meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

EXCLUSIVE: Alec acquires Abu Dhabi contractor Target

16 December 2022

 

Dubai-based contractor Alec has completed the acquisition of Abu Dhabi contractor Target Engineering Construction Company. The $100m deal creates a contracting group with cross-sector capabilities that hopes to double its turnover in the next five years.

Alec is one of the region’s leading building contractors and is working on landmark projects such as One Zabeel in Dubai and the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi.

Target is an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor working on oil and gas projects including the Borouge 4 petrochemicals complex in Abu Dhabi and the North West Development of the Dalma field, also in Abu Dhabi.  

Ambitions to double size

Target, previously owned by Arabtec, has an annual turnover of about AED1.5bn ($408m) and is a significant addition to the Alec business.

“Target will constitute about 30 per cent of our [combined] turnover,” says Kez Taylor, CEO, Alec.

“Going into the future, we see both businesses growing because there is work out there that needs to be executed for both Alec and Target. We see the size of both businesses doubling over the next five years.”

Although Alec and Target are both contractors, their operations are complementary.

“It is a very good fit for us,” says Taylor. “We do complex building jobs; they do oil and gas, energy and marine.”

We have been able to save 11,000 jobs and keep a company working

John Deeb, CFO, Alec

Workforce of 21,000

In terms of manpower, the group is now one of the largest in the region. Target has a workforce of 11,000, and together with Alec’s 10,000, the group has a total workforce of 21,000.

“We feel we have a good cultural mix because they are contractors and are similar to us. When we interact, we talk the same language,” says Taylor. 

While both companies will assist one another and work together, in terms of management, Target will continue to have its own management.

“Target will run Target and we will allow them to operate,” says Taylor.

Financial standing

Alec was able to complete the acquisition thanks to its strong financial position.

“We don’t have debt as a business. Over the years, we have actually avoided it. We have a strong balance sheet and that’s why we were in a position to make a move like this,” says Taylor.

Target was available for sale after its previous owner Arabtec filed for bankruptcy in 2020. 

“It started when Arabtec went under,” says John Deeb, CFO, Alec. “If you look at Alec in the past, we’ve never really done big acquisitions. We have grown our businesses organically, so we weren’t looking [to acquire].

“Oil and gas was something we had been looking at. We wanted to do something, and then when Arabtec went insolvent, we talked to people about what was good at Arabtec because obviously it wasn’t all bad. Target was the one thing that stood out.”

Bankruptcy law

The Arabtec insolvency has been a key test of the UAE’s bankruptcy law, which came into force in late 2016.

“This deal is one of the first to show how the process works,” says Deeb. “We have been able to save 11,000 jobs and keep a company working.”

Acquisition benefits

The acquisition helps Alec diversify its business and gain access to one of the region’s most active sectors.

“We have focused on the high-end building market. We haven’t done roads, bridges – we decided to stay away from that, but oil and gas is something that does make a lot more sense as the barriers to entry are higher and it’s more challenging work,” says Deeb.

The outlook for investment in projects in the oil and gas sector is backed by strong economic fundamentals and the increasingly important energy transition.

“The UAE has the capacity to produce 4 million barrels a day (b/d) and they want to get it up to 5 million b/d by 2027. In Saudi Arabia, they are producing about 10 million b/d, and they want to increase that to 13 million b/d. That’s a 25 per cent increase for the UAE and a 30 per cent increase for Saudi Arabia. Coupled with that, you have net-zero targets,” says Taylor. 

Geographically, the two main markets for the group are Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

“There is a huge amount of work to be done. The market share in the UAE for Alec is about 2 per cent and in Saudi Arabia, we see it being about 1 per cent,” says Taylor. 

Saudi gigaprojects gear up for $569bn of contract awards

Construction will also play a key role in helping the UAE and Saudi Arabia achieve their long-term economic aspirations.

“The UAE wants to be the leading country and economy in the world by 2071 and 10 per cent of that GDP is made up of the construction sector,” says Taylor.

“Saudi Arabia and the UAE are closely aligned in terms of their ambitions, and we believe we can play a significant role in achieving this.”

Watch: Saudi Arabia gigaprojects market outlook

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10443479/main.gif
Colin Foreman

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Read the March 2026 MEED Business Review

    3 March 2026

    Download / Subscribe / 14-day trial access

    Saudi Arabia’s priorities have shifted over the past decade, with officials at February’s Private Sector Forum confirming a reprioritisation since 2016 that includes postponing the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Trojena and scaling back projects such as The Line in response to global economic uncertainty.

    In 2026, the Public Investment Fund’s role as the main driver of development is shifting towards greater private sector involvement, a transition examined by MEED editor Colin Foreman in the latest issue of MEED Business Review.

    March’s market focus is on Egypt, where the country’s crisis mode is giving way to a cautious revival. 

    This edition also reports that the region’s downstream sector may face subdued project spending in 2026 due to flattening demand and weak margins.

    In the latest issue, we disprove the Ramadan slowdown story, present exclusive leadership insight from Jacobs on delivering Saudi Arabia’s next phase of rail growth and outline some important lessons learnt from a power plant decommissioning. We also talk to senior executives at Enersol, Lamar Holding and Metito. 

    We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the March 2026 issue of MEED Business Review. 

     

    Must-read sections in the March 2026 issue of MEED Business Review include:

    > AGENDA: Saudi Arabia’s private sector picks up the baton

    > RAMADAN: Data disproves the Ramadan slowdown story

    INDUSTRY REPORT:
    Downstream
    > Chemicals producers look to cut spending
    > Global petrochemical project capex set to rise until 2030

    > LEADERSHIP: Delivering Saudi Arabia’s next phase of rail growth

    > POWER: Lessons learnt from a power plant decommissioning

    > INTERVIEW: Abu Dhabi’s Enersol charts acquisitions path

    > INTERVIEW: Lina Noureddin, CEO of Lamar Holding, on the evolving PPP landscape

    > INTERVIEW: Contract award marks Metito’s return to municipal projects

    > MARKET FOCUS EGYPT: 
    > COMMENT: Egypt’s crisis mode gives way to cautious revival
    > GOVERNMENT: Egypt adapts its foreign policy approach
    > ECONOMY & BANKING: Egypt nears return to economic stability
    > OIL & GAS: Egypt’s oil and gas sector shows bright spots
    > POWER & WATER: Egypt utility contracts hit $5bn decade peak
    > CONSTRUCTION: Coastal destinations are a boon to Egyptian construction

    > MEED COMMENTS: 
    >     Winter Games delay raises uncertainty for Saudi construction
    > Duqm petrochemicals revival provides fillip to Gulf projects market
    > Solar deals signal Saudi Arabia’s energy ambitions
    > Hydrogen bridge awaits bankable contracts

    > GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf index leaps upward in 2026

    > JANUARY 2025 CONTRACTS: Middle East contract awards

    > ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects

    > OPINION: The war that (almost) no one wants

    > BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15839736/main.gif
    MEED Editorial
  • Firms prepare Port of Duqm consultancy bids

    3 March 2026

    Oman’s Port of Duqm has issued tender notices inviting consultants to bid for two packages by mid-March.

    The scope of the first tender covers the consultancy services for inspection, scope preparation and supervision of the sewage treatment plant.

    The bid submission deadline is 18 March.

    The scope of the other tender includes the consultancy services for port marine traffic assessment/simulation and impact study.

    The bid submission deadline for this package is on 17 March.

    Both tenders were floated late last month.

    The Port of Duqm is a deepwater, multipurpose port on Oman’s Arabian Sea coast, developed within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (Sezad).

    Its location outside the Strait of Hormuz is a key advantage, positioning Duqm as a strategic alternative gateway for cargo moving between the Gulf, the Indian subcontinent and East Africa, and supporting Oman’s push to grow non-oil trade and port-led industry.

    Designed to handle a mix of cargoes, including containers, dry bulk, breakbulk and liquid bulk, the port forms part of a wider Duqm complex that also includes a major dry dock and large industrial land allocations for energy, manufacturing and logistics projects.

    As the port and SEZ expand in phases, consultancy tenders typically reflect the next steps in delivery and operations, covering engineering and technical studies, commercial assessments, and readiness planning tied to new terminals and industrial tie-ins.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15840397/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Diriyah awards Pendry superblock package

    3 March 2026

     

    Saudi Arabian gigaproject developer Diriyah Company has awarded an estimated SR2.5bn ($666m) contract to build the Pendry superblock package in the second phase of the Diriyah Gate development (DG2).

    The contract was awarded to the local firm Saudi Constructioneers.

    The Pendry superblock encompasses the construction of a hotel, known as the Pendry Hotel, along with residential and commercial assets.

    The project will cover an area of 75,365 square metres (sq m) and is located in the northwestern district of the DG2 area.

    Contractors had submitted final proposals for a contract in September last year, as MEED reported.

    The tender was issued in June last year.

    The latest contract follows the Diriyah Company’s award of a SR717m ($192m) contract for the construction of the One Hotel, located in the Diriyah Two area of the masterplan.

    The contract was awarded to the joint venture of local firm BEC Arabia and Indian contractor Ashoka Buildcon.

    The project has a gross floor area of over 31,000 sq m.

    The Diriyah masterplan envisages the city as a cultural and lifestyle tourism destination. Located northwest of Riyadh’s city centre, it will cover 14 square kilometres and combine 300 years of history, culture and heritage with hospitality facilities.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15778187/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Local firm to develop $598m Muscat tourism project

    3 March 2026

    Oman’s Ministry of Heritage & Tourism has signed an agreement with local firm Sorouh Al-Qurm Real Estate Company to build an integrated tourism complex in the Al-Qurm area of Muscat.

    The project will be developed with a total investment estimated at RO230m ($598m).

    Planned across more than 165,000 square metres (sq m), the development will include two four-star hotels offering over 400 rooms, alongside leisure components such as an indoor games hall and trampoline attractions.

    The site will also incorporate commercial spaces and freehold residential units, among other amenities.

    The agreement was signed by Sayyid Ibrahim Bin Said Al-Busaidi, minister of heritage and tourism, and Khaled Khudair Mashaan, chairman of Al-Argan International Real Estate Company, who signed as the authorised representative for Sorouh Al-Qurm Real Estate Company.

    GlobalData forecasts that the Omani construction industry will expand at an average annual growth rate of 4.2% from 2025 to 2028.

    Growth in the country will be supported by rising government investments in renewable energy and transport infrastructure, as well as in the housing sector, as part of the Oman Vision 2040 plan.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15839476/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Firms to build Jeddah Islamic port logistics zone

    3 March 2026

    The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has signed an agreement with Dammam-headquartered Sultan Logistics to develop a new logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port’s Al-Khumra site.

    According to a statement posted by Mawani on X, the project will cover about 200,000 square metres and represents an investment of SR250m ($66m).

    Planned facilities include warehouses, designated areas for storing and servicing dry and refrigerated containers, and a re-export section.

    Mawani said the development is intended to strengthen the port’s position on the Red Sea by upgrading service quality, supporting private sector participation and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s broader economic diversification goals.

    Jeddah Islamic Port currently operates 62 multipurpose berths and can handle up to 130 million tonnes a year.

    The latest agreement follows Mawani’s April 2025 signing of more than SR500m ($133m) in agreements with local firms to develop two logistics parks at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, as reported by MEED.

    In a statement, Mawani said that in 2024, it launched and inaugurated eight logistics parks with an estimated investment of about SR3bn ($800m).

    The firm said: “These investments are part of the broader development of over 20 logistics centres under Mawani’s supervision across Saudi ports, with total investments over SR10bn ($2.6bn).”

    GlobalData expects the Saudi construction industry to record an annual average growth rate of 5.2% in 2025-28, supported by investments in transport, electricity, housing and tourism infrastructure projects, as well as the $850bn-plus gigaprojects programme.

    The infrastructure construction sector is expected to grow at an average rate of 6% in 2025-28, supported by government investments in rail, dams and road infrastructure projects.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15838212/main.gif
    Yasir Iqbal