Achieves ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications
From skyscrapers to modern architectural marvels, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is well known for its larger-than-life developments and sprawling properties. And companies like Grako LLC, specializing in high level cleaning, are very much in demand. Established in 2004 during the real estate and tourism boom in the UAE, when the existing cleaning companies were not equipped to handle the needs of the high rise buildings that had to maintain certain standards in line with the government regulations, Grako grabbed the opportunity to become the first company in the region to introduce specialised cleaning services to asset and maintenance managers who were constantly facing challenges such as the weather and architectural restrictions brought on by design innovations. This is an exceptionally specialised area and requires special access machines and techniques which Grako provides to their clients, in line with the project requirements. Grako’s rope access procedures including the personnel working on them are certified by IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association), an international body controlling all regulation and standards for rope access companies. |
 Alain S.El-Tawil,
Head of Sales and Marketing and Managing Partner, Grako
|
.jpg) Burj Khalifa - External high level glass cleaning (rope access and pressure washing)
|
The company has achieved global industry certifications such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. “We plan to continue our investment in our people, operations and certification, and hopefully by next year, we will aim for ISO 18001, bringing the best of international standards and practices to the Middle East,” says Alain S El-Tawil, head of sales and marketing, and managing partner of Grako LLC, Dubai, in an interview with Clean Middle East.
|
Burj Khalifa - External high level glass cleaning (Access machine)
| Grako added another feather to its cap when it was declared the ‘Cleaning Company of the year 2011’ at the Middle East FM Awards. “This is one of the greatest achievements and recognition by the industry which we have received to date. We are very proud of the tremendous effort and dedication of our operations and management team and we are grateful to all the customers who put their trust in us,” El-Tawil comments on the achievement. What distinguishes Grako from other service providers is that “we continuously innovate in our offering and delivery and are customer-focused. We take a consulting and solution based approach to the business and we do not compromise on quality. Most importantly, we have the ability to successfully manage highly complex projects for clients, such as the Burj Khalifa, Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Mall among others,” he adds. |
 The Dubai Mall - External high level cleaning
|
Boulevard Plaza - External high level glass cleaning - (Rope access)
Being a total solution provider for all types of high level access cleaning Grako uses state-of-the-art machinery and technology to achieve the desired results. There is an internal and external high level cleaning division as well as specialised rope access division certified by IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association). Talking about their operations and equipment used, El-Tawil says, “One of the main techniques Grako uses in high level access cleaning is the rope access, which we are continuously improving on with the use of new methods. We have the access machines, BMU techniques, pure water pole system, and we use green chemicals and green products.” |
 |
Current projects and new developments
Grako’s impressive repertoire of clients includes The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building, the Dubai World Trade Centre, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdiff City Centre, The Address Hotels + Resorts, ADFC (Abu Dhabi Financial Centre) in Sowwah Island, and Marina Square in Reem Island, among others. El-Tawil comments, “We are working on some of the most challenging projects in the region. This demands continuous creativity and evolving techniques.”
The Dubai Mall - Internal high level cleaning (access machine)
“The Dubai Mall, one of the world’s largest shopping malls, is among our latest projects. This is such a huge property with so many areas of attraction, with people around most of the time and so many different types of facades, that cleaning and maintaining it within the given timeframe is a challenge. We have to be very smart in the way we allocate the staff, the type of equipment we use, how we allocate the equipment, what type of chemicals we use, etc. We believe management and allocation of the right personnel to the right task is the secret of our success,” he says. Grako provides additional services such as mechanical, electrical and plumbing in areas that require rope access. They also do car park cleaning for the malls they are involved in and the Dubai World Trade Centre.
 |
 |
Mirdiff City Centre - Internal high level cleaning
Operational challenges Pointing out the challenges in operating effectively, El-Tawil notes access and managing timelines as the main issues. According to him, one of the most challenging aspects in the region’s high-level cleaning is finding solutions when a building’s structure does not provide the required support for rope access.
“Architects design enormous and complex structures that look really impressive, but they don’t consider the access and maintenance aspects. Each building comes with different surfaces such as glass facades and accessing these properties at heights are no longer straightforward and direct. So maintaining them becomes difficult and we have to use different techniques to reach the difficult areas to be able to clean or maintain them. Points for access at heights need to be considered right from the conceptualisation stage of a project, so as to enable cleaning and maintenance specialists to incorporate various access systems into the building,” he recommends.
“Architects design enormous and complex structures that look really impressive, but they don’t consider the access and maintenance aspects. Each building comes with different surfaces such as glass facades and accessing these properties at heights are no longer straightforward and direct. So maintaining them becomes difficult and we have to use different techniques to reach the difficult areas to be able to clean or maintain them. Points for access at heights need to be considered right from the conceptualisation stage of a project, so as to enable cleaning and maintenance specialists to incorporate various access systems into the building,” he recommends.
Mall of the Emirates - External cleaning of dome and facade cleaning
El-Tawil is very enthusiastic when he mentions Burj Khalifa, which is not surprising, considering the fact that it is the world’s tallest tower. But again, cleaning the towering building at a height of 828 metres is a challenging task, he admits. “Right equipment and cleaning techniques are required. The tower is like an inverted flower and it is not easy cleaning it. Again, there are restrictions in timings allocated for cleaning and since there are a lot of VIPs in the building we have to work around that. The routine varies from one floor to another based on various factors.”
Opportunities and challenges in the region
Reflecting on the opportunities that come with the challenges, El-Tawil says: “The risks and challenges involved in executing cleaning and maintenance projects at record heights are the cornerstone for Grako’s opportunities in the industry. Moreover, the professionalism and equipment required for this kind of work calls for high capital investment, making it difficult for companies to enter this area of operation. Thus Grako plays a key role in the cleaning and FM industry through its high-access solutions in areas that others cannot reach.”
“Grako is continuously evolving and seeking new techniques and innovation. As the region’s skyline and architecture grows, the opportunity grows with it,” he observes. But there are challenges in the region as well. “Clients demand the highest standards at cost effective prices and there is the continuous challenge of recruiting and training staff since we are a services company, and it’s all about the people.”
The Address - External high level glass cleaning (using BMU System)
The Address - External high level glass cleaning (using BMU System)
Training, health and safety
High level rope access cleaning is a high-risk task, so safety becomes a priority and training and certification is a must. All the rope access technicians of Grako follow strict IRATA guidelines while working and all rope access equipment are visually checked and inspected prior to use for safety assurance. In addition, there is on-site monitoring by HSC officers and other experts to ensure that procedures are strictly followed.
Providing insights into the aspects of training, he says, “Our workers are IRATA certified professionals who go through a very long training process. A candidate should be fit, have a basic knowledge of English and most importantly, should not be scared of heights. We provide our own training document to our staff in addition to the must-have IRATA certification training and requirements. All our cradle operators are certified, and the access machine operators are certified by IPAF on the machine that they are using.”
Rope access training underway
Rope access training underway
Expansion and areas of focus
“We are expanding into Abu Dhabi and Qatar this year and one thing that is challenging is the business setup and paperwork that is required,” says El-Tawil.
The top priorities in the coming year for this dynamic leader include managing the growth and expansions. He says, “In rope access it is important to update our staff regularly on the new systems that are being introduced in the market.”
Another major aim is to expand the “Go Green initiative” in the use of chemicals and machines. “Right from our office all the way to executing it on site, we are trying to go green. In our office and the staff camp, we try to be environment-friendly in every possible manner.”
So is this market mature in terms of FM? El-Tawil does not think so. “In my view the FM market is still in its early days and will continue to evolve and grow with the region and its requirements,” he concludes.
