UAE-based facilities management provider, Emrill, has announced contract wins and renewals for the past year of over US$167m, setting a new record for the company with an increase of over 23 per cent compared to the previous year.
The announcement follows a string of new contract wins over the course of 2018 and 2019, including Marina Gate, Dubai Hills, Dubai Creek Residences and Downtown Dubai, where Emrill provides integrated facilities management to a diverse range of sectors including residential, commercial, retail and hospitality. During the period, Emrill secured over $44m in new project awards.
Commenting, Emrill CEO, Stuart Harrison, said a major factor in Emrill’s success in winning new business was its people. “At every level of the organisation, we are committed to raising regional FM standards and redefining and improving the client experience – one building, one community and one place at a time. We do this by building value partnerships with our clients, working with them to deliver long-term growth.
“Our commitment to our partners’ success has enabled us to not only win a number of new major projects but also retain existing clients, with over 88 per cent of our new contract wins coming from existing clients.”
Renewals for the period were 81 per cent higher than those in the previous year, totalling over $123m. Commercial contract renewals included Dubai International Terminal 3 and Dubai Opera. Residential contract renewals included Royal Amwaj Residences, 23 Marina and Princess Tower.
Philippa Carman, Emrill’s head of business development, commented on the recent Dubai Airports contract award: “We were delighted to be awarded a six-year contract by Dubai Airports and to continue the excellent partnership we have built over the last four years. While the scope of work remains unchanged and will see our staff carrying out cleaning and janitorial services in passenger, stakeholder and logistics areas, we welcome the opportunity to expand our offering into concourse A in addition to concourses B and C.”
Emrill will deploy over 1,000 cleaning staff at Dubai International Terminal 3 for the duration of the six-year contract, the longest contract Dubai Airports has awarded the company.
Speaking about current market conditions, Harrison said: “While there is certainly pressure to reduce costs in certain price-sensitive sectors, the feedback we have received from our clients is they are still prioritising service quality and seeking out partners who can support their strategic aims. We have made substantial investment into FM innovation, and this approach has given our clients access to cutting-edge technology and enabled us to deliver operational efficiencies.”
In 2018 and 2019, Emrill launched a number of technological firsts into the UAE market, launching the first efficiency-enhancing app of its kind, specifically designed to enhance and refine the delivery of soft FM services in both horizontal and high-rise communities. The company also mobilised the UAE’s first and only CMAR street cleaner, significantly reducing water usage.
Carman explained: “Technology has always played a big role in shaping the facilities management sector. In 2019, our goal has been to ensure we are future ready, both in our practices and procedures, as well as remaining ahead of the curve with the equipment we use. This technology-driven approach to soft FM services has enabled us to pass on this value-add to our clients.”
Harrison added Emrill’s commitment to sustainability has also played a part in the company’s success as clients are becoming more environmentally conscious. He said: “We ensure sustainable practices are applied to all areas of the business and provide solutions that help our clients work towards carbon neutrality and sustainability. In 2018, we launched an organic vegetable garden in Dubai, accessible to 5,000 residents living in 1,500 apartments. We also developed a 700 square metre plot of sand into a sustainability park. The newly laid grass and shrubs were fertilised with recycled food waste.
“Essentially, we have been able to grow year on year, retaining contracts and winning new contracts by being flexible and dynamic. Emrill’s Future Ready Programme was launched to build upon our existing company-wide culture of innovation and future proofing, enabling us to deliver innovations in technology and processes to achieve demonstrable productivity improvements. This is why our clients partner with us,” Harrison concluded.
With over 7,500 directly employed staff, Emrill has operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and opened new offices in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah in the second half of 2019.