EFS wins $108m worth contracts in H1
Dubai, July 15, 2014
EFS Facilities Service Group, a leading integrated facilities management service provider in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, has won new contracts worth more than Dh400 million ($108.8 million) in the first half of the year.
The company recorded strong growth by winning regional contracts awarded by international banks and multinational corporations across the region along with significant local contracts in the UAE, India and Egypt, said a statement.
The new deals included contracts for the provision of integrated facilities management services for Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) schools, Abu Dhabi government buildings, local and international banks as well as Fortune 500 multinationals.
A recent report by the Middle East Facility Management Association (Mefma) suggested that around Dh80 billion was spent on FM services in 2012 while the growth by 2020 has been projected at Dh300 billion.
The boom in the FM industry has prompted EFS to implement a strategic expansion initiative in the GCC, South Asia and Africa. The company continues to remain strongly focused on training and development of its human resources, using its progression tool to develop its human resources while improving efficiencies and productivity across all levels.
Tariq Chauhan, group CEO, said: "Today, stakeholders and corporate players understand the importance of having efficient infrastructure, improved building management, as well as the importance of moving from an in-house fixed-cost model to a variable outsourced model. This realisation will facilitate an increased demand for outsourced services in the region.
“As such, the UAE, Egypt and India continue to remain strong FM markets due to the increasing GDP contributions of its construction and real estate segments. The African and South Asian countries have been witnessing fast-paced growth, which presents ample growth opportunities for the FM industry.”
Meanwhile, EFS has highlighted five trends that have been playing a significant role in the industry’s continued growth. Energy efficiency topped the list as the move to ensure that buildings are more energy-efficient has now become a primary requirement not only for new infrastructure but also for existing buildings as well.
Big data and the presence of rapidly-evolving technology have been identified as another key trend as professionals have now demonstrated the need to understand how building functions, the outputs and the way in which FM can contribute to an efficient building.
FM has also been integrated into a building’s design stage-giving owners and architects the ability to design and construct buildings that can be effectively and efficiently maintained for the long term.
Experts estimate that FM services could contribute to more than 80 per cent of the property and project value over a building’s predicted 25-year life cycle. The entry of a new generation of highly-qualified and proficient FM professionals would ensure the industry’s continuous growth in the future.
“The industry is now moving towards technologically advanced equipment and processes to ensure high quality services. The industry still has to deal with a few challenges like the need for international and large corporates to move away from fixed costs to variable costs by more outsourcing of non-core operations by the FM providers,” added Chauhan. - TradeArabia News Service
