Dnata Travel has signed a joint venture agreement with Lingo Retail, a major Saudi retail chain offering lifestyle electronic, telecom and IT-related products. The deal follows the opening of Dnata Travel outlets in more than 40 Lingo stores throughout the Kingdom. A memorandum of understanding between Dnata Travel and Lingo was signed soon after the opening of new flagship Dnata Travel’s regional offices in Riyadh and Jeddah, which now operate alongside Dnata Travel’s Saudi headquarters in Alkhobar. Lingo Retail, a company belonging to the SAB Group, headed by its chairman Salah Al-Belawi, is one of the Kingdom’s most recognized brands. Salah Al-Belawi, Lingo’s chairman of the board of directors, and Iain Andrew, CEO, Dnata Travel (KSA), jointly inaugurated the first Dnata-Lingo outlet located at Roshan Mall, Jeddah.
SAWARY ENERGY
Kohler Power Systems’ EMEA office has named Jeddah-based Sawary Energy as the “2006 Top Performing Kohler Distributor” for the Kohler industrial power generation business. Sawary Energy provides power generation products, sales and service for the government, commercial and private sectors throughout Saudi Arabia. Sawary Energy operates branches in Madinah, Riyadh and Damman under the management of vice president Sami Akeel. “Sawary is everything a manufacturer of high quality power generation products can wish for as a model distributor. The commitment, vision and daily engagement demonstrated by the owner, Ahmad A. Al-Sulaiman, supported by his experienced staff, has allowed Sawary to flourish as a leading supplier of autonomous energy in the Kingdom. This business model has led both Kohler Power Systems and Sawary Energy to excel in quality, reliability and customer focus throughout the Middle East,” Jos Raats, MD, Kohler Power Systems’ EMEA offices, said.
GIORDANO
Giordano’s new spring arrival focuses on denim with a whole new energy and attitude. Combining a sense of adventure and comfort, the collection includes an assortment of denim fabrics with a variety of finishes, washes and silhouettes. “Our new denim designs are vibrant and youthful, skinny silhouettes are central to this forward looking collection. Cuts and fitting techniques have been pushed forward, and denim comes in a choice of three colors — black, grey or blue. This includes favorite boot cut and wide leg styles, available in drop waist and low rise fits. The collection is meant for the stylish and the design conscious,” said Naomi Kasad, Giordano’s buying manager. Directed at the young urban consumer, the collection also includes T-shirts, jackets, drop waist and roll up Bermudas for both men and women. The spring collection for men include contemporary yet sophisticated blazers, check and polo T-shirts.
BALUBAID
Omar Abu Bakr Balubaid Automotive Company, an authorized GM dealers in Saudi Arabia, opened a “Quick Service Center” at its headquarters at Al-Sulaymaniyah in Jeddah. The center will work for 12 hours from 8 a.m. daily, except Friday. “The new center conducts a 15-point check free of cost in less than 29 minutes and offers various services including engine oil and filter. The service will be free of charge to the client if it does not complete the job within the specified time,” Ahmed Zahran, director of maintenance centers at Balubaid Co., said. The center has the most advanced equipment, so it can provide full service from bumper to bumper. The center can handle five cars at a time and serve nearly 60 cars a day. Quick service prices start from SR85. The company intends to open similar centers at its branches in Makkah, Madinah, Taif and Yanbu.
AL-TAWI
A German Putzmeister delegation, headed by Dr. Von Baer, visited Al-Tawi Ready Mix Concrete & Cement Products Company in Jeddah recently. Saeed Ahmed Tawi, general manager, Al-Tawi Co., and department managers of the company, received the visitors. Putzmeister is the main supplier of ready mix concrete pumping equipment to Al-Tawi. Its products are characterized by high performance and durability, which make it convenient for operations across the Kingdom. With its Putzmeistere equipment for long-term operations, Al-Tawi is well placed to do business. “We view Putzmeister as our successful partner. Our relationship with them goes back to approximately 25 years.”
NCB
The National Commercial Bank (NCB) has presented SR10 million to the Prince Mohammed ibn Fahad University in the Eastern Province to construct a building for its preparatory year, following an agreement signed by the two parties. A group headed by NCB Chairman Abdullah Bahamdan, visited the province and joined a group headed by NCB’s Chief of the Board of Directors Mutlaq Al-Mutlaq, CEO Abdulkareem Abu AlNasr and Community Service Unit Head Mahmoud Al-Turkistani. Bahamdan met with Prince Jalwi ibn Abdul Aziz, deputy governor of the Eastern Province and said that this support was part of the bank’s strategy to serve society through many programs that contribute to develop education, training and employment. Dr. Isaa Al-Ansari, rector of the Prince Mohammad ibn Fahd University said that this support was not unusual coming from a large financial entity like the NCB.
GSK
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global leader in oral care, has revealed how teeth are under threat from a dental condition which is caused by the increased acidity of modern diet. It has identified acid erosion as a key issue for dental care. GSK believes that the condition could be as much of a threat to teeth in this century, as cavities were in the 20th century. Acid erosion can be caused by the 21st century lifestyle and can affect all age groups, both men and women. Today’s diet may be considered healthy, with low sugar options but a wide range of foods associated with the modern diet are acidic. Frequent consumption of acidic food and drink can be damaging to the teeth.
MLA
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has launched a new halal brand for Australian red meat in the Middle East aimed at reinforcing the country’s strict halal standards in one of the world’s largest Muslim markets. MLA’s regional manager for the Middle East and Africa Ian Ross said the development of the new Australian halal brand was an important development in reinforcing the integrity of Australia’s strict Halal meat processing systems. “This new halal brand, which will appear on retail meat packs and points of sale, is the Australian red meat industry’s guarantee that the meat it exports has come from an animal that has been slaughtered according to Shariah,” MLA’s regional manager said.
MAXWELL HOUSE
Maxwell House, one of the world’s major coffee brands and part of Kraft Foods — the second largest food and beverage manufacturers in the world — developed its new superior tasting coffee variant that has been exclusively created for consumers in the GCC. Maxwell House Selection instant coffee is claimed to be a unique coffee blend that selects only the best Arabica beans and roasts them to perfection to give consumers superior tasting coffee. “We are proud to introduce this unique new blend of coffee in the GCC, which was especially developed to suit the taste preference of consumers in the region,” Manuel Cretin, marketing manager, coffee, Kraft Foods MEA FZE, said. Maxwell House uses Arabica beans, the richest tasting beans that can take up to five years to grow on trees, handpicked from Brazil and Columbia through a very careful selection process.
ORAL-B/CREST
Two of the world’s major oral hygiene brands, Oral-B and Crest have combined to make it easier and economical for anyone to achieve the perfect smile. For SR30, an Oral-B/Crest dental bag is available, which contains three vital steps to keeping one’s smile healthy. The kit comes in a handy toiletry bag and includes two Oral-B Indicator toothbrushes to keep the teeth healthy and clean, Crest Cavity Protection toothpaste to protect one’s teeth from cavities and a 300ml bottle of Oral-B mouthwash for fresher breath and cleaner. During the month-long “Healthy Smiles” promotion, newly launched, Oral-B and Crest will have dental hygiene professionals at key sites around the Kingdom and the UAE administering free, onsite dental check-ups. “At this price, you can buy one for each member of the family and make the first three vital steps a ritual,” said. L.K. Gupta, brand manager, Procter & Gamble for Oral Care, Arabian Peninsula.
NATURA BISSE
Natura Bisse, a luxury skincare brand from Barcelona, continues to bring the latest skincare innovations to the Middle East by introducing a “new, unique” product range to GCC region. The “Top Ten Cytokines” line is a unique collection of products formulated with high concentrations of skin growth factor, (SGF). SGF plays a vital role in the cell renewal process, dramatically improving texture, elasticity and firmness of the skin, and has also been used extensively in the medical industry to treat wounds and facilitate faster, more complete healing. “The Top Ten Cytokines range should primarily be used by people suffering from any type of damaged skin, and we have so far really seen some extraordinary results, especially on skin that has been damaged by the sun.” Nayton Cutino, regional general manager, Natura Bisse International, said.
