< Previous SUPPLIER NEWS www.fm-middleeast.com40 April 2021 PUMPS After having been significantly impacted by Covid-19 during the first half of 2020, Grundfos returned to stronger sales traction in the second half of 2020 with sales only 1.0% below 2019. Return on sales reached 9.9% and in a challenging year, Grundfos maintained a high customer satisfaction score and continued to deliver on its sustainability ambitions. Return on sales (EBIT/Net turnover) reached 9.9% for the full year corresponding to Earnings before Interest and Tax (EBIT) of 2,606m DKK. Profitability was impacted by restructuring costs and other non- performance items. Adjusted for these non-performance items Grundfos’ return on sales reached 11.1%, which is the second highest in the company’s history. Full year net turnover ended at 26.3bn DKK, corresponding to a decline in sales WATER A multidisciplinary team of researchers from GE Research, the technology development arm for the General Electric Company (GE), is leading a revolutionary project that could address water scarcity in the region and around the world in a powerful new way. The team is calling the project AIR2WATER or “Additively Manufactured, Integrated Reservoir To Extract Water using Adsorbents and Thermally-Enhanced Recovery.” The technology could be a gamechanger in addressing the water scarcity challenge globally, and in particular for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where nearly 60% of the population live in areas of severe water stress. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Grundfos also continued to deliver on its sustainability ambitions by once again reducing the company’s own water withdrawal by 51% and CO 2 emissions by 36% compared to the 2008 baseline Grundfos delivers strong fi nancial performance in 2020 GE Research is developing a portable prototype that produces potable water out of thin air GE’s ‘AIR2WATER’ technology to help address water scarcity challenge versus 2019 of 4.4% when measured in local currencies. A cash flow from operating activities of 3.5bn DKK and an equity ratio of 68.9% secures financial strength. This is a result to be proud of, said Poul Due Jensen, CEO and group president, Grundfos: “The Covid-19 pandemic made 2020 a challenging year for everyone and our main priority has been ensuring a safe working environment and to continue to serve our customers in the best possible way. We are therefore very satisfied with our result.” Grundfos also continued to deliver on its sustainability ambitions by once again reducing the company’s own water withdrawal by 51% and CO2 emissions by 36 % compared to the 2008 baseline. The annual employee motivation survey, conducted in September, also showed an increase in employee motivation to a record high level. “I am proud to see that we despite a global pandemic, deliver strong financial results, an increase in our employees’ motivation and our customers’ satisfaction score. We continued to deliver positive climate impact by significantly reducing our own energy consumption and enabling our customers to reduce their energy use” added Jensen. more than 1.1 billion people around the world do not have access to water and approximately 2.7 billion experience instances of water scarcity. According to reports, average water availability per person in the MENA region is just 1,200 cubic meters per year compared to 7,000 cubic meters per year in other regions. GE researchers, together with top scientists and engineers from the University of California at Berkeley, University of Chicago, and University of South Alabama, will develop and design a highly compact, portable device that can literally produce clean, safe water out of thin air. This innovative device, light enough to be lifted by just four people, will utilise transformational new material innovations, thermal processes, and additive manufacturing (3D printed designs) to produce enough daily water for about 150 people. David Moore, the principal investigator and technology manager for Material Physics and Chemistry at GE Research, said: “By creating a highly portable, compact device that efficiently extracts water from the atmosphere, we can save lives and ease the logistical and financial burden of water transportation.” AIR2WATER.www.fm-middleeast.com SUPPLIER NEWS April 2021 41 TECHNOLOGY Asite announced the launch of its new referral programme. The new programme will allow Asite clients to refer the Asite Platform to their business contacts, helping other organizations on their digital transformation journey. Clients will play a vital role in helping a variety of organizations implement digital solutions and, ultimately, improve their processes. Asite will pay a ‘Referral Fee’ to clients if a recommendation or referral results in a new Asite user. Richard Harrison, Asite director of Customer Success said: “At Asite, our clients are all leaders in their respective fields, and we value their recommendations. They are a reflection of the work we do to help our clients operate successfully and achieve their full digital potential. As remote working becomes more prevalent, we’re keen to encourage the networking mindset that so many industries are built on.” Asite has a strong reputation for providing collaborative digital solutions for some of the most challenging and complex capital projects worldwide. Through this work, Asite has been at the forefront of digital transformation globally and has developed to become a leader in the industry, helping connect the physical, digital, and human. The Asite Platform creates one open ecosystem. It connects teams and enables them to build resilient businesses and supply chains and helps thousands of organisations in traditional industries automate their collaborative business processes and focus their attention on delivering innovative projects. The Asite referral programme will allow Asite to bring its expertise to more organizations globally and work towards its commitment to ensuring the challenge of integrating digital technologies is one we meet together, equipping organizations with the capabilities to streamline how they work and transform industries, ensuring no one gets left behind. Asite clients will be able to refer business contacts directly to Asite via email or by filling out a form on the Asite website. Clients will receive a ‘Referral Fee’ upon their referred contact taking out a new 12-month contract for an Asite product or products. FLEET MANAGEMENT Sygic Enterprise, the provider of professional GPS navigation that is utilised by solutions focused on fleet management, vehicle tracking, route planning, and more, has increased the year-over-year sales revenue by 13%. Sygic Enterprise also expanded its client base with new names, from both end fleets and fleet suppliers, such as Trans-o-flex, GLS Belgium, Groupe Casino, Keolis, Finéjas, and many others. The flagship product, Sygic Truck Navigation, which provides GPS navigation for truckers and fleets, also continued to rise in downloads. The app hit 3 million downloads in early 2021, confirming its position as a leading offline navigation app with commercial routing. Sygic Enterprise sees the need for road safety as one of the main driving forces of innovation. Last year, it introduced Truck Lifeguard, a crash detection and emergency messaging feature within the Sygic Truck Navigation. The business unit also focuses on driver behavior evaluation. The algorithm, which is incorporated in the Truck Navigation app, has found new uses in 2020. Last year, the company launched a new white-label insurance telematics platform, which is a ready-to- launch solution for insurers interested in innovating their UBI offering. The first customer to successfully deploy the solution was the Slovenian insurer Triglav. Sygic’s driver scoring technology has also been utilised in a safe driving campaign by O2 Slovakia, which in 2020 won an award for being one of the top 40 PR campaigns in the world. “There is an ongoing push for the digitisation of the industry. It is an exciting change for the sector, which is going to enable companies to leverage new optimisation possibilities and the power of data,” said Miroslav Remecky, chief commercial officer at Sygic. The new programme allows Asite clients to recommend the cloud-based platform and help more organizations with their digital transformation Sygic Enterprise, the provider of professional GPS navigation that is utilised by solutions focused on fl eet management, vehicle tracking, route planning, and more, confi rms its market-leading position Asite launches new referral programme Sygic Enterprise closes the year with 13% growth The Asite Platform. Sygic Enterprise.. 5 MINUTES WITH... 42 April 2021 What does your role involve? As head of operations for Dulsco’s Environmental Solutions department, I am responsible for planning, managing, and coordinating everything that falls under the operations of our Environmental Solutions division. From leading the department on their tasks right through to planning strategies, overseeing costs, and evaluating the effectiveness of our solutions, I am involved in the whole spectrum. THIS MONTH: ASMA BOUJOMAA, HEAD OF OPERATIONS-ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS, DULSCO What do you love most about your job? I love to feel challenged and never become complacent in a role, as this keeps me enhancing my capabili- ties and knowledge. In waste management, there is always room for improvement, so thinking outside of the box for innovative solutions and strategies is a great aspect of the job. FMME delves into the roles and lives to understand what makes the region’s FM professionals tick 3.00 What is the most challenging aspect of your job? Working in this field as a woman is in itself a challenge. I feel that I have had to work even harder than my male counterparts in the industry to prove myself and to earn respect. There is only a small handful of women in the UAE in the waste management industry, so that in itself is a challenge. 1.45 What do you like to do in your spare time? When I’m not spending down time with my family and two beautiful nieces, I can usually be found staying up to speed with everything in my industry. Be it reading competitor news, watching documentaries, or research- ing the latest developments in the field, I relish keeping myself informed about it all. 4.45 What is the most memorable project and why? During my 2 years at Dulsco, the most memorable project has definitely been working through the times of COVID. Navigating my department during a global pandemic was in itself an interesting time, but also seeing the solutions that Dulsco delivered was extremely satisfying. Our digital and paperless platform, launched on 1 June 2020, was one of the most memorable projects for me, and we worked hard to protect our clients and employees through this platform. 2.05 0.00 Where do you see waste management in 5 years? I am certain that the industry is booming, and that is helped largely by the “UAE and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The nation’s vision for climate change has spread into the very core of our society, and we can now see alliances forming in a bid to work toward this mission. In waste management, there is a shared and healthy competition to achieve the UAE’s vision. 4.05 www.fm-middleeast.com Managing Director Alex Reeve Group Sales Manager Vinay Ravindran Distribution & Warehouse Manager Praveen Nair 2021 Ejadah wishes you and your family a blessed Ramadan! ejadah.com !نﺎﻀﻣر ﺮﻬﺷ لﻮﻠﺣ ﻢﻜﺘﻠﺋﺎﻌﻟو ﻢﻜﻟ كرﺎﺒﺗ ةدﺎﺟإNext >