Leading manufacturer offers data centre solutions that fit seamlessly into existing infrastructure without compromising on quality

March 31, 2011

Overall economic growth in the MENA region will be stimulated by the growth in data centre infrastructure development, according to Tripp Lite, a world leading manufacturer of power protection and connectivity. The announcement complements a research report prepared by Tariff Consultancy Ltd. (TCL), a new consultancy firm focused on pricing and tariff research, analysis and consultancy across mobile operator businesses internationally, projecting floor data centre space in Africa & the Middle East is set to rise year-on-year across the 15 countries by an average of 13 per cent from the end of 2010 to 2015. Targeting this growth, Tripp Lite has announced the availability of a growing line of products and solutions that have been designed to answer the challenges of the region’s move towards improved power connectivity and protection; incorporating newer models with high-density and in-rack cooling features.

At present, the total amount of data centre space in the Middle East is limited as compared to other established regions of the world with similar populations - with relatively low space per facility. The new data centre build outs that are planned hold the prospect of reducing the gap with the introduction of more independent third party space. In the Middle East region, users still find it convenient to place their IT-content in-house. Industry experts are positive that the need to develop more data centres will be accompanied with an increased demand for more space - allowing Tripp Lite to promote the use of an open system modular design and give clients the ability to choose the sectors they wish to update or improve with its solutions. Further, with Tripp Lite, companies can significantly optimize costs, since they can start by taking advantage of the resources they already have available within their current IT infrastructure.

“The Middle East region is fast becoming a global hub for IT and telecommunications with key countries like the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia infusing investments in the development of more data centre and telecommunication facilities,” said Vipin Sharma, Vice President of EMEA & India Sales, Tripp Lite. “The set-up of more data centre infrastructure is a key solution to help drive in more economic growth in the region and Tripp Lite is ready to provide leading businesses and enterprises with the much needed products and services that can help them move forward.”
 
The data centre is becoming a critical part of IT development in the region, as it is a key component in attracting local and global investment from the IP, telecoms, hosting, integrator, BPO and IT outsourcing sectors. New investments taking place from all of these sectors are seen as being a key part of modernising and diversifying the economies across the region. Tripp Lite solutions cater to a data centre as small as a remote closet to a full-fledged modern data centre facility. The company offers integrated solutions using efficient, modular & hot swappable UPS’s, intelligent power distribution units, network management tools like KVM, IP console servers etc; cable & connectivity products; racks and cooling solutions.

“We are looking forward to a vibrant 2011 - complemented by the launch and introduction of more products and services that have been carefully designed for today’s businesses and enterprises. We will be leveraging our stronger presence in the Middle East with our continued commitment to invest and implement key strategic projects and solutions that can help both the private and public sector in their drive towards more growth and development,” concluded Sharma.

Abu Dhabi, UAE. – 22nd November 2010 – Research and development (R&D) activities and the establishment of science parks as the main drivers for industry growth and a sustainable economy was one of the main points highlighted during the 8th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, which started today at Abu Dhabi University (ADU).

The conference, held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, saw more than 150 regional and global academic and industrial experts, including research institutes and industrial partners. Presented by the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP) and hosted by ADU and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the delegates gathered in the UAE capital to discuss significant issues, innovations and international researches related to the area of sustainable manufacturing.

According to Hamad Al Hashemi, Director of Dubai Technopark, during his presentation, ‘UAE 4 Innovation’, he explained that Arab states must play an important role in enhancing outputs from R&D. He also emphasised the creation of an ecosystem that support Science and Technology as well as innovation in the society. 
 
Among the VIP speakers at the conference were Dr. Nabil Ibrahim, Chancellor of ADU; Prof. Fred Moavenzadeh, President of Masdar Institute; and Prof. Dr. Ing Gunther Seliger, Berlin University of Technology (TU Berlin). Other keynote presentations were from Prof. Nabil Nasr of Rochester University, who presented ‘A Framework for Sustainable Production’ and a case study by Dominik Rohrmus, Corporate Research and Technologies of Siemens about Sustainable Manufacturing at Siemens AG.

Together with Dr. Holger Kohl, Head of Department of Business Excellence Methods, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology (IPK), Al Hashemi also highlighted the importance of building Science Parks for the development of national innovation systems in resources-driven economies. This also included Intellectual Capital Management for Sustainable Manufacturing. In their presentations, both speakers focused on the so-called ‘knowledge revolution’ as a dynamic factor of sustainable manufacturing and a powerful driver of human capital and productivity.

In addition, according to some recent studies, there was a serious shortfall on the Arab region’s R&D capabilities in knowledge generation, acquisition, and absorption. Al Hashemi and Dr. Kohl explained that Science Parks are one of the important factors to support knowledge development as well as Intellectual Capital Management in a resources-driven economy like the UAE.

The three-day conference also featured a series of parallel sessions on management and technology topics relating to sustainable manufacturing. Masdar Institute presented and examined the development of a Solar Innovation System in the UAE, wherein they applied the sectoral innovation systems (SIS) approach to analyse the emergence of a solar energy sector in the country. Headed by Dr. Georgeta Vidican, together with Lisa McElvaney, Diana Samulewicz and Yasser Al-Saleh, the session tackled the current dynamics in the emerging solar system of innovation (SI) in the UAE and the main factors that could sustain the transformation process or potentially undermine the development of supporting SI locally.

Among the main focus of the conference were value adding by sustainable manufacturing in the UAE, potentials of renewables, education for sustainability engineering, green supply chain and efficiency, technology driven start-ups, and sustainable products and manufacturing processes.  Some of the sessions presented new technologies on areas such as optimisation of superplastic forming and the effects of interfacial friction on variable strain rate forming paths; sustainable drilling processes in metals using peripheral drills; a new FlexDie implementation for sheet metal manufacturing; and innovative bipolar plates design for increasing fuel cell efficiency among others.

The 8th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, supported by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the conference’s exclusive destination partner, also included company and factory visits to Masdar Institute of Science and Technology; Emirates Aluminium (EMAL); Anabeeb Pipes Manufacturing Factories; and Emirates Steel Industries (ESI). For more information about the event, please visit www.8th-gcsm-abudhabi.com.

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