Six Construct has signed contracts worth an approximate Dh6 billion in 2010, according to a senior official. It will also be submitting its tender on May 2 for the Kingdom Tower project which, when built in Saudi Arabia, is expected to be the tallest tower in the world. "The UAE accounts for 65 per cent of our GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) turnover and is still our biggest market in the region," Phillipe Dessoy, General Manager at the company, told Emirates Business. "Meanwhile, the GCC still accounts for half of our international turnover." The company is the international subsidiary of the Belgian construction group, Besix.

Is it true that the Gulf region still accounts for half of your worldwide turnover?

This group is doing around half of its turnover in the GCC (the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman) and the major part of it is still in the UAE, which accounts for 65 per cent of our turnover with Qatar following at 25 per cent. We just opened an office in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and have submitted a few tenders but have no announcements right now.

So what does your current order book look like?

We have signed around Dh6bn worth of contracts in 2010. Last year's turnover was Dh4bn. This year we expect to go back to our 2008 figures of Dh5bn. We have been awarded major contracts such as Cleveland Clinic, where we are in joint venture with Samsung and Mubadala is the client. We are also working on the construction of the new Abu Dhabi National Oil Company headquarters in Abu Dhabi, which will be the tallest building on the Corniche at 340 metres' height. We have taken over the Sheikh Zayed Bridge from Archirodon and have to complete that project by December 2. We have also won the [deal for the] new state guest terminal at Abu Dhabi Airport. We are expecting to hear some news on a major causeway contract in Bahrain in the near future. Besides, we have also tendered for two new interchanges coming up in Abu Dhabi and on the public private partnership project between Mafraq and Gweihfat. We are seeing a positive shift in the first quarter of 2010 in the market.

How are you dealing with the backlog of payments?

We have been cautious with our exposure to the real estate sector unlike other contractors. Whether as Besix internationally as the group or as Six Construct here, we have spread our risks over infrastructure, marine and building. For instance, we have worked on many Road and Transport Authority projects such as the Airport Tunnel, Business Bay Bridge, Dubai-Sharjah Road and Garhoud Bridge. We have recently won a contract from the National Marine Dredging Company to make four artificial islands for Zakum. We have also worked in a joint venture in Dubai with Arabtec and Samsung on the Burj Khalifa project.

We see the name Besix and Six Construct in the UAE. What is the difference?

Besix has been around for the past 100 years. Six Construct was created to come to the overseas market and among our first markets were the UAE and Qatar. We set up in this region around 44 years ago. I have been here since 18 years, having started out as a young engineer.

We use the name of Besix only in Dubai due to the agreement we have with Belhasa. In Abu Dhabi, we have a management company that we have created with Aldar called Aldar Besix, to differentiate from the operations. Again, Besix is for investments in PPPs such as our 25 year-agreement with the government of Ajman for sewage treatment and connection of Ajman City. Besix holds a 50 per cent stake, the Ajman Government has a 20 per cent stake and Veolia is the third partner on that project. We have another PPP with Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (60 per cent stake) and Veolia (20 per cent stake) for two sewage treatment plants in Wathba and Al Ain.

What are your plans for Saudi Arabia?

We decided to enter the Saudi market last year and are tendering for two major projects. One is the Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, which is expected to be the tallest building in the world when completed. The project will be located in Kingdom City and Kingdom Holding is its developer. We have to submit our tender on May 2 and are bidding in partnership with El Seif Engineering, a local contractor in Saudi. Other bidders include Saudi Oger and Saudi Binladin Group while Arabtec recently pulled out of the bid. Emaar Properties is the project manager. The other project we are bidding for is Ras Al Zour, which will be one of the biggest desalination plants in the world.

What has happened to the Presidential Palace?

We submitted a week back and it is being evaluated by the client. We hope to hear something by June or July.