Qatar Shell ‘senses good business’ in support for SMEs with supply deals

Qatar Shell has strengthened its supply chain by adding three more local companies to supply products and services to the Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) plant, which is being built in partnership with Qatar Petroleum (QP).Through this, Qatar Shell is committed to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local development, not merely as an aspect of social responsibility, but because it makes good business sense, a spokesman said.The move comes less than a year after Qatar Development Bank partnered with Qatar Shell to provide local entities and manufacturers access to specific new business opportunities. The manufacturing of personal protective equipment contract was awarded to Qatari Industrial Equipment; the heat exchanger re-tubing contract to GEA Batignolles Technologies Thermiques Qatar and translation services contract to Snow Comms Conceptual Communications and Events.Wael Sawan, chairman and managing director of Qatar Shell Companies signed the contracts with the three local companies in the presence of Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa, CEO, QDB.Qatari Industrial Equipment was represented by chairman Nasser Sulaiman al-Haider; GEA Batignolles Technologies Thermiques Qatar by Tariq al-Mana and Snow Comms Conceptual by their managing partner Mohammed al-Mannai.However, the details regarding the contract size was not disclosed.“QDB launched this joint initiative as a clear example of what can be done to enhance opportunities for the SME sector, in co-ordination with leading international companies, such as Qatar Shell, to enable the private sector to capitalise on available opportunities, which will benefit all stakeholders,” al-Khalifa said.SMEs grow and flourish through acquiring such contracts. Similarly, global companies and customers get the services they need from a local source, which means quality can be controlled and assured, and QDB can achieve its goal in developing the private sector, he added.“The companies joining us have been short-listed from 26 local SMEs who registered their interest. Besides their commercial viability, the three winners were selected based on their ability to adhere to Shell’s technical standards and global tendering process, which have been developed over years of dedicated work on the world’s largest energy projects,” Sawan said.Following the announcement of the business opportunities, a total of 26 local companies registered their interest in May. As many as 17 cleared the pre-qualification stage, 12 submitted their bids, and three were finally selected based on their commercial bids and technical capability. “Qatar Shell aims to support the National Development Strategy and to help Qatar fulfil its National Vision 2030 by empowering local SMEs to compete internationally, and we are looking forward to announcing additional business opportunities for local companies in 2014,” Sawan added.