Leading UAE-based smart property management solutions company HITEK Services, which is part of the Farnek group of companies, has signed an exclusive five-year partnership agreement with Riyadh-based Safari Holding.
The contract which was signed at the Safari Group’s head office in Riyadh, allows the Saudi company to offer a suite of smart technology solutions including CAFM, IoT, BMS, energy, and carbon management solutions, all developed by HITEK’s in-house technology team, exclusively to building owners and property managers, as well as other FM service providers and consultants, throughout the Kingdom.
In May 2021, the Middle East FM Association (MEFMA) estimated that the Saudi FM market was worth approximately $20 billion, roughly 55% of the total GCC FM spend. However, according to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the value of the Saudi FM market will grow to $34.86 billion by 2028 and Safari executives reckon that PropTech’s market share will be worth over $1.7 billion.
Commenting at the signing ceremony, Eng. Salim Al-Aydh, Group CEO at Safari Group said. “Residential, commercial and industrial real estate development in the Kingdom is expanding at a phenomenal rate and we have identified three specific issues, which need to be addressed when delivering optimal IFM solutions.
“Firstly, the expanding geographical spread of real estate across Saudi Arabia, secondly the fact that hundreds of new, smarter buildings will be coming to market over a relatively short period of time and thirdly, supporting the government’s commitment to net zero.
“This in our view requires advanced methods of FM which we believe can only be driven by the best technological solutions which our partner HITEK has afforded us.”
Established in 1984, the Safari Group which employs over 12,000 people, owns 16 businesses, with FM and construction at its core, operating out of offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, as well as other locations throughout Saudi Arabia.
Safari has an impressive portfolio of FM clients including, Saudi Aramco, King Abdullah Medical City – Riyadh & Jeddah, the Ministry of Interior Riyadh, the Kingdom Tower as well as Riyadh airports and King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah.
“Advanced digital solutions can now integrate with any existing technologies such as BMS and can activate a variety of bespoke solutions remotely, linking smart and sustainable buildings with a digitally connected workforce. So, it is essential that we adopt technological solutions such as HITEK to capitalise on these opportunities.
“The services that we will be providing will benefit both owners and tenants in large buildings, complexes and compounds. Through digitalisation they will be able to create efficiencies and reduce costs. We believe this is the future of technology driven IFM and we are excited to roll this out,” added Ali Saleh Al Sagri, Commercial COO at Safari Group.
HITEK is a home-grown PropTech company, part of the Farnek group, which was founded in the UAE in 1980. Farnek was an early adopter and has consistently invested in technology, focusing on digitalising its operational and supporting business functions.
SAAS-based HITEK solutions connect people, assets and spaces from multiple remote sites, using flexible, scalable and analytical platforms, for cleaning, security, maintenance and sustainability, so they could be centrally managed and monitored by utilising the Internet of Things (IoT), Building Management Systems (BMS), Cloud, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies.
It also supports operational efficiencies, staff welfare, and sustainability while saving clients significant amounts of money by reducing manpower costs by up to 17%, utility cost by 30% and enhancing asset life cycle by transferring from traditional FM operational management to HITEK’s smart management.
“Safari Holding is a leading Saudi conglomerate, focused on FM and construction. It is well-established and highly respected, with expertise in robotics, AI and advanced automation. There is significant potential for PropTech in the Kingdom and Safari provides us with an ideal partner.
“Our strategy is for HITEK to become the undisputed market leader in the PropTech space and to extend our reach across the GCC countries and further into the Levant and Africa,” said Markus Oberlin, Group CEO, Farnek.
HITEK’s 24/7 command and control room or ‘nerve centre’, is located at Farnek’s state-of-the-art centre in Dubai. Being 5G and Wi-Fi 6 enabled, HITEK can take advantage of increased bandwidth, ultra-low latency and enhanced security.
“This will allow us to rollout digital, connected and unified transformative applications of technology that not only uplift the face of FM digitalisation, but also offer enhanced efficiency, as technology advances, interfacing with all aspects of FM,” said Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of HITEK.
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For more information, log on to www.safari.com.sa or www.hitekservices.com
Photo caption: (R-L) Ali Saleh Al Sagri, Commercial COO, Safari Group; Saud Saleh Al Sagri, General Manager Supply Chain, Safari Group; Eng. Salim Al-Aydh, Group CEO, Safari Group; Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director, HITEK; Markus Oberlin, Group CEO, Farnek and Peter Roddam, General Manager, Facilities Management, Safari Group.
About Safari Holding
Safari Group is a leading Saudi conglomerate specialised in Facility Management, Construction, AI and Robotics and many other businesses. With around 40 years of experience, Safari Group has been a lead player in the Saudi market. Safari is a Tier 1 FM and Construction company with a presence throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Any company that would like to adopt the power of digitalisation in Facility Management should contact Safari Group at info@safari.com.sa
About HITEK
HITEK Services is a part of Farnek Group, a leading industry expert with over 40 years of technical expertise and operational experience in Facilities Management, Hospitality, and Technology Infrastructure. Our broad range of intelligent applications is a result of people, processes, and technology empowering our customers with digital, business, and technological transformation. Our solutions are aimed at complementing leaner and more sustainable operational processes that increase productivity and reduce energy consumption.
Any FM Company would like to adapt the power of digitalization, can contact HITEK Services on info@hitekservices.com
About Farnek:
Farnek is the leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven Facilities Management in the United Arab Emirates. Established in the UAE since 1980, Farnek Services LLC is a Swiss-owned independent total facilities management company. With a skilled workforce of more than 8,000 employees, Farnek delivers professional Facilities Management services across several sectors: Aviation, Hospitality, Banking, Retail, Telecom, Residential, Commercial, Infrastructure, Government, Education, Leisure, and Entertainment.