The demand for concrete in Qatar is expected to reach at least 100mn m3 in the next eight years, an industry expert said at the “Future concrete conference” here yesterday.
Khaled Awad, chairman of ACTS, which organised the conference said this was a very important indicator about the growth of large-scale construction projects undergoing in Qatar, which also represents a major challenge for industry players to comply with the required Qatari building standards and specifications.
Business Monitor International (BMI) in its latest report said Qatar’s average real GDP growth for Qatar between 2013 and 2022 will be 8% annually.
According to BMI the country’s spending on infrastructure was expected to reach around $150bn over the next decade, owing to the massive preparations for the FIFA 2022 World Cup and in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
Infrastructure projects in the pipeline include a $40bn plan for railways; a $20bn investment in roads; $15.5bn new airport project; $8bn to be spent on a deep-water seaport; $4bn for stadiums; $1bn transport corridor project in Doha; and, tens of thousands of hotel rooms to be built.
The report said that the strong commitment of the Qatari government to develop the most iconic and environmentally-friendly projects ever built further highlighting the country’s position as the “most attractive” business haven for investors.
Undersecretary and chairman of Qatar Standards at the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Mohamed Saif al-Kuwari, in his keynote speech talked about sustainability in the construction sector and its important role towards achieving Qatar National Vision 2030.
A number of infrastructure contracts have been awarded in recent months in Qatar resulting in higher construction activity.
The event was supported by American Concrete Institute (ACI), American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), National Ready Mix for Concrete Association (NRMCA), Ashghal-Qatar, Al Khalij Cement Company, Corrotech-Chryso, Khalid Cement Industries Complex (KCIC), United Ready Mix Qatar, Hi-Tech Qatar Alpha Beton, Beton Qatar, Hassanesco, and Ha-Be.
