In conversation with Hani El Tannir, Chief Executive Officer, Al Masaood Group Industrial
- Tell us about your role with Al Masaood Group Industrial?
As the CEO of Al Masaood Group Industrial, I oversee key business development activities and generate new revenue streams, mainly for the Group’s power, manufacturing, marine, and logistics supplies and solutions’ operations. My main focus is to foster sustainable development initiatives and ensure continuous innovation in our business strategies and offerings, as an organizational goal. This is to reduce our carbon footprint in line with the UAE’s sustainable growth agenda. In addition, I oversee Al Masaood’s industrial business transformation and advance the company’s plan to expand its B2B operations amid rapid market shifts and advancements. To do this, I work closely with our GMs and our internal support units.
- Tell us how Al Masaood Industrial performed in 2022 and how was it different from 2021?
Al Masaood Group Industrial has been significantly growing and diversifying its commercial activities, with the majority of them being centered on the B2B side. We cater to major industries such as oil and gas, utilities, marine, heavy equipment and machinery, logistics, modular construction, automotive and accessories, and many more.
We have further expanded into the manufacturing sector to create products and services that are specifically designed to satisfy the needs of each of our customers. This is in line with the UAE’s industrialization policy and the “Make it in the Emirates” campaign. Al Masaood Group Industrial has constructed some of the biggest repair and maintenance, remanufacturing, and operation facilities in the UAE to serve the nation and the region through our power, engineering, and industrial divisions. Through these facilities, we have focused on providing a wide range of innovative and sustainable industrial solutions, such as eco-friendly modular buildings, mobile solar applications, solar-powered EV charging units, and hydrogen system development. A network of vehicle servicing facilities and a steel fabrication division are also parts of Al Masaood Group Industrial. In addition, our Retail based Vehicle Accessorizing business has shown remarkable growth.
We also offer a wide range of industrial products and services through our recent and historical joint ventures with well-known global companies as well as through locally developed manufacturing solutions. Volvo Penta, MTU, UD Trucks, Renault Trucks, KSB, MAN Energy, Bridgestone, Total, ARB, Leroy Somer, and TCM are just a few of the main international names we are proud to have developed long term relationships with.
- Tell us how the different divisions under Al Masaood Industrial perform (automotive, modular construction, oil and gas) in 2022?
Al Masaood Industrial consists of six different units – including Al Masaood Power Division, Al Masaood Commercial Vehicles and Equipment (CV&E), Projects and Engineering Services Division (PESD), Al Masaood Bergum LLC, Al Masaood Tyres, Batteries, and Accessories Division (TBA), and ARB Emirates. And all these industrial units have taken sustainability as a core component of their business agenda in line with the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative and UAE Sustainability Targets. Our new products and services that we are introducing across the sectors, particularly Power and Utilities, Oil and Gas, and modular units, are aimed at sustainability.
For instance, Al Masaood Power Division unveiled SHAMS+, a smart solar charging solution, that is ideal for maritime ports, the desert, agricultural fields, and interstate roads because it runs entirely on solar power and doesn’t require a grid connection. Similarly, the division partnered with Sunstream International to introduce the next-generation plug-and-play solar system, the “Oryxbox”. Activities in the agricultural, oil and gas, mining, and road building industries can all benefit from this solution.
Meanwhile, in its efforts to promote sustainable construction methods, Al Masaood Bergum has introduced cutting-edge revolutionary solutions including Hybrid Modular Solutions (HMS), Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), and Ultra-Fold Prefinished Modules. These technologies have reduced the amount of labor and carbon emissions generated during construction.
- Tell us about the latest projects that are currently in the pipeline for Al Masaood?
Apart from developments in our Power and CVE and PES Divisions, Al Masaood Bergum has taken on execution of major contracts for Exports, starting in the GCC region, and particularly in Saudi Arabia. We are excited about this opportunity which we see as the way forward for both Bergum and other Divisions within the Group.
- In terms of construction projects – tell us about the uniqueness of these projects?
New materials and engineering techniques play a significant role in developing a sustainable construction industry. As a pioneer in modular and prefabricated building solutions, Al Masaood Bergum has introduced several innovative construction solutions to foster sustainable practices in line with the UAE’s ambitious on net-zero by 2050. Some of our latest construction solutions include Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), Hybrid Modular Solutions (HMS) and Ultra – Fold Prefinished Modules.
CLT is a prefabricated engineered solid wood panel made from a highly sustainable carbon-sequestering material. It not only has excellent thermal and acoustic properties, robust structural capabilities, and other benefits, but it also accelerates construction by 40 per cent and makes better use of manpower by 30 per cent. Al Masaood Bergum also uses the rapidly expanding Hybrid Modular Solution (HMS), a cold-formed polymer, to make the construction process easier and products stronger. The building solution, which is employed in residential and commercial building constructions, is recyclable, quick to install, simple to transport, and requires little on-site labor.
Meanwhile, Ultra – Fold Prefinished Modules are ideal for construction in villages and workforce accommodations in the Oil & Gas, Defence, and construction sector following an easy and quick installation process which takes five people just 17 minutes to assemble. Unlike conventional cement, the module is made from cement fiber, a mixture of Portland cement, fly ash, water and wood pulp that is bio-degradable and low in emissions to promote sustainable living due to the limited labour requirement for installation on site.
- Tell us about your latest partnerships and how is this growing your division?
The fast-paced growth and development in the industrial sector of the UAE and beyond demands that we provide the latest technologies and innovations to help us better serve the customers. For this, we have partnered with leading companies across the world to bring global products and solutions to the country, ensuring that various local industries have access to the best and most recent technologies. In the recently concluded Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC), we announced an agreement with Gulf Specialized Works (GSW), a KSA-based company, to deliver pipe cladding solutions in the UAE. We also renewed our partnership with S&W, a Korean-based company, to supply high-performance valves for the oil and gas industry.
Earlier this year, we collaborated with Sunstream International to introduce the next-generation plug-and-play solar system, the “Oryxbox”. We also became a part of the Ta’ziz project, which was started by ADNOC and ADQ and aims to support and enable the expansion of the Ruwais Industrial Complex and Abu Dhabi’s chemical, manufacturing, and industrial sectors. We are concentrating on the potentials of light industrial services – including maintenance support, industrial processes, and facilities management solutions – for the services and healthcare sectors, as one of the first Emirati-owned private companies to be a part of this project.
- Tell us about your vision for Al Masaood Industrial?
Our plan is to maintain the momentum that Al Masaood Group Industrial has built up over the years in a variety of economic sectors. By doing this, we will enhance our relationship with our stakeholders and, as already discussed, direct our product offerings toward sustainability and renewable energy sources.
We will also keep engaging in local public-private partnerships to open the door for fresh and promising economic opportunities. In addition, at Al Masaood, we firmly believe that diversification is a strategic move that will help our expansion and growth. In order to develop products and services that are specifically tailored to meet the demands of each of our customers, we are actively seeking diversification into the manufacturing sector of our business.
- In terms of Sustainability – tell us about the latest initiatives implemented by the group and how is it implemented across your division?
We understand our responsibility to support the transition to clean and renewable energy sources, not only for the UAE, but for the entire region, most of our new products and services in Power and Utilities, Oil and Gas, or modular housing that we are now introducing embrace sustainability. We are also revamping our strategies and partnerships to be in line with the UAE Sustainability Targets. Some of the examples which I have already talked about include our smart solar charging solution – SHAMS+, the next-generation plug-and-play solar system, the “Oryxbox, Hybrid Modular Solutions (HMS), Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), and Ultra-Fold Prefinished Modules, and more.
- In terms of the future, what are the plans for 2023?
We have aligned our key strategies with the “Industry 4.0” initiative which aims to transform UAE’s industrial base into a globally competitive, productive, and sustainable sector at the cutting-edge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We are integrating sustainability into all our value offerings and cutting carbon emissions to support the nation’s net-zero ambitions. For 2023, we have laid out a strategy to cater to the changing market dynamics and offer quality solutions that meet the requirements of our customers across various industrial and economic sectors.