Contractors veering toward
environmental, renewables

Forging partnerships with specialized companies

Solid waste management challenges and the launch of tenders in the renewable sector constitute new opportunities for contractors, according to the ‘Engineering and Contracting Companies’ cover story in the June issue of Lebanon Opportunities.

Companies like Mouawad-Edde and MAN Enterprise are participating in three tenders launched by the Ministry of Energy and Water.

These tenders are for the launch of solar and wind farms, as well as hydropower plants across the market.

Local companies, however, need more expertise in these sectors. “We are forging partnerships with companies specialized in renewable energy,” said Georges Mouawad, Chairman of Mouawad-Edde.

Recently tendered projects that companies such as Khoury Contracting and Al-Jihad for Commerce and Contracting participated in include the establishment and expansion of landfills.

Khoury Contracting won a bid for the operation of the Bourj Hammoud landfill at a value of $109 million.

Mouawad also won a tender through subsidiary company Cityblu to collect waste in Baabda and Aley. “It is one of our plans to diversify our portfolio,” he said.

Contractors are eager to participate in such tenders, especially if they are designed through public private partnerships (PPP), according to Joe Khoury, Business Development Manager at MAN Enterprise. “We have done it elsewhere around the world,” he said. “There is no excuse not to do it in our hometown.”

The company plans to shift its operations from the private to the public sector.

Contractors are mostly waiting for the Government to kick-start projects that are projected to receive financing following the CEDRE Conference in Paris.

CEDRE brought in more than $11 billion in pledges from the international community for 250 infrastructure projects spanning 12 years. Many of these projects will be carried out through a Private Public Partnership (PPP) model.