation of the FM Expo 2015.

What are your thoughts about the state of the FM sector in the region?
Given the phenomenal progress in business opportunities as a result of rapid increased infrastructure in the UAE, and with Dubai winning the bid for Expo 2020, the scale of growth in the FM industry is set to accelerate. This will create more challenges for FM Companies to excel in our work performance and to ensure we continuously deliver the finest standards of services.

The country’s on-going delivery of new commercial and residential buildings and destination attractions, accompanied with an increasing demand for high levels of service provisions, will produce a healthy growth to the FM industry into the next decade and beyond. We here in the UAE need to acknowledge the importance of developing a strategy on utilising and maintaining such developments in the long-term period as opposed to focusing on the short-term vision.

Khidmah is also excited about the growth opportunities developing throughout the GCC with particular interest to the flamboyant infrastructure projects being announced in Saudi Arabia. It’s important to mention the considerable investment that has been placed on such infrastructure over the past decade.

This includes such projects as the new railway system, shipping ports, the new economic cities programme, the 13 stadium programme, power and desalination projects, as well as the expansion of the two holy mosques and its impact on religious tourism. Besides which the tremendous organic growth of major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah offer huge incentives to establish a genuinely world class FM industry in the Kingdom.

Now the industry trend is to deploy TFM providers under an integrated single contract with longer contractual periods rather than single services providers under short contract periods. This is due to clients becoming increasing aware that by not adopting this model they may compromise on the quality of service standards and the future sustainability of their asset value. Therefore, this effective approach is expected to grow in the upcoming years as clients understand the benefits and ease of out-sourcing in this manner.

What are your expectations from this year’s edition of FM Expo?
FM Expo is one of the most anticipated annual facilities management events in the Middle East, as it provides the best platform for FM professionals from all over the world to meet and learn more about the latest products and services from a wide array of specialists in the field.
We welcome the opportunity to interact with other industry leaders and embrace revolutionary methodologies, services and products. Khidmah is renowned as a pioneer in integrating the latest technologies to deliver optimal service delivery standards, and we look forward to showcasing our latest attributes at the exhibition.

Rosmiman
Long-standing exhibitor Rosmiman returns once again to the FM Expo, highlighting particularly its advances in smart software. Amaranta Bodensiek, marketing and communications manager for Rosmiman Middle East, unveils the software developers aspirations for this year’s event.

Can you tell us about your company and the work that you do?
Rosmiman Software Corporation is a company with more than 20 years of experience, specialised in the design, implementation and development of EAM/CMMS/CAFM/IWMS solutions for asset management, maintenance, facility management and facility services.

We deliver the latest and available technologies on the fastest, most reliable, proven and safe way to add value by helping to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector. Recognising this, Rosmiman offers a suite of specific software products and related services to facility management and facility services.

Today, Rosmiman has all the talents, skills, experiences and resources which have shaped what we are: market presence with brand integrity, trust and loyalty (> 99.5%) of our clients, reliable and committed service, smart solutions based on results and cutting-edge technology.

What are your expectations from this year’s edition of FM Expo?
Since 2010, Rosmiman has been participating every year in the FM EXPO and this year is no exception.
The event has increased more and more relevance in the facilities management field and has become an event not to be missed by any key decision-maker in the region.

Due to this fact, we must live up to what those demanding visitors might be looking for or expecting.

Therefore, we have never stopped improving and evolving ourselves because each new project, regardless of size, is a new experience for us and an opportunity to expand our services and grow as a company even more.

What are your thoughts about the state of the FM sector in the region?
The FM sector has become more important over the past few years in the region. Nowadays, there is more awareness of being involved in the design and construction process from a very early stage, companies has begun to bear in mind building life-cycle costs, and indeed FM plays a crucial role.

FM companies have also learned that the ‘cheapest’ is not always the best choice; they know that it is necessary to invest to be at the forefront of technology and thus provide a better and more effective service according to market needs. Time is a key factor today and clients demand faster responses, availability anytime anywhere and more accurate reporting; all of this requires powerful and reliable tools to ensure ROI.

ETA
With over 20 years of experience in the FM sector, Dr. Hayan Sayed, CEO of ETA highlights the company’s aspirations and expectations at FM Expo 2015.

Can you tell us about your company and the work that you do?
Since its establishment more than 35 years ago, ETA Facilities Management has been providing fully integrated and comprehensive services to its clients across various sectors.

The company, which is part of the umbrella ETA Group, has successfully established a strong foothold in the UAE and Qatar, in particular, with a combined workforce of more than 17,000. In the UAE, our offices are located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Northern Emirates, and the Western Region. Over the years, we have grown to become one of the GCC’s leading FM companies.

Our cutting-edge solutions include total FM for commercial and residential properties, while our hard services cover maintenance and operations of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) as well as mechanical, civil and electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings and industrial facilities.

As for our soft services, we provide cleaning, business support services, pest control, landscaping, height solutions, security solutions, and waste management.

What are your thoughts about the state of the FM sector in the region?
The region’s FM sector is without a doubt thriving buoyed by several fundamental factors, some of which are the growing construction industry, increasing population and booming economy. While there are many substantial opportunities for development, FM companies are also facing various challenges.

For one, there is a need for building managers to be deeply knowledgeable of the FM sector for them to set realistic goals and gain advantage when outsourcing the needed FM services. For service providers, on the other hand, there is a need to manage day-to-day activities and control their overall FM projects to ensure quality in delivering their services at lower costs.

The regional FM industry, has to develop stronger technical solutions and offer more output-based contracts to encourage innovations and value-added services. The industry, however, has been continuously evolving to meet the growing demand for world-class services and solutions. It is getting more and more globally competitive.

What are your expectations from this year’s edition of FM Expo?
As the event’s Smart FM Sponsor, we aim to showcase our wide range of cutting-edge integrated services, generate new valuable leads and gain the latest market insights during the exhibition’s three-day run at the Dubai World Trade Center.

Our participation will not only highlight our capabilities, including our ‘smart’ FM solutions, but it will also boost our efforts to position the company as a leading FM provider in the region. Additionally, we will take the opportunity to expand our regional and global networks by meeting with key industry leaders, decision makers, and current and prospective clients.

Joining the exhibition this year will serve as a model for our future participation in other relevant events. We hope to gain a valuable return on investments and close new contracts and deals.

Imdaad
A familiar presence at the FM Expo, Imdaad is set to showcase its latest offerings for the FM market. Jamal Abdullah Lootah, CEO of Imdaad, shares his insights on the current trends driving the industry.

Can you tell us about your company and the work that you do?
Imdaad is a leading integrated Facilities Management company in the GCC, well recognized for its quality-driven FM solutions and strong commitment towards sustainability. Originally established as a civil engineering division that handles AC maintenance and other FM services in 1986, we have since then evolved as an independent business unit in 2007.

Today, Imdaad has expanded its scope of work to include waste management, pest control, sewage services, environment and health and safety, wining several prestigious awards for its services. We have a dedicated team of more than 3,000 highly qualified and experienced FM specialists, reinforcing our offered hard FM and soft FM Services. We also operate a 24/7 Customer Response Centre with fully trained multilingual agents.

What are your thoughts about the state of the FM sector in the region?
We are now witnessing a boom in the GCC’s construction sector, which in turn, has helped create an increased demand for FM services. The UAE market, in particular, is driven towards integrated FM solutions where companies offer informative, transparent and ultra-modern services to its clients.

Recent industry reports have shown that the country’s construction sector contributed 7.89% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the first half of 2014, while it poised to make a contribution between 11 and 11.5% to the GDP from 2015 to 2021. This sustained momentum complements the FM industry, with experts forecasting that the segment will be worth $5.4bn (AED 20bn) in 2015.

What are your expectations for this year’s edition of FM Expo?
FM Expo is known to be the only dedicated facilities management exhibition in the Middle East, making it one of the most sought after events in the region. Our participation this year will allow us to leverage our offered services to potential clients.

In addition, the event will also give us the opportunity to increase awareness about Imdaad. We also expect to gain more insight on the local FM sector and join in on discussions covering trends, challenges and best practices along with showcasing lucrative opportunities in the flourishing sector.