Operating from its Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices, UAE-based INMA - Gulf Development & Construction LLC supplies the country with equipment for the oil and gas, construction and industrial sectors.

Established in 1972, the firm's corporate goal was to meet the demand for quality equipment in the these sectors through the supply of internationally recognised brands. The local component of these technical services and aftermarket spares would also offered by INMA, as would be after sales support, spare parts and ready on-call local availability of these services.

Ten years later, having established its presence in the market, INMA struck up a partnership with compressed air, construction and mining equipment provider Atlas Copco AB of Sweden. The partnership proved to be a fruitful one for INMA and it heralded the birth of other partnerships.

For the oil and gas sector, Atlas Copco has also developed products for instrument air applications, one of the most popular being the company's Z compressors. Oil-injected compressors were also manufactured. INMA markets both types while providing after sales support to more than 1500 units operating in the field today. Atlas Copco-produced portable diesel engine driven compressors for operating pneumatic tools and other accessories are also much sought after. Recently, the newly extended range of Diesel Gensets have also begun making a mark for themselves, according to INMA

''First priority is always given to the customer's needs at both INMA and Atlas Copco,'' says Samir Aweidah, managing director of INMA. ''That is why we have a long list of loyal and repeat clients today. When the client senses that we are offering solutions instead of a mere product, he becomes interested and prefers dealing with INMA.''

Atlas supplies INMA with products whose uses range from the needs of bottling mineral water plants, quarries blasting rock and sizing them and municipalities carrying out repair works in tight, time-scheduled, projects. Atlas Copco provides the product; INMA supplies it.

In addition to the partnership forged with Atlas Copco, INMA has also struck alliances with companies such as Alimak, Sweden (permanent hoists for oil platforms), Liebherr, Germany (tower cranes), Haulotte, France (access platforms), Hatz, Germany (diesel engines and light gensets), Flygt, Sweden (submersible pumps and mud mixers) and Jungheinrich, Germany (lift trucks and warehouse material handling systems).

INMA represents all these manufacturers, ensuring a constant level of available stock to meet emergency demands.

''Our careful selection of serious manufacturers and quality products has obviously been an important factor for the wide acceptability we have in the local market today. And added to that, we have always believed in adding value locally through our facilities and efforts. This combination has worked well for us right from the beginning,'' says Aweidah.

For the road construction sector, Swedish equipment from Sandvik can be procured for use in quarries, while road rollers, asphalt pavers and planers can be supplied from Dynapac, also from Sweden. From the UK, Phoenix supplies bitumen sprayers and Thwaites provides site dumpers. For the construction sector concrete, central mixing plants and truck mixers are manufactured by Stetter, in Germany.