THE LAST four months have been some of the best that Al Shirawi Contracting and Air Conditioning have ever known, thanks in large part to their sparkling new premises in Al Awir. When Executive Director Navin Valrani says with a sense of pride that "it's fabulous," you know he mean it.

The same sentiment is echoed by his management team and - best of all - by the office staff of 105 who left behind four different sites last December 23 to move to the new purpose-built combined offices, warehouse, factory and showrooms.

The move capped a hectic period of building that started on March 23, 1999 when the building permit was received. Nine months and Dhs 7.5 million later, the 120,000 square foot facility was ready, thanks to the efforts of the various Al Shirawi divisions that contributed to the completion of their own new home.

Inside the clean outer shell is a modern opern-plan working environment finished to a high specification and equipped like no other contractor's premises with the latest in high communications. A computer stands on every desk, connecting the entire staff electronically not just to each other and to the company's data banks, but to their clients and the outer world.

Navin was was adamant. "There is no room in the organisation for a person without a computer," he says, quoting the IT industry executive who said that in the future, a company will be an Internet company or no company at all. "We're moving firmly in that direction," he adds. While some in the contracting industry raised their eyebrows at the size of the Al-Shirawi investment -more than Dh25 million in total with the building, IT system, stock and the new automated duct shop -Navin says it was definitely worth it. "I'm a big believer in quality," he says. "We've already seen an improvement in efficiency, outlook and productivity. And morale is sky-high.

"Our open-plan office and computer system have created a stronger team spirit. We have improved communications no end; now we find that problems are nipped in the bud, which is a big plus for our customers as well as for us."

In June, the Al Shirawi companies welcome Gary Tappella, president of airconditioning manufacturer Rheem and head of the ARI, the US industry regulatory body to their new site for its official opening

Passengers checking in at the new Sheikh Rashid Terminal at Duba International Airpoart ard doing so at counters installed by Al Shirawi Contracting.

The contract, which was signed in September 1998, called for supply of various sizes and shapes of the counters, made by CCM of Italy. The final installation was carried out by Al Shirawi's local team of about 15 tradesmen.

Made of stainless steel, wood and granite, these attractive counters contribute to the overall effects of style, elegance and functionality for
which the terminal is being praised.

Contracts Manager S Sekhar said the most challenging part was the project management, involving liaison with the authorities and project managers International Bechtel, approvals of drawings and materials and then international and local logistics which made the actual installation seem like the simplest part of the work in comparison.

Al Shirawi is fortunate to represent such a renowned manufacturer as CCM, whose worldwide reputation has been founded on recent airport projects in such driverse places as China, Nigeria, South America and Morocco.

 

THE clean attractive lines of the new Al Shirawi Contracting offices (pictured alongside) are as fine a selling point as you are likely to see for Triplan, one of the company's exclusive agencies.

Raj Pal Saran, Interiors Divisional Manager, said the Danish-made partitioning system is popular in the UAE market. It is the only fully modular - and therefore movable - system that employs steel profiles. This not only gives Triplan greater strength than other systems, it also increases its design flexibility and results in a sleeker, more attractive profile.

"Triplan is fire-rated. It also has a wide variety of mountable wall accessories," said Saran. "The steel profiles support more weight than aluminium, giving the user good space-saving properties and efficient use of space."

Triplan has been used in prestigious offices, commercial complexes, showrooms and hospitals around the UAE, including the HSBC in Bur
Dubai, Mercedes Showroom, Dubai Ports Authority, Ministry of Health Building etc.

The Interiors Division also provides other architectural finishes, including drywall partitions and false ceilings -the new Gulf News offices are a recent project - floor coverings and blinds, supporting all it work with minor civil, electrical and plumbing work. Its "concept to completion" turnkey services are a major plus for the division.

THE NEW Dh2 million duct shop has provided a welcome boost to Al Shirawi capabilities. After just six months, daily production is up to 4,500 square feet and management is confident that output will double to 9,000 square feet in six months. Installed capacity is 12,000 square feet
per day.

B R Mandhan, Divisional Manager Air Conditioning, said the quality of finished and extremely high accuracy of dimensions on all pieces, whether
straight of made to fit odd shapes, is a breakthrough.

The shop works to SMACNA and DW142 standards, imports all its zinc-coated sheet, ranging from 24 to 18 gauge, from South Africa and Japan.

IT at work The new office don't just look 'state-of-the-art' -they are state-of-the-art. Incorporated into the design was an advanced structured cabling system to support video, voice and data transmission.

The net result, said Shirawi Group IT Manager Kirit Shah, is advanced system that can easily and effortlessly handle the company's current requirements and grow with them.

At the core of the system is a Compaq Prolinea 1600 servers and top messaging software Lotus Notes which allows all users to send and receive internal and external mail and faxes and to browse the worldwide web. Backup the emergency safeguards are built in.

The network has remote access capability, allowing managers to dial in and download -a virtual office, virtually anywhere.

Kirit was delighted at the positive approach adopted by the staff who raised the value of the new system to help them do their job better.

Not a single fax is now sent or received manually.

 

 

THE new Acer Computer facility at Jebal Ali represents something of a breakthrough for Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. Not only was it a challenging job, but it was the first time the companies had worked with consultants WS Atkins who are known for their high quality and standards.

Al Shirawi handled the air conditioning, electrical, plumping and fire-fighting systems.

The electrical side had to take into consideration the size of the warehouse, and its uses. Divisional Manager Dr. Ibrahim Khallouf said that for the production area where computers are assembled and tested, the electrical distribution was especially designed with timers and over-ride switches.

The entire building is fitted with structured cabling.

The unique dome shape of the combined office and warehouse called for some special considerations from the air conditioning team. An outstanding feature of the building, it lets natural light penetrate deep into the building, requiring additional installed tonnage to control the temperature.

Al Shirawi designed, built and installed 250 tonnes of air conditioning and ventilation capacity. In all 53 ducted split McQuay unit were commissioned.

Sales Manager Medha Sukthankar said Al Shirawi was delighted to work with WS Atkins. Successful completion of the eight-month job "proved that we could meet their demanding standards," she added.

 

SERVICE by name; service by nature - that is approach of M Mansingh and his team. They go out of their way to ensure the every customer, large or small, gets the same treatment.

Working in the highly competitive market, the Al Shirawi Electrical and Mechanical Engineering service division has taken innovative steps to keep its customers happy.

A 24-hour hotline and comprehensive approach means "no more headaches" for the division's contract clients. One phone call and its workers swing into action, day or night.

"Under our system, everyone is a VIP," says Mansingh.

Al shirawi is also the first commercial company to have computerised its maintenance management system. Details such as unit type, service and call-out history and scheduled routine maintenance are all available at the click of a mouse. Coupled with this is the company's "Gold Card" scheme. Customers have only to ring the numbers on the card, quote their contract details, and instantly the full details are in front of the mechanics who can respond efficiently and quickly.

Mansingh says future plans include making these details available to customers via the Internet to further improve the service.

The company's 250-plus contracts include schools, commercial groups, shopping centers, hotels, apartment towers and more and are spread throughout Dubai, including Jebel Ali Free Zone, Sharjah, Ajman and Khor Fakkan.

 

THE massive Al Nahda shopping complex in Sharjah proved a challange for the Al Shirawi waterproofing division. In just two and a half months, the team of more than 50 had to apply more than 45,000 square meters of bitumen membrane to vertical and horizontal areas of the substructure.

It was a case of results speaking louder than words, as Civil Engineering Contracts Manager S Sekhar describes it. Initially main contractor Bin Laden awarded Al Shirawi part of the job - a major breakthrough for Al Shirawi which was working to crack into a competitive market - and the speed and results they achieved in three weeks were enough to secure the entire project.

The work was completed in the period of mid-December through February, during which time the team was tested to its limits. Sekhar said: "They had to work 16 hours a day, seven days a week to meet the shedule. The decition of our staff, was remarkable." On the back of this success, the waterproofing division is optimistic of landing more major projects in the UAE.

More than 20 years old, the waterproofing division has been active in the UAE market since the mid 1980s. Growth has been "phenomenal," says Sekhar, virtually doubling every year since 1996.