Toyota is after Brazilian companies to build skyscraper in Doha

[dave550]

Isaura Daniel*

"São Paulo - Toyota is going to build a 20-storey skyscraper in Doha, the capital of Qatar, and wants to receive proposals from Brazilian construction companies. The secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby, one of the organization's directors, Mustapha Abdouni, and the Brazilian ambassador in Qatar, Sérgio Caldas Mercador Abi-Sad, had yesterday, in the Arab country, a meeting about the matter with executives at Al Mukhtar Contracting & Trading Company, which is in charge of commissioning the construction for the Japanese company.

The interest in learning about the work of Brazilian companies was initially shown by Toyota executives to ambassador Abi-Sad. According to Alaby, the building will include a shopping centre and a Toyota retailer on the ground level and business offices on the other floors. Some of the rooms will be used by the carmaker and some will be rented out. The beginning of construction is scheduled for the first half of next year, and the project should be complete in March 2008.

The construction company commissioned will be in charge of planning the building and administering the construction. "There are various Brazilian companies in the sector that are international. They may not have experience in the Middle East, but they have worked all around the world," stated Alaby.

The Arab Brazilian Chamber representatives gave to the general manager of Al Mukhtar, Kamal A. Kadoura, and to the organization's civil construction and maintenance manager, Ibrahim Soman, a list with the names of 16 Brazilian construction companies. They also showed the executives a DVD about one of them.

Toyota does not have factories in Qatar, but imports cars produced in other countries for sale in the Arab nation. The Japanese carmaker has retailers and offices in Doha, but intends to expand its commercial structure. Qatar is the Arab country that has the largest per capita income in the Middle East, with US$ 40,000, and buys cars of great luxury. "The Qatari market is very good for them," stated ambassador Abi-Sad. The country per capita income should reach US$ 68,000 by 2010.

Toyota produces high value cars like the Corolla, Land Cruiser and Sienna. To build the skyscraper, the company is going to evaluate proposals by interested construction companies. But up to now, according to Alaby, there are no candidates for the job, Construction companies in Doha, according to the Brazilian ambassador in Qatar, cannot accept new orders due to the large volume of constructions being executed in Qatar."
Isaura Daniel*
Translated by Mark Ament
http://www.anba.com.br/ingles/noticia.php?id=9555

[Bahraini Spirit]

Sounds interesting, would be a first for brazilian companies in the region if am not wrong.

[Halawala]

With all the land crusers we have have, we deserve to have the regional HQs!

[Bahraini Spirit]

Lol, very true man.The land of the rising cruisers .

[omarmakki]

This sounds good. There are indeed ALOT of Land Cruisers in the middle east...

Any idea how it is going to look like??

[dave550]

They have not mentioned any specific other than the fact that it consists of 20 stories.

[Halawala]

But one thing though, why is Toyota, beinng a japanese company, looking for a brazillian company to do the buiilding??

[omarmakki]

Originally Posted by Halawala

But one thing though, why is Toyota, beinng a japanese company, looking for a brazillian company to do the buiilding??

lol! I never thought of this. It is really weird why the japanese are using the brazillians. I don't think they need anybody to do anything for them. And especially buildings!

[Qatar4Ever]

hehe.. Maybe japan is good in building 100 story towers. they have no idea how to build mid-rises. hehe !!

Good to hear toyota making qatar a new home for them !!