Drake & Scull awarded Dh20 million contract at Smart Village in Egypt

The Smart Village, a 300-acre technological park coming up near the Cairo International Airport, will offer state-of-the-art infrastructure geared towards hi-tech businesses and aimed at creating a strategic base to enable IT and telecommunications businesses to gain the competitive advantage.

The scope of the Smart Village Building B124 project encompasses Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) works for an administration building comprising two five-storey towers over a total built up area of about 22,000 square metres. Construction work on the project is already under way and will be complete by August 2006.

Mohamed A. Moneim, Managing Director of Drake & Scull International Egypt, said: "The project, our third contract in the Smart Village development, is very prestigious and important for us. Once complete, the Smart Village will be an extraordinary example of Egypt's hi-tech infrastructure and commitment to the IT industry and we are proud to be a part of this."

Drake & Scull has also executed the Smart Village Office Building E43 and Smart Village Office Building B115 contracts of the development, which is being undertaken by Egypt's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The main contractor of the project is SIAC and the consultants are Engineering Consultants Group.

"In the past we have worked on similar assignments in the Smart Village project and surpassed our client's expectations. Our involvement in the initiative is a reflection of Drake & Scull International's prominent presence in the region and the expertise earned by being associated with some of the most prestigious projects," he added.

Drake & Scull, which has also successfully executed the Cinema Complex/ Carrefour Alexandria, is also eyeing other development projects in Egypt. "The country is definitely a growing market for Drake & Scull. Egypt is fast emerging as an important centre of business activity in the region and we have a lot of plans in place aimed at our involvement with other upcoming projects in the country," Mr. Moneim said, adding that the plans augur well with the group's regional growth strategy.

Drake and Scull International has underlined its presence in the region since its inception in 1964. The contracting major, famed for it quality work and delivery schedules, has been involved in some of the region's largest and ambitious projects.