Task accomplished in eight weeks

SUMMERTOWN Interiors, a UAE-based fit-out contracting company, has completed the second phase fit-out of the Siemens workspace project in “The Galleries” building, at Jebel Ali, Dubai, in a record time of eight weeks.

Summertown worked alongside design consultant Bluehaus Group, MEP consultants Clarke Samadhin Associates and project and cost management firm Arcadis in addition to Siemen’s own project management team.

The project brief from Siemens required a series of flexible workstations that would stay true to Siemens’ global open-office concept whilst promoting creativity within the team. Siemens looked for a space that would allow employees to carry out tasks effectively and move around the workspace with ease, whether to informally brainstorm a project with a colleague or allowing individuals to work undisturbed. The execution required strict adherence to budget and time frame with emphasis on a high-quality end-product.

“When setting up our regional office in Dubai, it was our foremost ambition to establish an office that embraced the company’s forward-thinking attitude and spoke to our focus on the needs of our employees. We were delighted to see a high standard of organization and collaboration between Bluehaus Group, Arcadis and Summertown throughout the project - this is something that was fundamental in the development of a modern, open-office environment that is truly Siemens,” commented Terry John Baptiste, head of real estate - Lower Gulf at Siemens.

“We are very proud to have the opportunity to work with such heavyweights in the interiors industry on this project and this partnership has been a driving force in allowing us to deliver the space to Siemens in such a short timeframe. With such a strong presence throughout the Middle East and globally, it has been a great experience to work with such a big name as Siemens and we hope to have the opportunity to take on more projects of this scale,” added Jimmy Lynch, general manager of Summertown Interiors.

Earlier, the company announced the signing of contracts for fit-out projects exceeding Dh17 million ($4.62 million) with a number of projects in the pipeline for 2012.

Marcos Bish, managing director for Summertown Interiors, said: “We have been delighted to end the year on such a high note and even more so to see such positive changes in the local market. It is now the case that the stronger companies are not necessarily the biggest and those that are succeeding are the ones that are staying true to their core values and this is what is giving them a competitive edge. We’ve worked hard to focus on our core strengths of quality, transparency and fast delivery and as a result have secured significant business – including a number of large-scale F500 projects – as well as retaining a strong, loyal team without any redundancies during the crisis.”

“Last year was a year of recovery for many businesses in the UAE, aided significantly by a healthy period of activity with many companies looked to the emirates as a ‘safe haven’ in the Middle East. In light of this renewed vibrance in the market the projection is positive as markets in this region are coming back strong, notably Dubai, and we are seeing a steady growth across the sector. With this in mind, we can speak with confidence as the industry looks forward,” added Bish.