ONE name that is a regular feature of bid lists for consultancy, design and construction management contracts in the Middle East is the UK's WS Atkins International. Its presence in the region dates back to the mid- 1970s when it won the contract for the electrical and mechanical design of several filling stations of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Today, Atkins can claim to have worked on some of the most prestigious projects in the region, especially in the UAE.

Its magnum opus is the 321-metre Burj al-Arab tower, the tallest hotel in the world, and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, recently voted as the best hotel in the world. Atkins designed the $500 million development and was also responsible for construction management. Aside from adding a new dimension to the design concept of large buildings, the landmark project has played a pivotal role in raising the company's regional profile.

The focus now is on further expansion of business and services which range from planning and design to facilities management, infrastructure maintenance and management consultancy. 'As our overall global policy, we intend to expand our international and regional operations quite dramatically,' says Tim Askew, Atkins' Dubai-based Middle East director.

Expansion in the international market has already come through the acquisition of The Benham Companies in the US, a privately-owned engineering consultancy, in a£32.3 million deal completed in January. The deal followed the acquisition in the UK of property company Lambert Smith Hampton in 1999 and the cost consultancy and quality surveying business, Faithful & Gould, in 1996.

Operations in the Middle East are to be expanded through the development of offices at several new locations and the upgrade of current operations over the next four-five years. 'At present, we have 350 personnel in the Middle East and will increase their number to around 1,500 by 2005,' says Askew. New offices are planned for Egypt, Jordan, Iran and Central Asia. The regional headquarters in Dubai and branch offices in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat, Banglore, in India, and the project office in Kuwait will add expertise and in-house capabilities. Plans are also underway to increase business in the Saudi market, where, for now, Atkins has been working on a project-by-project basis.

'The rationale behind the expansion strategy is to maintain the continuous growth in business,' Askew says. 'The market is becoming more sophisticated and extremely competitive. Industrial and building projects are more high- tech now than 10 years ago and it is essential to have the capability on the ground to handle them.'

Looking back at the formative years of regional operations, Askew reminisces about how Atkins started with infrastructure projects, both in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and gradually moved into commercial buildings, particularly in Dubai which has been its biggest market for office buildings. Very little was done in Abu Dhabi until 1989/90 due to a concentration of effort in the UK and Dubai.

The big break in Abu Dhabi came in 1989 through the company's appointment by the Public Works Department to prepare the masterplan for the emirate, which was completed in 1991 and updated in 1994. 'That was the trigger to expand the Abu Dhabi operation. The move into Abu Dhabi also opened up the market in Al-Ain,' says Askew. 'Now in Abu Dhabi the focus in again on buildings. We are trying to identify the niche market. We pride ourselves in handling the big building jobs.'

The effort to market design capability for large buildings in Abu Dhabi is already paying off. Atkins was responsible for the design of the new Zadco/Gasco towers and the extension to the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (Adma-Opco) on the corniche. Having completed the design for the new 14-square-kilometre industrial city in the Mussafah industrial area, being built by the General Industry Corporation (GIC), the company is now angling to assume the construction management for the project.

Two other multi-million-dollar projects planned in Abu Dhabi are of particular interest to Atkins. It is keen on getting involved in the design and construction management of the Abu Dhabi World Trade Centre project, for which a consultant is expected to be appointed by the end of the year. Another target is the ambitious Saadiyat Free Zone project, on which it is one of four international companies competing for the masterplan contract.

Another priority is to increase the level of repeat business and enter into long-term relationships with clients. Askew contends that by being able to demonstrate repeat business to a core group of clients, Atkins can attract other clients and establish similar relationships with them.

Some of the areas earmarked for future development include facilities management and private finance initiatives (PFIs). 'We see facilities management in the region as a major market. These could be five-seven year contracts to manage large buildings, and we can use our expertise in the UK to handle such projects,' says Askew. 'Another area is the management of utilities and PFI-type projects, where you get involved for up to 30 years. Some of the privatisation projects in the region could be interesting.'

Atkins also has its sights set on the Dolphin gas programme being promoted by the UAE Offsets Group. Askew says his company has the capability to fill the project management and engineering advisory role for the $8,000 million-$10,000 million project, which centres on importing Qatari gas via pipeline for the markets of the UAE and Oman in its first phase. The company's oil and gas division in Sharjah has undertaken several large to medium-sized engineering projects in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.

'The Middle East in general and the UAE in particular offer exciting new opportunities. The key to success would be dedication to understanding and meeting clients' needs, which are changing at a fast pace,' says Askew. 'Our approach is based on a combination of management and technical expertise which run from architects to zoologists, and our aim is to be a provider of the best possible technology-based consultancy and support services.'