Nasser Al-Haidar
Mr. Nasser Suleiman Al-Haidar, Chairman of the Sulaiman Holding Group of Companies, revealed new machines to provide the market’s needs in terms of metal structures for smart traffic systems and signboards, and to employ the latest engineering mechanisms to develop traffic systems in the country.
In an interview with Al-Sharq, Al-Haidar noted that there are investment projects under implementation to support and equip 2022 facilities, which will result in a promising economic growth for the logistics and support services sector during the years 2021-2022. Coming.
He said that international institutions emphasized the strength of our economy and the rapid growth it is achieving. He said that in the Traffic Technologies Company and the Sigma Metal Works Company of the group, he works within the private sector system, the main partner in achieving sustainable development in the country to support the national economy and open new investment horizons by supporting and preparing what is needed to achieve the 2022 goals related to the preparations and equipment for the World Cup scheduled for 2022. And the realization of Qatar Vision 2030, in the long term, by exploiting the infrastructure and logistics that have been and will be equipped over the previous and next years.
Investment partnerships
Al-Haidar pointed to the projects that have been implemented in this context in the past period for many of the services that have been provided to the Ministry of Interior, the Public Works Authority, Hamad International Airport, Hamad Port, Industrial Zones, Qatar Petroleum and other ministries and other government sectors that have gained the confidence of these entities, in addition to the services that have been provided. With the private sector for the area of Msheireb and the Pearl and other companies, among which was a traffic technology agreement with Msheireb Properties that includes the complete management of one of the most complex parking systems in the world, covering more than ten thousand parking spaces, and more than two hundred entry and exit gates.
Al-Haidar revealed that they have obtained many new projects from bodies such as Qatari Diar, Hamad Port and Hamad Medical Corporation, as well as the company’s plans to develop its business in proportion to the quality and size of the projects being implemented in the country, especially after the unjust blockade on Qatar, where the speed of companies from some Plans to supply equipment and machinery so that all metal structures for road signs and displays with variable messages are used in smart traffic solutions locally without relying on importing them from abroad, as all projects were completed without delay and with high quality based on the latest international technologies available in this field, as was done. Increasing production capacity in the field of designing traffic and indicative signs and raising the efficiency of our engineers by using modern design programs and with high accuracy that enables us to implement the designs required for signboards according to the highest international specifications and in less time than it used to be by 40%, and the company has added modern equipment for production linesTo keep pace with the acceleration in the size of the existing projects in the country related to the roads and stadiums of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and within the framework of the company’s long-term strategy, he explained that he is in the stage of submitting an application for a new industrial land to build a modern factory that meets the needs of the Qatari market and is equipped with the latest equipment and technical devices to carry out works with high quality, as well as Study opening factories outside Qatar.
◄ How did the idea of the company’s activity in the field of smart traffic systems start?
► Since His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, may God preserve him, took over the reins of government in the country in 1995, a broad economic, social and cultural renaissance has taken off, and on the same approach, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the country, may God protect him, launched a vision Qatar 2030 to implement this vision that keeps pace with the implementation of its projects to this day. As a result of the urban boom and the increase in the size of infrastructure and road projects in the country, we have established companies specialized in the field of smart traffic systems and signboards, and some of these companies are Traffic Technologies, Sigma Company for Metal Works.
As for Sigma Metal Works, it was established in 2008 as a Qatari factory for traffic and indicative signs for highways and to support the needs of the Traffic Technology Company, companies and others specialized in the same field, as the company designs traffic and guide signs and locates them on the roads so that they are within the clear vision of vehicle drivers in order to preserve their safety And the safety of their companions and their guidance easily and without hesitation, Sigma company relies on the highest standards and specifications of equipment, machinery and reflective materials to carry out works in terms of the size of the appropriate font on the panels for easy reading of the names of streets and regions on those plates in proportion to the speed specified on the internal and highways.
Economic diversification
What are your future plans in the context of expansion, support and diversification of the economy?
With regard to the Traffic Technologies Company, we have plans in the short and long term, the first of which is to support and equip what is necessary to achieve the goals of 2022 for the preparations and equipment of the World Cup scheduled for 2022, and because of these preparations and equipment of a positive impact on supporting our national economy through smart solutions systems and their positive impact on providing Effort and money.
In the long term, utilization of the infrastructure and logistics that have been and will be equipped over the past and next years to achieve Vision 2030 because of this importance to support the national economy and open new investment horizons.
As for Sigma Metal Works, the unjust blockade of Qatar accelerated some of the plans that were under discussion. Therefore, since the blockade, we have supplied equipment and machinery so that all the metal structures for road signs and displays with variable messages are used in smart traffic solutions locally without relying on importing them from Outside where all projects were completed without delay and with high quality, depending on the latest international technologies available in this field, and in the long run we are in the stage of submitting a new industrial land request to build a modern factory that meets the needs of the Qatari market and is equipped with the latest equipment and technical devices to carry out works with high quality, as well as studying the opening Factories outside Qatar.
Traffic technologies
◄ How are the company’s plans to expand into the field of traffic solutions?
Regarding Traffic Technologies, we are considered one of the first national companies and one of the largest in the field of developing traffic systems, providing solutions and innovations, employing the latest engineering mechanisms and expertise for nearly twenty years, and we always strive and strive to stay in the foreground and provide everything new and useful to our country and keep abreast of all developments in the field of smart traffic systems Through international companies in this field and through the company’s innovation and implementation department of engineers and technicians with high scientific competencies to provide what is best for Qatar, for Sigma we have increased production capacity in the field of designing traffic and indicative signs and raising the efficiency of our engineers by using modern design programs with high accuracy that enables us to implement The designs required for the indicative panels are according to the highest international specifications and in less time than it was by 40%, and this in itself is a great achievement for the company in terms of speed of delivery of projects without delay and with high efficiency, as the company added modern equipment for production linesTo keep up with the acceleration in the size of the existing projects in the country related to the roads and stadiums of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The latest mechanisms
◄ Where did the company’s efforts to develop work by introducing the latest mechanisms?
With regard to Traffic Technologies Company, over the past years and through our field of work and our knowledge of developments and our reading of the future, we have trained and qualified technical and professional cadres specialized in various fields capable of managing the development of various fields of modern smart traffic systems, developing the old ones and keeping pace with everything new and useful to reach the highest levels of service In our fields of specialization and working to provide practical solutions according to the requirements and developments of the economic and social situation in the country, in addition to the fact that we have concluded strategic partnerships with the largest and most important international companies specialized in keeping pace with and standing on the latest technologies in the field of smart traffic systems, as for Sigma company we have added some modern machines and equipment to produce Most of the materials within our factory and of high quality have obtained the necessary approvals from the Occupation Authority, Qatar Petroleum, Hamad International Airport, sports stadiums and other governmental and private agencies in the country.
The materials that we accomplish now have become an important part in most of the road and stadium projects that have been completed during this period, and we hope to obtain a new industrial land with an area of 20-20 thousand square meters in one of the new industrial zones in the country to build a second factory equipped with the latest machines and advanced technologies so that we are able to Manufacture of products locally and manufacturing is 100% Qatari.
Customer base
◄ To what extent have you expanded your customer base over the past years?
Regarding Traffic Technologies Company, over the past years we have built a broad base and partnership with many clients in the public and private sectors based on trust, credibility, safety of dealing and quality of service. What is new, with the public sector we were honored to provide many services to the Ministry of Interior, the Public Works Authority, Hamad International Airport, Hamad Port, Industrial Zones, Qatar Petroleum and other ministries and other government sectors. As for the private sector, we provided many services to Msheireb, the Pearl, and other companies. As for Sigma, through our presence in the local market for more than 12 years, and for our success in the projects in which we participated, we have gained the confidence of all government agencies related to highways, infrastructure and buildings projects. As well as with many of the major contracting companies in the state.
As a result, we were able to obtain many new projects from agencies such as Qatari Diar, Hamad Port, Hamad Medical Corporation, and many local contractors.
Business and projects
Do you have any cooperation with international bodies after the projects that were implemented at home?
Regarding Traffic Technologies, we have participated in many strategic and important works and projects, as I mentioned previously, and these works and projects are limited to our areas of specialization, such as the work of traffic lights and their accessories, smart parking systems, traffic studies, surveillance systems and other smart transportation systems, although our activity is limited to the State of Qatar. However, there is cooperation from international companies, so we sold software (software) to them that they use in some Arab countries. As for Sigma, it has implemented many important projects in the country and in cooperation with major contracting companies such as Qatari Diar, with a project of indicative panels for the city of Lusail and Q-D -S Contracting with Dukhan Project, Tecfen Construction Company in Al Khor Expressway Project and Eastern Industrial Road, and with J & B Company for the Orbital Road Project and Al Shahanat Road, and the Urbacon Company as the Duhail Junction, Al Gharafa Street and Boom Construction Company for Al Bustan Street Project and many other projects.
Economic exhibitions
◄ What are the results of your participation in internal and external exhibitions?
With regard to the Traffic Technologies Company, where we participated in many international and local exhibitions that helped build multiple partnerships and cooperation between us and major international and local companies. As for Sigma, we participated in many exhibitions outside the State of Qatar and we got some projects in some countries such as Jordan and some countries However, the size of these projects is still less than our ambition, and we are working very hard to increase the size of our participation and our share in projects outside the State of Qatar, especially Africa.
◄ Are there upcoming exhibitions that you are preparing to participate in?
► As for foreign and local exhibitions, we were negatively affected by our inability to display our products and services in international exhibitions due to their cancellation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we did not stand idly by and took new steps to market our products via the electronic space and we hope that we will get positive results soon, God willing, and we are keen Take great care to participate in specialized exhibitions in our business fields, because we believe that these exhibitions provide fertile ground for meeting with specialists and global expertise, which allows for the exchange of experiences, the formation of partnerships and the building of commercial relations based on common interests. We are now preparing to participate in the Milipol exhibition, which is scheduled to be held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in the month of October 2020, God willing.
