Dubai’s Engineering Consortium to open shop in Nairobi

A Dubai consortium of engineers has opened its East and Central Africa head office in Nairobi as it seeks to grab a piece of the region’s booming real estate sector.

Engineering Consortium (EC), whose mission is “to provide timely, high quality and cost-effective projects”, will offer design and supervision services for the construction industry in Kenya and neighbouring countries.

The company that was established in 1997 specialises in providing complete in-house design and supervision of architectural, structural, infrastructure and other related works for all types of buildings.

Moni Malhotra, one of the consortium’s leaders said: “Our group has a very strong and positive vision for the growth of real estate sector in Africa, particularly in Kenya. Our group shall maintain its dedication for achieving excellence in design and supervision of projects entrusted to us.”

The new entity, Engineering Consortium East Africa Ltd., will be managed by local project managers, engineers and architects who will be supported by the firm’s professionals who will visit Kenya regularly.

The EC has, in preparation for the 2012 FIFA world cup, signed Sh250 billion worth of deals for the design and construction of 56 buildings, mall, mosques and other infrastructural works in Doha, Qatar.

EC joins a growing list of foreign companies that have recently expanded to Kenya in a bid to cash in on the country’s booming construction industry.

In August last year, BASF, the world’s biggest chemicals manufacturer by sales, opened a Sh1.2 billion plant in Nairobi to manufacture concrete admixtures.

Months earlier, India’s largest chemicals maker Pidilite Industries appointed a local distributor – Crown Classic Industries – to help market its range of adhesives in Kenya.

The entry of global firms in the local market underlines Kenya’s position as an investment hub for the region.

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