ITP MEDIA GROUP / BUSINESS MAY 2021 • VOL. 16, ISSUE 05 Greg Ward, managing director of Transguard Group, reveals how his firm rose to the challenges of a difficult year AGAINST ALL ODDSwww.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS May 2021 3 UPDATE 6 Farnek acquires FM con- tracts worth AED131m in Q1 2021 8 ServeU to source human resources and staffi ng services for UK’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai 10 Concordia delivers its most successful Q1 in 13 May 2021 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 05 years VIEWPOINT 12 The record number of nominations received for the FMME Awards 2021 is a clear indication that there is a sense of optimism in the industry COVER STORY 16 Greg Ward, managing director of Transguard Group, reviews the events of 2020 SITE VISIT 38 Dara Towhidi, partner at Foster + Partners, reveals how FM played a crucial role during the design stage of Sharjah’s newly opened library House of Wisdom FIVE MINUTES WITH... 50 Amit Madan, Sr. business development manager at ServeU 50 Regulars 12 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 38 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast @fmMidEast 08www.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS 4 May 2021 29 SPECIAL REPORT We still have a long way to go in fully embracing a sustainable circular economy, and this cannot be achieved without the help of the waste management industry In-depth May 2021 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 4216 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 05 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast 16 COVER STORY Greg Ward, managing director of Transguard Group, reviews the events of 2020 and refl ects on the power of pushing beyond the basics of survival @fmMidEast 42 FMME AWARDS JUDGES A brief introduction to this year’s esteemed panel of judges at the Facilities Management Middle East Awards 2021 46 SUPPLIER NEWS Find out the top facilities management supplier trends that are currently in the market, including some of the biggest digital trends set to shape the FM industry COMING UP IN FMME JUNE 2021 FMME’s upcoming Special Report on Refurbishment and Fitout will explore the market trends and if there is growing need for refurbishment in the region To learn more about upcoming stories and advertising opportunities in future issues of FMME, please contact Vinay Ravindran through vinay.ravindran@itp. com, or +971-55-8101197. FMME ON LINKEDIN With more than 1,000 members from all over the Middle East, the FMME LinkedIn Group is the place to be to find out news, discussions and opportunities in the region’s FM industry. Email the editor at rajiv.pillai@itp.com to join the FMME LinkedIn Group and get in on the industry conversation.and we’re here to help SUMMER’S HERE DON’T SWEAT IT and we’re here to help SUMMER’S HERE DON’T SWEAT IT www .albonian.fm +971 4 223 4500 contact@albonian.fm /albonianfm Al Bonian FM’s expert technical team ensures that your assets are ready for the hot summer temperatures. Speak with our sales team to have us looking after your property. UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com6 May 2021 fmupdate KEEP UP-TO-DATE For all the latest FM news check out www.fm- middleeast.com CONTRACTS UAE-based smart and green FM company Farnek, has secured a raft of FM contracts, valued at more than AED131m in Q1 2021, of which AED101m is new business. The contracts involve a broad spectrum of FM disciplines, covering both hard and soft services, as well as hotel management, a new division that Farnek has only recently launched. All of the contracts vary in length from one to three years and in total Farnek is mobilising 860 extra members of staff to service these new and renewed contracts. Some of the major contract wins include housekeeping and hotel management operations for Expo Village, trolley management and MEP services at Dubai International airport, as well as cleaning services for Nakheel’s new Circle Mall in JVC and providing security for the National Petroleum Construction Company. Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek said: “Almost 30% of these contracts were awarded to us from organisations based in Abu Dhabi, which underscores our growing presence and reputation in the UAE capital. Another pleasing aspect of our Q1 2021 contract wins was the broad ast.cccom Khaldun Aburok, Farnek’s director of business development. FM company mobilises over 860 staff as fi rm gains new business valued at AED101m Farnek acquires FM contracts worth AED131m in Q1 2021UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.comMay 2021 7 SAFETY Transguard Group has successfully provided vaccinations for more than 60,000 employees, which accounts for 96% of its workforce. In January, the business solutions provider announced that it had successfully vaccinated 16,000 employees in the first three weeks of the year and pledged to dedicate the next three months to a company-wide vaccination drive. “Today’s announcement is not only a major milestone for us, it also underscores our commitment to support the UAE’s continuing efforts to combat Covid-19,” said Greg Ward, Managing Director, Transguard Group. “Our teams can be found in every imaginable sector, including security, hospitality, facilities management and more, so in addition to protecting our staff, our vaccination drive also goes a long way to protect the safety of the nation via our clients and their customers.” Transguard’s in-house team worked around the clock and through weekends to ensure that all employees in every business unit (including Cash Services, Security, Facilities Management, Manpower, Logistics, Aviation, Hospitality, its catering company, Taste of Home, and its consumer division, Transguard Living) were provided with appointment scheduling, free transportation and all documentation to receive their jabs; vaccinations were also provided directly at the company’s accommodations in Jebel Ali. Management staff in Transguard headquarters were also granted time off for vaccination appointments. “We’re immensely proud of our team but are also grateful to Emirates Group, Dubai Airport and SEHA for providing significant support to this initiative,” Ward concluded. scope of work we were entrusted with, including our very first hotel management contract, which was for the Expo Village. “Expo Village has been designated as the official residential community to accommodate participants onsite during the Expo and comprises of eleven clusters of mid to high-rise buildings with over 2,000 apartments,” added Oberlin. Other major contract wins in Q1 for Farnek include Accor, Meydan and Aldar entailing façade cleaning and manpower supply. These are in addition to the 65 new members of staff that were mobilised earlier this year, after Farnek had been contracted to manage a range of FM services for the Fairmont Dubai hotel, Revier Hotel, S Hotel and the deluxe Sonder – JBR Suites. “The FM sector is exceptionally competitive and commercial contracts are awarded based on added value not on price alone. Therefore, we always make a point of demonstrating a high degree of specialist training and technical professionalism, offering a cost-effective, well-equipped, highly motivated, tech- savvy workforce,” commented Khaldun Aburok, Farnek’s director of business development. Moreover, with the successful rollout of the Covid vaccine in the UAE, (over 9 million doses have been administered so far this year) many organisations are now beginning to prepare for the day that all or most of the remaining restrictions are lifted, which could be within the next four months or so. Although organisations could be allowed to operate more liberally, they will still need to be on their guard, fully complying with all government and public health directives, specifically health and hygiene standards. Farnek has achieved GBAC STAR accreditation for its head office facility in Dubai, the first FM facility in the Middle East to be accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC). And through that certification, Farnek has established an internationally recognised cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programme that minimises risks associated with infectious agents like coronavirus. It illustrates that Farnek employs appropriate cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices to combat biohazards and infectious disease. “This will undoubtedly provide us with a further competitive edge when more offices, malls, schools, hotels and restaurants start returning towards full occupancy,” added Aburok. Company exceeds January prediction and successfully vaccinates 96% of its workforce Transguard Group facilitates 60,000 vaccinationswww.fm-middleeast.com UPDATE 8 May 2021 APP Saudi Arabia- based integrated facilities management organisation, Muheel, which is jointly owned by Al Muhaidib Group and Abdul Latif Jameel, has launched YellaFix, a self- delivered home maintenance service powered by a mobile app that enables customers to book services remotely from their smartphones at any time. Since the company’s establishment, Muheel has grown its workforce to over 2,500 employees and has established itself as one of the leading facilities management companies in the Kingdom. YellaFix allows customers to browse essential maintenance services required for homes and residential properties, such as electrical, plumbing works, air conditioning maintenance, pest control, Covid-19 disinfection, cleaning and general handyman services. The app currently serves residents in Riyadh and Jeddah. With its strong entry into the online market, YellaFix also has future plans to expand operations into Dammam. Jason Ruehland, CEO of Muheel Facilities Management, said: “We are excited to launch YellaFix in Riyadh and Jeddah, allowing us to expand and serve customers in this new digital age. “Launching our app offering is an exciting chapter in Muheel’s growing digital presence and will empower millions of residents across the Kingdom to order our services from the comfort of their homes.” Ruehland added: “Employee and customer safety is a top priority for the YellaFix team. Not only do our services meet internationally recognised standards, but due precaution is always taken when serving customers in their homes. The launch of our app is another major step towards tailoring the wider company’s offering around the needs of those who matter.” NEWS IN BRIEF World’s fi rst industrial building awarded with the IMMUNE Building Standard FUTURE Designs, the UK based designer and manufacturer of high- quality luminaires and bespoke lighting solutions, has obtained the fi rst IMMUNE Building Standard certifi cation in the world for an industrial building, awarded by the Healthy by Design Building Institute (HDBI). The factory and headquarters achieved the label IMMUNE - Strong following the company’s successful implementation of the set of health and safety measures for its employees. IMMUNE is adaptable to any built environment. 800TEK partners with Emirates Autism Center for CSR initiative ahead of World Autism Month in April 800TEK, an Eltizam Asset Management Group company, will extend its FM services to the Emirates Autism Center (EAC) in Abu Dhabi in a strategic partnership that will highlight the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative focusing on the education of children of determination. The collaboration includes FM services on the Center’s premises and gym equipment donations to improve the physical health and fi tness of children in the Center’s care. Mohammed Alsharaf, senior executive VP FM, Eltizam, said: “The collaboration between 800TEK and EAC exemplifi es Eltizam’s support for institutions that serve children’s needs.” Muheel launches app-based maintenance service in Saudi Arabia WHAT’S THE STORY ServeU to source human resources and staffi ng services for UK’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai What’s the story? ServeU, a subsidiary company of Union Properties, has been awarded the Human Resources (HR) and staffi ng services contract for the UK’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. The UK Department has been awarded the contract for the Pavilion for International Trade. What are the details? As part of the collaboration, ServeU, along with its subcontracting partners Talents UAE, Big Fish, and Beyond limits, will be responsible for providing overall HR and staffi ng services, including Pavilion and guide management, cleaning, security, administration, and logistics. What did the experts say? Gary Reader, general manager, ServeU, said: “This opportunity to be part of the UK Pavilion for Dubai Expo 2020 is a pivotal achievement for ServeU. The HR and staffi ng services contract is of signifi cant importance, particularly given hospitality is the essence of any World Expo.” Next >