Dubai contractor ASGC wins $133m Union Museum contract
Al Shafar General Contracting Co will build eight distinct sections of museum and all support facilities
Al Shafar General Contracting Co, the Dubai-based construction contractor, has announced that it has been awarded a $132.85 million contract from the Roads and Transport Authority to build the Union Museum in Dubai.
The contract won by ASGC will entail the building of eight distinct sections of the museum, which will be located adjacent to Dubai’s Union House. The museum will chronicle the history of the UAE and each section will correspond to specific historic periods or themes. The contractor will also be building all supporting facilities for the museum.
“As a local UAE business, we are proud to win this culturally important contract to build the Union Museum. This new facility will chronicle and celebrate the UAE’s rich heritage and educate current and future generations, as well as international visitors, on the proud history of this country,” says Bishoy Azmy, CEO of ASGC.
“Across our business, our growth momentum continues as we access new and diversified sectors and industries that accelerate our expansion not only within the UAE, but also within select and dynamic markets across the region.
“We are uniquely positioned for steady growth in the years ahead as we leverage our 25-year history, our strong client relationships, and our widely respected expertise as an integrated construction group,” he added.
Founded in 1989 in Dubai, ASGC works across market sectors including residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare, industrial, leisure, infrastructure, and oil and gas.
In addition to undertaking large-scale construction projects, ASGC also offers a number of related construction products and services, including mechanical electrical and plumbing (MEP) services and steel structure, ready-mix concrete and pre-cast products, as well as interior fit-outs through a number of subsidiaries.
This is part of a large scale diversification programme initiated by Azmy, who told Big Project ME in an exclusive interview last year that in the aftermath of the crisis, he spearheaded this shift in direction.
“Back in 2007 and 2008, we were primarily known to be building high-rises, because that was the trend in Dubai. Now when the crisis fell upon us, people didn’t want high-rises as much. So we started to diversify and we’re very happy to say that we’ve built a lot of pre-cast construction and we’re very active in the hospitality sector,” he told the magazine.
“We recently finished the Park Hyatt project for the government, we’ve also finished the Waldorf Astoria on the Palm,” he said, adding that ASGC is also working in the infrastructure sector – such as the Dubai Airport.
“We’re into healthcare, hospitality and infrastructure. We’re involved also with clients like the RTA and we’re working on several factories, so we’re also involved in the industrial sector. We’ve been adopting a very strong strategy of diversification – sector wise, and I’m very happy to say that it’s borne fruit.”
