Imdaad, a leading integrated facilities management (FM) company based in Dubai, UAE, plans to invest Dh60 million ($16.3 million) this year to achieve growth via targeted acquisition of local firms.

Announcing this at a press conference in Dubai today (January 31), Imdaad said the move is in line with Imdaad's strategy of maintaining market leadership in introducing pioneering solutions and innovative services.

Imdaad has embarked on a number of game-changing initiatives over the past years that have had reshaped the FM market in the UAE.

The state-of-the-art Imtedaad, for instance, has become one of the industry’s much-talked-about technological platforms due to its ability to intelligently analyze the performance trends of interconnected assets, it stated.

Imtedaad - designed based on the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) - works by correlating all essential data with the behaviour of the building’s eco-system to come up with a set of recommendations and corrective actions.

Among the technology’s top-notch features include cognitive computing platform, predictive maintenance capability, seamless machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, automatic corrective measures, real-time monitoring and tracking of assets, and energy management.

It has a significant potential to reduce the use of energy by up to 50 per cent and increase facility utilization by up to 80 per cent.

Speaking at the press conference, Imdaad officials also unveiled the company's latest contract wins with giant industry players and strategic roadmap for 2017 as it moves to cement its leadership in the flourishing regional FM sector.

Last year, Imdaad acquired a firefighting company and a lifts, installations and maintenance firm as part of its comprehensive expansion approach to widen its scope and services.

The 2017-investment plan will carry on the objectives of its growth strategy this year. Additionally, it expects to perform strongly yet again after sealing new major deals with key organizations and renewing agreements with top long-time clientele.

Its new contracts include a deal with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai (IACAD) for the upkeep of all mosques under its mandate; Mashreq Bank; Dubai Parks and Resorts; the posh Palazzo Versace hotel; Lapita Hotel; Tecom; the Dubai Opera house; Be’ah (Oman Environmental Services); Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD); Nakheel; Wasl; Al Fattan Properties; Kingfield Owner Association Management Services; and Enova, said the statement.

Imdaad said it has always emphasized on deploying eco-friendly equipment and sustainable technologies across its operations to ensure the highest level of service to its clients.

The move also actively contributes to the UAE’s strategy to build a sustainable economy and an environment that will help enhance the quality of life in the country.

These new developments alongside Imdaad’s latest achievements and industry expectations for 2017 were announced against the background of a rising FM sector in the UAE.

Industry estimates put the GCC’s cumulative FM spend at $892 billion over the last 25 years, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE topping the list. Globally, as per a market research report released by Global Industry Analysts, the FM industry is seen to be worth $394.69 billion by 2017.

CEO Jamal Abdullah Lootah said: "Although the UAE FM industry is still in its infancy when held up against mature markets such as Europe and North America, it is nonetheless accelerating at unprecedented rate."

"To capitalise on considerable opportunities in the local and regional FM sectors, we at Imdaad are intensifying our efforts to keep up with the latest trends and developments in these markets, especially in terms of technological innovations," stated Lootah.

"For 2017, we have laid out an all-encompassing roadmap that will ensure both exceptional delivery of services to our clientele and significant contributions to the Emirates’ socio-economic prosperity in line with the goals of UAE Vision 2021. With our new agreements and key investment strategy, we are keen on working with all our partners from the public and private sectors to achieve our development objectives," he added.-TradeArabia News Service