Viking Gulf 25 years

SPECIALREPORT

GLORIOUS YEARS

Celebrating 25 years

SPECIAL REPORT APRIL 22, 2012

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor Patrick Michael Supplements Editor Suchitra Steven Samuel Reporter Farhana Chowdhury

25th Anniversary

PRODUCTION

Designers Mohammad Ejaz Khan Sidharthan Imaging Venugopal Prabhu

ADVERTISING

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CONTENTS Growing stronger as the years pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Solution provider to the cleaning industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gulf Anbar in Oman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A memorable journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A portfolio of consistency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The future beckons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hako and Viking — a long-term relationship going strong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Vectair and Viking — a flourishing partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Testimonials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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India Mediascope Publicitas, 51 Doli Chamber, Colaba, Mumbai 400005 Tel: +91 22 613 77400 Fax: +91 22 22875718 E-mail: representations@publicitas.com Pakistan Millennium Media, Karachi Tel: +92-21-5480795 Fax: +92-21-5870242 Email: tauqeermuhajir@gmail.com England: 47, Great Cumberland Place, LondonW1H7 LH Tel: +44 20 7723 5083 Fax: +44 20 7706 4157 A Publication of Galadari Printing&Publishing L.L.C. SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012 | 03

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Growing stronger as the years pass Viking Gulf’s Chairman Imad Mahaini shares his perspective and hope for the company’s growth and future

W

hen I established Viking Gulf 25 years ago, I was inspired by the late Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s vision of making Dubai the commercial hub of the Middle East like Hong Kong in the Far East. I am glad I am still here to see that Dubai has achieved more than that vision and am honoured to have been part of that process. The business friendly and positive environment here has aided in the success and growth of Viking Gulf and personally the journey has been wonderful and rewarding.

I chose the name, Viking Gulf, to symbolise my link to Denmark from where I came to start my business and imbue it with both Danish and Arab culture. I was also one of the organisers of the official delegations from Denmark and a member of the Board of Directors of the OPEC and Middle East Club which is under the Federation of Industry in Denmark and played a major role in promoting business opportunities in the Middle East and vice versa.

Now as we complete 25 years of operations as Viking Gulf, we have strengthened our market position and become one of the largest providers of high quality European and American brands of cleaning equipment, and hygiene products for the cleaning industry. And for this I want to thank our dedicated employees, professional suppliers and of course our customers, who have partnered with us in our successful journey through the years.

The employees of Viking Gulf believe in the company vision of being a one-stop-solution provider for customers and work towards it responsibly. And we do our best to provide avenues through training and interactive meetings for the development of our staff, both professionally and personally. We are proud and pleased that our employees enhance our corporate identity through their dedication to their work and service to our customers.

Viking Gulf has experienced steady growth in the past 25 years and I am happy to continue to lead us into yet another phase of development and expansion. While consolidating our position in the market as a successful local company, we also want to be a regional market leader in the products that we represent. From our offices in Kuwait and Oman and a new one soon opening in Qatar we hope to cover the entire Gulf region in the coming years. We will continue to be a solution provider to our customers, introduce new technology and be part of the development of Dubai and the UAE in particular and the Gulf region.

Sincerely, Imad Mahaini Chairman, Viking Gulf

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SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012

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PRESENT STORY

Solution provider to the cleaning industry With a revamped identity, Viking Gulf continues to charge forward to be one of the best in the hygiene and cleaning industry

Henrik Mahaini, Chief Operations Officer of Viking Gulf

“W

e have become Viking Gulf from Viking Gulf Trading, which was our earlier name even though we thought of ourselves always as Viking Gulf. Moreover, we are not traders but solution providers to the cleaning industry,” informs Henrik Mahaini, Chief Operations Officer of Viking Gulf.

The new name is supported by a new logo of a stylised but simple V in its signature blue Viking colours.

“We wanted a logo that symbolises the Scandinavian simplicity and is modern. This one, which we chose from about 25 designs, has those qualities. This is also part of the rebranding process that Viking has embarked on since late 2011,” he explains.

The new logo is emblazoned on the Viking Gulf board on the main office building of the large new premises in Dubai Investment Park. This facility is about 19,000 square feet consisting of an office, a large warehouse and well-equipped workshop. From here Viking management and employees work together to be a reliable solution provider to all their customers in the UAE and the region.

The business

We have the full range of Viking Gulf products available in Oman and Kuwait too and we support those offices from here when necessary

HenrikMahaini

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Viking imports cleaning equipment and hygiene products from Europe and the US and supplies them across the GCC region from the headquarters in Dubai and branch offices in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Oman.

The company is in the process of setting up an office in Qatar to further its reach into the re-

gion.

“We cover the whole of the UAE through the two offices here and our sales personnel are on the move most of the time meeting customers and enhancing sales. We have the full range of Viking Gulf products available in Oman and Kuwait too and we support those offices from here also when necessary,” explains Henrik, who joined Viking in 2005 and has been a big influence in the development of the company since then. He helped set up the sales infrastructure in all the countries Viking operates. He was actively involved in setting up the office in 2007 in Muscat as Gulf Anbar Trading and is now working to get that office also renamed and rebranded to Viking Gulf as the rest of the offices.

About 70 people work in Viking Gulf in the whole region.

The sales force of about 15 people spread over the region is knowledgeable, well trained and up-to-date in all the products and in constant contact with the customers. They work closely with customers to understand their needs and the environment where the equipment will work and suggest the most suitable solution.

They also arrange for demonstrations of equipment or machine on customer site so that it can be seen in action before the customer commits to procure it.

Viking is particular about keeping to delivery dates. “It is very rare that we are late in delivery as we give our customers only realistic delivery time frames. But in emergency situations we have airlifted equipment and given very speedy delivery to our customers. This

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PRESENT STORY

CHOOSE THE BEST!

PRESENT STORY

Carsten Mahaini, Chief Executive Officer of Viking Gulf

We spent a significant amount of money to upgrade the system with necessary hardware and software. It is robust and scalable and very secure with full back up. I think it is a great investment and makes us ready to take on the future with confidence

CarstenMahaini

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SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012

is yet another evidence of our partnership with our customers as well as our suppliers,” says Henrik.

With the support of their suppliers for on-time deliveries as well as training, Viking has been able to provide excellent service back up for all the hygiene and cleaning equipment that it markets. Service is a number one priority for Viking and its high quality products come with full service support. Suppliers of machines train the technicians and engineers at Viking to repair and maintain all their equipment.

Some suppliers even provide customer training on site in addition to training of Viking personnel.

The sterling quality of Viking products and service has resulted happily for Viking in the continued trust and appreciation of its customers, many of whom have been dealing with it for over 20 years.

“Our customers, especially those who have 24/7 operations prefer to buy our quality products and be worry-free than buy cheap products of lesser quality that might have more frequent breakdowns.

They also appreciate the service we provide. We stand for quality and we take it very seriously,” emphasises Henrik.

It was this drive for quality in all aspects of its operations that brought in the revamping and updating of the Viking Gulf website two years ago to

reflect the modern outlook of the company. Visitors to the website www.vikinggulf.com get all information about Viking products and services.

Existing Viking customers can examine the product portfolio and remain updated.

While the website has aided immensely in the sales efforts of the company bringing in a sizeable number of enquiries, the up-to-date Information Technology (IT) infrastructure that Viking has set up enables all branch offices to be linked to the main server in Dubai.

There are systems in place to keep track of all the machines sold in different locations, when and what maintenance they need, etc.

Information Technology The Viking headquarters in Dubai has set up a very efficient IT infrastructure for the use of personnel here as well as the satellite offices. “We spent a significant amount of money to upgrade the system with necessary hardware and software. It is robust and scalable and very secure with full back up. I think it is a great investment and makes us ready to take on the future with confidence,” says Carsten Mahaini, Chief Executive Officer of Viking Gulf, who has been the driving force to propel Viking into the modern era with the appropriate IT solutions.

Gulf Anbar in Oman Hako and Powerboss machines have quickly become the most successful products that Gulf Anbar markets Viking Gulf has been operating marketing, sales and service branch since April 2007 in Muscat, Oman, under the name of Gulf Anbar Trading. This company markets the complete range of Viking’s portfolio of cleaning equipment ranging from industrial vacuum cleaners and single disc machines from Cleanfix, to walk-behind scrubber-driers, ride-on scrubber driers, and sweepers from Hako, road sweepers from Powerboss and heavy-duty pressure washers from Oertzen. It also supplies the complete range of washroom accessories from Vectair and washroom and kitchen paper products from Georgia Pacific.

Hako and Powerboss machines have quickly become the most successful products that Gulf Anbar markets. Major customers of these products include palaces, hotels, malls and hypermarkets, mosques, a cement factory and the new Royal Opera House. Most of the leading hotels in Oman use the washroom range of products. Cleaning contractors make

up the rest of the client base.

“Oman is developing at a steady pace with several projects in construction or planning stages such as the expansion of Muscat International Airport, the new Salalah airport as well as new airports planned at Sohar and Duqm. These and more hotels coming up augur well for cleaning equipment suppliers like us.

Our key to development in this market is to increase our sales force to penetrate the market,” says Vinod Mathummal, Sales Manager of Gulf Anbar Trading in Muscat.

Mathummal has been with the company for the last five years but wishes he had worked at Viking Gulf in Dubai during all his 20 years in the cleaning industry. He declares, “I am sure it is not just I but the entire Viking workforce that feels fortunate to be employed at Viking Gulf. The Mahainis follow a company philosophy based on encouragement, positive thinking, transparency, trust and respect for employees and co-workers along with good human values. This motivates all employees like me to work harder and bring laurels to the organisation. I speak for all my colleagues when I say that I am delighted and proud to celebrate the 25th anniversary and there is no doubt that Viking will definitely be even more successful when it celebrates 50 years.”

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PRESENT STORY

The system connects the different departments and keeps track of all the machines, their location, service and maintenance records, and everything that a sales or service personnel of Viking needs to know. It is extremely user friendly and rarely breaks down. If a break down does occur at any time, a back up system takes over within five minutes. Users, therefore, do not experience a noticeable delay in accessing the information they need any time.

Users also do not experience any difficulty in getting the information they want wherever they are.

Sales personnel in the satellite offices in Oman, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi can access information and services from the company when they log on to the central server in Dubai. Everything is centralised and they get all the information they need through one portal. Employees of Viking appreciate and value the flexibility, as they can do their work from anywhere. The system is also capable of coping with more additions of users and services.

The company website is updated quite regularly and serves as a kind of library which allows the user to download any information he/she wants. It has made Viking Gulf transparent to customers and accessible to them even during off hours and holidays. Whenever there are requests for more information a Viking personnel gets back to the enquirer as soon as possible, thereby making the best use of technology to accelerate growth.

“The development of a dependable and strong IT infrastructure is also part of our growth as a company. This helps us grow professionally and be as transparent as possible to our customers while making us stand out from the competition. It also allows us to be self-sufficient and ready for further growth and face any eventuality that arises,” says Carsten.

HISTORY

A memorable journey A walk down memory lane from Viking Gulfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humble beginnings to its present booming business

Ibrahim Zainieh 10 |

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Latha Krishnan

I

n 1982 when Imad Mahaini supplied Etisalat in the UAE with submarine fibre optic cables that connected the offshore islands with the mainland of the UAE, he hoped to continue to engage in business in the country.

Viking Gulf Trading was later born out of that hope.

Even now, Imadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company continues to do substantial business in the telecom industry in the UAE especially in the quality control of the network nationwide and also enjoys a warm business relationship with Mobily, a subsidiary of Etisalat in Saudi Arabia.

As one of the organisers of business delegations from Denmark to Dubai, to promote business in both countries Imad travelled between Denmark and the UAE. It was in 1987 that his wish of establishing a business in the UAE came to fruition. He bought

one of the small companies that he was dealing with to market the Katrin brand of high quality paper products and set up a new entity called Viking Gulf Trading with the help of Ibrahim Zainieh, whom he had met and befriended in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Zainieh, whom Imad describes as another founding father of Viking, worked as Administration Manager then and continues to be in charge of Human Resources, Procurement and Administration. Back in 1987, Imad and Zainieh together rented a small office in Al Rigga Street in Dubai for Viking and conducted both the telecom and cleaning paper business from there.

Previously, there had been very little supply of professional paper products in the UAE but as Viking quickly learned, there was a great demand and Katrin became one of the leading paper brands in the country. However, Viking

continued with more paper and other cleaning products.

Monitoring the market place and the speedy progress the country was going through, Imad decided to embark on a growth strategy to make Viking a one-stop solution provider. He realised that the continuous growth of the business required a complete high quality product range to professionally serve the expanding and much demanding cleaning industry. So in 1992, he began to implement his strategy with importing and marketing equipment from Hako, a well-known, world-leading German manufacturer of high quality cleaning machines for both indoor and outdoor use.

With the coming of Hako and Viking getting orders for the machines, more people, like technicians, joined the company to provide the after sales service for the Hako machines they sold in the UAE. “Our first major order and break-through with Hako was the sale of four big cleaning machines to ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) in Ruwais. And we were very excited at getting it,” reminisces Imad and Zainieh.

The increase in employees and products increased the need for space too and in 1994 Viking moved to bigger premises in the Al Qubaisi district of Dubai where it had a showroom, workshop and warehouse. In 2000, Viking moved from there to Ras Al Khor where a bigger workshop could also be established to cater to the servicing of all equipment. Imad continued to search the world markets for the best suited products and equipment and successfully obtained and included them in the Viking portfolio at regular intervals.

“We took the liberty to move along with the market.

We concentrated on the cleaning industry in the industrial market. Our approach to the market also changed. From just a supplier we went on to become a partner and a one-

By mid-2011, the Viking facility at Ras Al Khor was proving too cramped to house the various products, employees and workshop. After much searching in various areas of Dubai, Imad and his sons zeroed in on the present Viking Gulf facility in Dubai Investment Park. The company moved to this premises in January 2012

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HISTORY

When we chose a product, we study it very well, then decide to go into a partnership with the manufacturers first, and when we sell that product to our customers, we establish a partnership with them too. Also, we never make empty promises to our customers, which is another reason that they trust us

ImadMahaini

All of us at Viking are very happy and proud that we have reached this milestone when completing 25 years and hope the success of our company to continue for years to come

stop solution provider for our customers. Many of our longstanding customers became and still are our partners and so did suppliers. When we chose a product, we study it very well, then decide to go into a partnership with the manufacturers first, and when we sell that product to our customers, we establish a partnership with them too.

Also, we never make empty promises to our customers, which is another reason that they trust us,” explains Imad.

By 2002 and 2005 both his sons, Henrik and Carsten Ma-

IbrahimZainieh

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haini, completed their education in Denmark and joined him in Viking Gulf as Chief Operations Officer and Chief Executive Officer, respectively. With their knowledge, youth, enthusiasm and modern thinking both Henrik and Carsten continued the constant focus on product portfolio, new innovations and technologies and streamlined the operations and systems to make Viking Gulf one of the leading suppliers to the professional cleaning industry consisting of cleaning contractors, governmental bod-

ies, royal palaces, municipalities, airports, hospitals, hotels, restaurants and all industrial sectors.

Viking set up sales offices in Oman and Kuwait to serve those markets with its high quality products. Viking hygiene products and cleaning chemicals became one division, and cleaning equipment another to ease operations.

Today, the product portfolio has come to include a wide range of products in both divisions.

Along the way Viking received many awards from Dubai Municipality, Dubai Civil Aviation, and the Road and Transport Authority in Dubai for its products, reliable services and on-time delivery.

“We have a very good relationship with the municipalities in Ajman, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah too. Our technicians have received awards from our major customers for their performance.

We are very proud of such employees, who have performed their duties so well that a customer awards them,” says Imad.

By mid-2011, the Viking fa-

cility at Ras Al Khor was proving too cramped to house the various products, employees and workshop. After much searching in various areas of Dubai, Imad and his sons zeroed in on the present Viking Gulf facility in Dubai Investment Park. The company moved to this premises in January 2012.

“We have always moved when we outgrew an office and we did the same this year too. When we first moved to Ras Al Khor it was much larg-

Our first major order and breakthrough with Hako was the sale of four big cleaning machines to ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) in Ruwais.

And we were very excited at getting it ImadandZainieh

er than what we needed and now this one is larger than we need and is equipped to take in our future development also. All of us at Viking are very happy and proud that we have reached this milestone when completing 25 years and hope the success of our company to continue for years to come,” says Zainieh.

Imad affirms, “Our business growth has been steady.

Now we have workshop, store and offices all under one roof with a new logo and branding.

My sons and I want to continue to grow the company for and with all our employees in a congenial environment. The three of us have a combination of qualifications amongst us and decide on the progress of the company together and that has also been strength to me in the growth of the company.”

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PRODUCT PROFILE

A portfolio of consistency Viking Gulf markets trustworthy and reliable brands of cleaning products and equipment as well as top-notch services that exceed clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expectations

When our clients want to treat their customers well and keep their premises hygienic, they use our quality products and services

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Latha Krishnan

Viking Hygiene

T

Air fresheners, chemical dosing units for the water closet, toilet seat sanitisers, hand sanitisers, tissue paper dispensers with high quality paper of global brands like Katrin, Lotus and Georgia Pacific from Viking are all gracing the environs of various peopletraffic intensive places like banks, malls, airports, etc. Viking started marketing of fem bins for ladies when it provided them in Mirdif City Centre two years ago. Trained women staff members change all the bins as per schedule. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When our clients want to treat their customers well and keep their premises hygienic, they use our quality products and services. We are only too happy to provide both and our excellent service definitely makes us stand out from the competition. We provide cus-

he product portfolio of Viking Gulf is divided into the two main divisions of hygiene products and cleaning equipment.

Viking Hygiene consists of a range of air care, paper products, soaps and sanitisers, fem care, baby care and insect traps, as well as a range of cleaning and hygiene chemicals for housekeeping, janitorial, kitchen hygiene and industrial uses.

The Cleaning Equipment division includes a wide range of equipment including industrial vacuum cleaners and single disc machines, walk-behind scrubber-driers, ride-on scrubber driers, sweepers, runway sweepers, road sweepers and high-pressure washers.

tomers with consumables such as paper and chemicals for care and sanitisation, which we replenish regularly following their service contract with us,â&#x20AC;? informs Vibhro Prakash, sales manager of Viking Gulf in the UAE.

Cleaning and hygiene chemicals Viking offers a range of about 40 different high quality chemicals for kitchen, industry, general cleaning, house keeping, laundry, floor-care, washroom hygiene, etc. Ishtiaq Malik, sales manager of the hospitality division, is in charge of the marketing of the different types of these chemicals, which are mainly used in restaurants and hotels around the UAE. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Baskin Robbins uses our Evans Vanodine sanitisers,

SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012

PRODUCT PROFILE

The company maintains the high standard of quality and Viking has been very successful distributing Evans Vanodine here in the UAE. All EV chemicals are high in quality and biodegradable causing Dubai Municipality to certify their usage in different venues in the city

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floor-care chemicals, disinfectants, general cleaning chemicals including antibacterial hand soaps in 136 of their outlets. Several hotels in the country have also bought all or some of these from us. Private catering companies in Abu Dhabi are also our clients for different chemicals,â&#x20AC;? informs Malik.

The leading chemicals brand that Viking markets is Evans Vanodine (EV) from the UK, which has been manufacturing cleaning and hygiene chemicals since 1917. The EV laboratory was the first government-accredited laboratory for testing disinfectants in the UK. The company maintains the high standard of quality and Viking has been very successful distributing EV here in the UAE. All EV chemicals are high in quality and biodegradable causing Dubai Municipality to certify their usage in different venues in the city.

Customers buying the chemicals for use in their premises are assured of regular supply as per their contracts and get dosing systems and dispensers wherever necessary, Viking service technicians also ensure that the dispensers work efficiently and that the concentrated chemicals are mixed with water in the right proportion to provide the ideal cleaning and hygiene solution for the intended purpose.

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Cleaning equipment The main brands of cleaning equipment that Viking markets include Hako, Powerboss of the Hako group, Cleanfix, TYMCO and Oertzen. Hako and Powerboss range of large

cleaning machines take care of most indoor and outdoor cleaning. TYMCO products complement the Hako range, as they are larger machines like road sweepers that can clean roads, runways and roads within gated communities and popular with municipalities. Oertzen high-pressure pumps enable intensive cleaning of large vehicles and other washable surfaces.

Customers using Hako machines for cleaning are satisfied with their performance

and cost effectiveness due to low maintenance cost. Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 has 29 Hako scrubber/ driers cleaning the terminal.

Viking has trained and certified the operators of the machines ensuring that they are used properly and efficiently. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The complete range of Hako cleaning machines is userfriendly as well as environment friendly as the water is used economically. If anything does go wrong, the display panel on the machine tells the operator where the problem lies allowing him to inform the service engineer about it and get it repaired quickly,â&#x20AC;? informs Prakash.

Viking targets industrial sectors like ready-mix concrete manufacturing companies and government departments that use heavy machinery and vehicles to provide Oertzen high-pressure pumps to clean such vehicles.

The Road and Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA) is a major and valuable client of Viking as they use these Oertzen pumps to wash their fleet of

The complete range of Hako cleaning machines is user-friendly as well as environment friendly as the water is used economically.

If anything does go wrong, the display panel on the machine tells the operator where the problem lies allowing him to inform the service engineer about it and get it repaired quickly

VibhroPrakash

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PRODUCT PRFILE buses. Prakash elucidates further, “The Oertzen machines are designed in such a way that the chemicals do not have access to the pump and last longer. They are of high quality and can work without a break, and the crankshaft pump allows for continuous use as opposed to the usual axel piston pumps.”

For cleaning locations ranging from large public areas like malls and hotels to smaller buildings, Viking provides a wide range of janitorial trolleys and microfibre cleaning equipment ideally suited to clean a variety of surfaces.

The VDM MX series is Viking’s best-selling cleaning trolley. It is a closed trolley and keeps garbage and other unwanted items away from the eye of the public. It is ideal for shopping malls, hotel lobbies, and other such vast areas, as its large castor wheels make it easy to manoeuvre and turn. It can also conveniently hold all items needed for cleaning floors, glass, etc.

The Ideabase series of trolleys are a good economical alternative for a long lasting trolley. Its modular structure serves as a strong and solid base and it can be modularised to fit all applications.

Complementing the range

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SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012

of cleaning trolleys, there is also a wide variety of janitorial equipment ranging from mops and buckets to squeegees and microfibre products.

TYMCO brand of American regenerative air sweepers for roads came to the UAE when

Viking brought it here a couple of years ago to complement their Hako range of cleaning machines. They come in various sizes with the largest being of around five cubic metres and the regenerative air system technology that TYM-

CO applies is such that there is no dust in the ambience when it is in operation. Viking has supplied these road sweepers to Ajman Municipality and Ras Al Khaimah.

Whatever equipment Viking sells, the company trains the operators to use the equipment properly. “In one case we trained 500 people in one organisation to use our equipment. All the guys operating the cleaning machines have laminated certificates as evidence of their passing the training. We also monitor and update the training to ensure that the person is operating the machine in the correct manner. We contact our customers to keep track of our machines and the training of operators. We train all users including janitors who use our products for cleaning,” informs Prakash.

Workshop Eduardo Fabro, the workshop in-charge at Viking Gulf, joined the company in 1996 when the workshop was set up to service and maintain Hako cleaning machines. Trained in Germany to maintain Hako machines, Oertzen pumps and TYMCO in Texas, US, Fabro in turn trains new workers and updates the training of older workers as new technologies of the machines are introduced. He demonstrates the different technical details, dismantling and repairing procedures for the machines.

Many machines are serviced at their sites and only in the event of major work the machines are brought to the workshop. Viking technicians carry out maintenance procedures for all machines as per the schedule in the service contract.

The present workshop is the biggest yet for Viking Gulf. There is enough space and modern equipment to aid workshop personnel to conduct their repairs and maintenance of machines efficiently. “We have all the safety gadgets in place when we work and we strictly follow all safety procedures during our work,” informs Fabro.

There are about eight staff members for the workshop including him and a service coordinator to attend calls. Fabro says, “I have been working for a long time here and I am happy with my work and how I am treated in Viking. There have been instances when my and my team members’ work has been recognised by customers and commended for excellence. We are a good team of workers and look forward to better success for the company and increase in our work along with improvements in the workshop facilities.”

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PARTNERSHIPS

The future beckons

Viking Gulf incorporates the latest technology to ensure cleanliness

Latha Krishnan

V

iking Gulf is working to grow further vertically with new products and additions to its portfolio to underline its one-stop-shop concept to customers and horizontally to expand into more geographic areas in the region.

“We are trying to cover the

whole spectrum of cleaning equipment and hygiene sectors and are now expanding into the waste management sector with waste bins, garbage trucks and refuse vehicles already in our portfolio.

The immediate future will see us pushing forward the promotion of these products as well as the most recent cleaning equipment to join our range, TYMCO from the US,” informs Henrik Mahaini, COO.

Hako and Viking — a long-term relationship going strong The two organisations share deep bonds that started over 20 years ago and to this day, successfully maintain close professional ties with each other

T

he over two-decade long relationship between German manufacturer Hako and Viking Gulf began in 1992 when Imad Mahaini, Chairman of Viking Gulf, formally took up the sales of Hako cleaning machines in the UAE and the Gulf region.

The business developed step by step and today, the Hako product range that Viking supplies here extends from small walk-behind sweepers, scrubbers, vacuums and floor machines to large street sweeping machines. Two years ago, Viking also started successfully marketing another brand from the Hako Group, the US manufactured Powerboss range of cleaning machines in the Gulf region.

“Our relationship with Viking has been close and very professional since the beginning. We always treated each other with mutual respect and never wavered from the overall objective of growing together the cleaning equipment market 20 |

SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012

in the UAE. Even though there has been a generation change in Viking with Henrik and Carsten joining the company and a management change in Hako, the same professional relationship is going on strong and Hako is indeed very pleased with the relationship and the achieved growth and results in the UAE market,” says Preben Laustsen of Hako in Germany.

Congratulating Viking Gulf for completing 25 years in the business, Laustsen says, “We have talked and walked most of the past 25 years together.

Hako is as proud today as we were hopeful all those years ago when our relationship started. A silver jubilee is a significant milestone by any measure. Whilst this silver jubilee is a time to look back and thank every person who has participated, it’s also a celebrative milestone in the journey of our joint vision. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Viking going forward.”

A silver jubilee is a significant milestone by any measure. Whilst this silver jubilee is a time to look back and thank every person who has participated, it’s also a celebrative milestone in the journey of our joint vision. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Viking going forward

PrebenLaustsen

TYMCO machines use the latest technology of regenerative air to clean. This is by many considered to be the future in the cleaning industry and Viking places itself at the forefront of road cleaning technology with such a product. With minimum maintenance needed and large capacities, Viking expects great success with this product.

With products from Hako, TYMCO and many more, the

broad future strategy for Viking is to penetrate the markets of all the GCC countries.

“We have a lot of interesting things in the product pipeline as well as plans to add people and services. We want to continue the organic growth by always keeping to our vision and beliefs. While we cherish our achievements till now we want to continue to develop our business by

serving our customers in the best possible way,” affirms Carsten Mahaini, CEO. Imad Mahaini, Chairman adds, “Our dedicated employees have a big hand in our success till now. We want to continue giving them the family atmosphere and the freedom to work to the best of their potential. Even recently we witnessed their commitment to work when they worked all days of the week

during the transition period from Ras Al Khor to the new Dubai Investment Park office.

We are fortunate to have such sincere employees and we think they enjoy being at Viking too, as not a single one has left the company even though we have moved farther away from their residences. We want to assure them that we will continue to work for their and our success.”

Vectair and Viking — a flourishing partnership Vectair Systems has been assisting Viking Gulf in distribution not long after entering the UAE market in 2007

V

ectair Systems is a UK privately owned, award-winning manufacturer of “Away from Home” commercial washroom hygiene products. Established in 1988, Vectair Systems distributes to over 95 countries worldwide from its European headquarters in Basingstoke, UK. In 2007, the company opened Vectair Systems Inc. with headquarters in Memphis, US to service the North American market.

Vectair offers a world class range of co-ordinated hygiene equipment and consumables,

including automatic air fresheners, automatic toilet and urinal cleaning systems, air purifying machines, hand washing systems, sanitising dispensers, feminine hygiene products and baby changing stations.

In 2007, continuing with its focus and drive on exporting its products, Vectair entered the Arabian Gulf and the UAE region. Soon after that, the company entered into a distribution partnership with Viking Gulf.

“As family-owned businesses both companies share similar ethics and working practices. And from the beginning,

Vectair offers a world class range of co-ordinated hygiene equipment and consumables, including automatic air fresheners, automatic toilet and urinal cleaning systems, air purifying machines, hand washing systems, sanitising dispensers, feminine hygiene products and baby changing stations.

our relationship has flourished and consistently grown attaining a market leading status in the supply, installation and service of a comprehensive range of commercial washroom products. The combination of Vectair’s continued investment in the design and manufacture of innovative washroom solutions coupled with Viking Gulf ’s knowledge, experience and unsurpassed service in the region has created a winning combination,” declares Joe Ovenden, sales director of Vectair.

“2012 will see a number of new innovative product introductions from Vectair and our partnership with Viking Gulf will go from strength to strength in these exciting times. Vectair is absolutely delighted with the relationship with Viking Gulf and congratulate them on 25 years of great achievement and look forward to working closely with them to ensure continued success long into the future,” Ovenden adds.

Vectair is absolutely delighted with the relationship with Viking Gulf and congratulate them on 25 years of great achievement and look forward to working closely with them to ensure continued success long into the future

JoeOvenden

SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012 | 21

TESTIMONIALS

Clients express satisfaction as they recall past and present experiences with Viking Gulf I have known Viking Gulf for more than 16 years and have used their products and services in the companies I worked for during that time. Here at Dubai International Airport, we use cleaning equipment, machinery and washroom / hygiene products of various international brands that Viking provides. These range from window cleaning buckets to scrubber dryers and road sweeping machinery to washroom supplies and related services.

I am in charge of facility soft services at Dubai International Airport, which has been recognised as one of the premier international hubs, and it is of utmost importance that we operate with a business partner who can provide high quality products and services consistently and efficiently. Viking Gulf is just such a partner to us. In addition, the company has also been continuously enhancing its product lines.

Congratulations to Viking Gulf on their 25th anniversary! We look forward to further strengthen our business partnership in the coming years.”

— Dorothee Stein Head Facility Care, Engineering Servcies Facility Management, Dubai Airports

I have had a warm personal relationship with Viking Gulf for more than a decade and continue to work with them from Al Fajer SMS since the beginning of its establishment in 2006. Being in the contract cleaning business, it is vital that our suppliers are reliable, understand and uphold our philosophy of providing the best services on time, every time and efficient follow up. Viking is one of our major suppliers of cleaning machinery and equipment and related services. Products of Hako and Powerboss from Viking are very good indeed and they are made even better with the aftersales service that Viking provides us.

While congratulating them on their 25th anniversary, I urge Viking to use this milestone they have reached to review the market conditions, improve their services and develop their business further in the ever changing and demanding cleaning industry here.”

— Ravi Kumaar Business Development Manager, Al Fajer Security and Maintenance Services

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I have been dealing with Viking Gulf for the past seven years. They have a good range of quality cleaning products and we use almost all of them. We use Hako cleaning machines, VDM janitorial trolleys, Oertzen pressure washers, and washroom products.

They have been providing us excellent after sales service which has been a major factor in using their services repeatedly.

Congratulations to Viking Gulf on their 25th anniversary! I wish them many more years of success.”

— Jiji Francis Head of Cleaning Services Duserve Facility Management

GLORIOUS YEARS

Viking Gulf P.O. Box 12939 Dubai United Arab Emirates

Viking Gulf P.O. Box 42786 Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates

Tel: +971 4 2685000 Fax: +971 4 2685900 Email: info@vikinggulf.com

Tel: +971 2 6451711 Fax: +971 4 2685900 Email: info@vikinggulf.com

Gulf Anbar Trading Wadi Al Kabir Roundabout P.O. Box 530 Postal Code: 114 Muscat, Sultanate of Oman Tel: +968 2481 2640 Fax: +968 2481 2750 Email: info@vikinggulf.com

Viking Gulf P.O. Box 42346 70654 Shwaikh Kuwait Tel: +965 24844389 / 24848121 Fax: +965 24810197 Email: info@vikinggulf.com

www.vikinggulf.com

SPECIAL REPORT | APRIL 22, 2012