National Gulf Constructions’ fleet of 21 Volvo CE machines and 20 Volvo Trucks have helped a regional government runway project get off the ground in the city of Al Ain.
Known for its work on the 240km Abu Dhabi-to-Ruwais highway in UAE, National Gulf Constructions recently completed yet another big project — this time the fast-tracked the construction of a runway, aircraft parking apron and taxiways for an air training college in Al Ain.
Phase one of the project involved moving nine million m3 of earth and aggregates to prepare the site for a 1km-long runway, an 800m-long and 600m-wide apron, and aircraft storage area of 400m by 250m.
In some places the grade was raised by 45m, built up in successive compacted layers of 300mm, and it was finished in just one year.
“Security was tight — we were allowed access to the site for just eight hours a day, and not at all on weekends,” says Maher Ali, chair of the National Gulf Group.
“Ordinarily this would have made the 12-month deadline impossible — our competitors were quoting two years — but we managed it working each night, transporting the fill right up to the perimeter, before bringing it on-site at 7:30am.”
National Gulf Constructions credits its Volvo CE fleet, including five L150 and L180 wheel loaders, alongside two excavators, four motor graders, two pavers and five compactors with playing an important part in the successful completion of this time-sensitive project.
The contractor also bought 20 FH440 trucks from sister company Volvo Trucks.
Not only has the runway been built at top speed, it has also been built to an impeccably high quality standard, with the pavement even meeting European road transport specifications.
So confident is National Gulf Constructions about its durability that it has given the client a 10-year performance warranty – but expects it to last five times as long.
