DOHA: Qatar Shell,  in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank (QDB), yesterday signed agreements with five new local SMEs for awarding contracts. At the signing ceremony, these Qatari SMEs were awarded with contracts to become the supplier of choice for Pearl GTL, the world’s largest gas to liquids plant delivered by Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Shell.

 Wael Sawan, Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Shell, signed the contracts with the chief executive officers of the SMEs, in the presence of Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of QDB.

The five Qatari SMEs that have been awarded contracts are — Mozon Industries for the manufacture of large open-head steel drums, KEPCO for the manufacture of low voltage cables, Pioneer Metal Company for electrical cable trays, Prince’s Lights for the maintenance, repair and re-certification of ATEX two-way radios and Rumaillah Motors for the maintenance and service of offshore diesel generators.

“Our strategy is to accelerate the growth and development of Qatar’s private sector, and it through such joint initiatives that we are able to link local SMEs to world-class companies such as Shell and Qatar Petroleum. Local SMEs grow and flourish by acquiring contracts that have the potential to elevate their futures, and global companies and their customers get the services they need from a local supplier, which reduces risk and provides quality assurance,” said Al Khalifa. “The addition of five new Qatari SMEs to the three local suppliers which were announced last year is a clear demonstration to the successful partnership between Qatar Shell and QDB to bolster a robust private sector that will help diversify Qatar’s economy and support the Qatar National Vision 2030.”

Sawan said, “Though we are celebrating the success of our new local partners, the journey does not end here. We will continue to closely cooperate with our partner QDB to enhance local expertise, skills and content by actively providing business opportunities to the local market; and I hope to be standing again with you in the not too distant future to welcome ever increasing numbers of SMEs to the Qatar Shell family,” added Sawan.

The annual ‘SME Business Opportunity Workshop’ has been growing year on year. In 2014, 110 local SMEs and entrepreneurs participated and 33 companies were qualified to tender across the seven specific business opportunities.

This is in comparison to 2013, when only 10 local enterprises were qualified to participate in the tender process that resulted in the awarding of three individual contracts, all of which are currently performing well.

Source: The Peninsula