Ducab, the cable manufacturer jointly owned by Investment Corporation of Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s Senaat, yesterday said that it would supply products for the expansion works in Mecca.
Saudi Arabian authorities have undertaken a major expansion project around the Grand Mosque. The project, estimated at up to US$27 billion, is meant to expand and improve the infrastructure around the pilgrimage site, to handle the movement of as many as 130,000 pilgrims an hour. It is estimated that nearly 6 million pilgrims come to Mecca each year.
The project is being carried out in stages and the first phase is set for completion before the start of Ramadan next week.
The company did not provide a value for the deal, but said it would supply fire retardant and halogen cables that do not emit toxic gases when exposed to fire.
“We have been given an opportunity to work closely with the most iconic symbol of the Middle East, and as a UAE-based firm, it is a matter of pride – and a sign of our commitment to our culture and community – that we are playing a role in the expansion and strengthening of facilities at the holy site,” said Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, the chairman at Ducab. “It is an honour to be chosen to help ensure the safety of our brothers and sisters while they carry out their pilgrimage and sacred duties at Al Masjid Al Haram.”
The other phases of the expansion project include facilities for the old and disabled, rest rooms and tunnels to prevent overcrowding. Other infrastructure improvements, such as a district cooling plant and power and water stations, are planned.
In March, Ducab made its first overseas acquisition when it bought the UK-based AEI Cables.
The company, which has plants in Jebel Ali and Musaffah, is building another factory in Kizad, the Abu Dhabi industrial free zone, set for completion in late 2016. It plans to begin making overhead power cables.
Ducab last year posted record sales of Dh5.1 billon.
siyer@thenational.ae
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