SIGMA PAINTS
Sigma Paints has recently completed its series of technical seminars in 6 main cities in the Kingdom. Macke Murphy, decorative technical services (DTS) manager, told Arab News that 21 seminars have been accomplished this year, with 6 seminars having targeted architects, consultants in main cities including Madinah, Jeddah,Riyadh, Dammam and Jubail, as well as 15 others dedicated for applicators in remote areas. The seasonal seminars which form a part of ongoing strategy for technical education and product awareness gains a major attention from architects, decorators and consultants in the Kingdom. Murphy pointed that this season registered a higher number of participants that crossed over the usual 2,000 below that now totaled 2, 2,091 people. He said “architect and consultant seminar topics have covered a wide range of subjects from external specification considerations to quality aspects of coatings.” Applicator seminars have demonstrated and provided the opportunity for hands-on experience in a range of decorative products. The seminars, inclusive of an application video, were presented by DTS trainers even in more remote areas in Abha and Najran to Arras and Hafr Al-Batin.” Sigma Paints has opened its Riyadh office to a larger and more accessible facility in downtown Riyadh under the patronage of Ambassador of royal Netherlands Nicolas Beets. The new branch situated in Olyaa Street is created with the new developed and advanced image of the company which reflects its everlasting values. Murphy said the new branch will provide Central Province’s customers with on-site support and local sales services, and assure Riyadh customers the quality and the unmatched local support.
ETIHAD INCREASES FLIGHTS
Etihad Airways will increase its services from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia in December, providing additional flights to Jeddah and Madinah for Muslims making the annual Haj pilgrimage. In addition to its regular daily Jeddah service, Etihad will offer two extra flights to the city on Dec. 13 and 16. The airline will also lay on two flights to Madinah on Dec. 11 and a single flight on both on Dec. 12 and 14. Once Haj has ended, Etihad will provide eight additional flights from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi on Dec. 23, 24 (three flights), Dec. 25 (three flights) and Dec. 27. Geert Boven, executive vice president sales and service, said: “Etihad is honored to offer additional flights during the Haj season, which carries such importance to Muslims across the world. Last year was the first time Etihad laid on additional flights. The response was fantastic and we’re expecting the extra services this year to prove equally popular.” He added that “as well as carrying UAE-based pilgrims, we also anticipate many Muslims will take advantage of Etihad’s expanding international network to fly into Abu Dhabi, and connect onwards to Jeddah or Madinah.” Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, launched services to Jeddah in May 2006. The airline also offers a non-stop, eight-flights-per-week service to the Saudi capital Riyadh, and nine flights-per-week to Dammam.
BRAUN
TV celebrity chef Osama El-Sayed, who served many international celebrities, including former US president Bill Clinton, presented Braun’s latest Multiquick appliances to 10 couples, including some Saudis, who were declared winners in a raffle draw held in various stores across the capital recently. Each of them won Braun’s Multiquick Complete, its latest kitchen appliance that performs six different functions so that “one can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the family,” El-Sayed said. Habib Azar, Braun’s brand manager for the Arabian Peninsula, said Braun kitchen appliances have been doing very well in the Gulf market with sales totaling $ 150 million annually, registering a 20 percent rate of growth. He said the partnership with El-Sayed, Braun’s brand ambassador, had also played a key role in pushing its sales in the Gulf market. Dr. Detlev Wolter, head of Economic Section, told Arab News that German exports to the Kingdom shot up by 22.8 percent in the first nine months of this year to $3.924 billion from $3.196 billion for the same period last year. Saudi exports to Germany went down by 27.3 percent during the same period to $814 million from $1.119 billion to $814 million.
KINAN
Kinan International Real Estate Development has appointed Nikken Sekki, an architectural firm, to design two majestic towers in the heart of Jeddah. The SR2 billion state-of-the art high rise building will be built at the intersection of King Abdullah and Al-Andalus streets on a land measuring 260,000 square meters and will have both residential and commercial facilities, said Dr. Mohammad Amin Kashgari, CEO of Kinan — the real estate wing of Savola Group. The complex will also house a five-star hotel in the commercial area on an area admeasuring 35,000 square meters while classic apartments on 74,000 square meters in the residential tower will have all modern amenities. Savola Group established Kinan in 2004 under the name of Modern Marafiq. In 2006, a large stake was transferred to prospective investors to have stake in the firm, which subsequently renamed as Kinan International in 2007, the chief executive of Kinan said. A rooftop garden on 16,000 square meters area is yet another salient feature of the sky-high structures on a prime and picturesque location. The chief executive said the company is also availing the services of US-based Hill International to provide management and supervision services for the two skyscrapers, which will have a parking lot for 4,000 cars.
MENA-EX
The organizing committee of MENA-EX, an international exhibition for mineral exploration and applications, has announced the support of Ma’aden, the Saudi Arabian mining company, as the principal sponsor of the event being held in Jeddah from Jan. 22-25. Ma’aden is engaged in the development, advancement and improvement of all aspects of the mineral industry, mineral products and byproducts and related industries in Saudi Arabia and is the largest mining company in the region. “The mining and minerals sector is growing rapidly throughout the Middle East and Ma’aden is building on its position at the forefront of the industry,” said Ma’aden president & CEO Dr. Abdallah Dabbagh. “With more than $11 billion of new world scale projects underway, Ma’aden is sponsoring MENA-EX 2008 to support the expansion of the regional mining industry and enable international companies to discover the wealth of opportunities in Saudi Arabia.” Talaat Idriss and Alain Marhic of MENA-EX organizing committee, said “we are delighted to receive the support of a company as prestigious as Ma’aden. It confirms the importance of MENA-EX as a leading event for the mining industry. At a time when Saudi Arabia is enjoying sustained economic growth, the mining sector is getting a lot of interest globally as indicated by the six country pavilions that have already been organized for MENA-EX 2008.” Other sponsors of the event include Rio Tinto Alcan and Boliden. Along with the Saudi Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Saudi Geological Survey, the event is supported by the Australian and Canadian government trade departments, both of which are receiving a huge demand for exhibition space. Over 80 percent of exhibition space has already been booked and expectations are high for a very successful inaugural event.
OREO
Oreo, part of Kraft Foods and children’s cookie, organized a “Fun Day” for kids and their mothers at the Al-Shallal Theme Park recently. Over fifty children aged 5-10 years received Oreo cookie shaped invitations to join the popular sandwich biscuit in a special fun day packed with entertainment, exciting surprises, prizes to be won and plenty of Oreos to snack on. Among the interactive games was the famous Oreo theme “Twist, Lick and Dunk”, where kids got to twist their bodies in a hula-hoop contest, lick the delicious layer of cream between the two crunchy Oreo biscuits and dunk soft balls in Oreo branded dunk bins. Other activities during the event included face painting, musical chairs, drawing competition and exciting giveaways varying from free passes to free rides. “This was the best day I had with my son ever, thanks to the yummy Oreo,” said Hind Sami one of the attending mothers. At the end of the fun day, each child was handed over an Oreo goody bag.
INDIA JEWELRY SHOW
A delegation of Gem & Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), an apex body for gem and jewelry promotion, gave an audiovisual presentation in Jeddah on Wednesday and also invited businessmen to participate in the forthcoming India International Jewelry Show Signature 2008 to be held in Goa from Feb. 29 to March 3. Mahesh Rao, committee member of the council, said India mainly focused on its prowess in technical expertise, design savvy craftsmanship, innovative design and fashion in a wide range of precious metal jewelry at the most competitive prices. India’s export of gem and jewelry has crossed $17 billion during 2006-07 of which export of finished diamonds constitutes $11 billion. In gold jewelry, exports have crossed $5 billion and in the field of precious, colored stones’ the export is around $240 million.
