Leading British engineering firm Hyder Consulting, which has worked on several renowned projects including the world’s tallest building in Dubai – Burj Khalifa, is all set to launch its operations in Saudi Arabia.

A leading multi-national, engineering and design consultancy, Hyder had acquired a majority stake in the industrial buildings division of SAK, an architectural and engineering firm based in the Kingdom, as part of its expansion plan.

Hyder’s international capability and longevity in the region, combined with its newly-acquired capability provides a platform to create top infrastructure by capitalizing on the group's global experience in design, engineering and advisory services with local presence and know-how.

Hyder is renowned for many of the world’s iconic projects including Crystal Palace, London; Tower Bridge, London; Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia; and Emirates Towers, Dubai.

Announcing its launch, Hyder said the company now operates through two business entities in the Kingdom - Hyder and Solaiman ElKhereiji Engineering Consulting Company; a Moci-registered company offering design and engineering services and Hyder Consulting Middle East, a Sagia-registered company offering project management services.

The engineering giant celebrated its official launch in Saudi with a major ceremony held at the British Consulate in Jeddah hosted by the Consul General, Mohamed Shokat.

Hyder said it is implementing an aggressive growth strategy within Saudi, and has already doubled its staff numbers on the ground to meet the demands of its existing and new commitments.

An established design office is already located in the Al Rawdah District 2, and its new main office located in the Adex Building on Madinah Road is expected to open in June 2012, with further expansion plans already underway in Riyadh and Al Khobar, it added.

'Our consistent approach in a broad portfolio of projects and professional services alongside our strong client relationships has given us access to a wide range of international markets,' remarked Hyder CEO Ivor Catto.

'The expansion into Saudi strengthens our capability in the GCC in offering sustainable design and innovative engineering solutions. This affirms our commitment to the Saudi Arabian market place which is a priority for Hyder,' he added.

Wael Allan, the regional managing director of Hyder Middle East said, "The majority of people in the Kingdom are below 25 and this increases demand for enhanced infrastructure and development."

"We are setting out to help create world-class infrastructure that enhances the standards of living and the quality of life in the Kingdom. An important aim for Hyder is to support Saudisation by providing employment opportunities and world-class training for talented young people in the Kingdom," he added.-TradeArabia News Service