Technology

Sanad's latest partnership with Air Mauritius

The signing ceremony. (Image source: Sanad)

Sanad, the global aerospace engineering and leasing solutions provider owned by Mubadala, has signed an exclusive three-year partnership with Air Mauritius to deliver Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.

Mansoor Janahi, managing director and group CEO of Sanad, stated, “As the only independent MRO service centre for Rolls Royce’s Trent 700 engine platform in the world, we are proud to welcome Air Mauritius as our newest partner. This collaboration epitomises our commitment to not only expanding our global presence but also supporting the global aviation supply chain ecosystem from our home-base in Abu Dhabi.”

Charles Cartier, chief executive officer of Air Mauritius, added, "Air Mauritius, the national carrier of the Republic of Mauritius and the leading airline of the Indian Ocean, is further consolidating its network. Our steadfast commitment is to uphold the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational efficiency for our Airbus A330 fleet across our international routes spanning the Indian Ocean region, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, whilst enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. We are delighted to announce this exclusive three-year partnership with Sanad for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for our Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.”

Leveraging its status as the largest and only independent service provider of Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, Sanad harnesses its extensive expertise to deliver MRO services from its cutting-edge facilities in Abu Dhabi. Sanad's comprehensive MRO solutions have established it as a vital player in the aerospace industry, servicing a significant share of Trent 700 engines worldwide. With the addition of Air Mauritius as a new customer, Sanad is poised to unlock new avenues for growth and excellence in the industry which strongly reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global aviation hub.

5G for Egypt: Nokia paves the way

A digital image of the globe with 5G inside.

5G technology deployment will take place later this year. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Nokia and Telecom Egypt have formed a new partnership in order to revolutionise Egypt’s telecom landscape by introducing 5G to select cities

Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza and Luxor are among those selected to benefit from the transformative power of 5G that will be made available as Nokia deploys its 5G radio access network (RAN) equipment from its AirScale portfolio, comprising baseband units and its latest generation of Massive MIMO radios. These solutions utilise Nokia's energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology, delivering extensive 5G capacity and coverage as well as enabling easy deployments. Nokia will also offer various professional services, encompassing deployment, integration, and network optimisation.

The AirScale portfolio will be deployed in order to deliver an enhanced network experience to Telecom Egypt’s customers including faster data speeds, enhanced performance, and capacity.

Mohamed Al Fowey, vice president, and chief technology officer at Telecom Egypt, commented, “This new agreement with Nokia further strengthens our strong partnership, reaffirms our commitment to providing cutting-edge digital services, and positions us at the forefront of the 5G revolution. Both our consumer and enterprise customers can look forward to enhanced mobile broadband and exciting new applications that leverage the speed and low latency of 5G technology.”

The deployment of 5G technology is expected to unlock numerous benefits to the people of Egypt, including increased capacity for seamless connectivity in densely-populated areas. This will support a wide range of applications and services, resulting in faster downloads, smoother streaming, and improved network performance. This advancement will enable unprecedented levels of innovation and efficiency across various sectors, empowering organisations to thrive in today's fast-paced digital landscape.

Nokia helps bring 5G to Egypt

5G technology deployment will take place later this year. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Nokia and Telecom Egypt have formed a new partnership in order to revolutionise Egypt’s telecom landscape by introducing 5G to select cities

Synergistic business expansion initiative launched

Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone and Aramex collaborate to enhance business efficiency and expand services for global clients in Sharjah. (Image source: Aramex)

Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC Free Zone) and Aramex have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration and benefit their client bases

The MoU between SPC Free Zone and Aramex signifies a welcomed step towards fostering a more efficient and collaborative business environment in Sharjah. By leveraging each other’s strengths and resources, both entities are set to offer enhanced services and support to their customers.

Mutual benefits and services

Under this agreement, clients of SPC Free Zone will benefit from Aramex’s extensive logistics network, ensuring reliable and timely delivery of their products worldwide. Conversely, Aramex’s clients will gain access to the business-friendly environment and incentives offered by the SPC Free Zone, opening up new opportunities for expansion and growth.

The partnership highlights a shared commitment to innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. By combining their expertise and resources, both organisations aim to create a synergistic ecosystem that supports the growth and success of businesses in Sharjah and beyond.

Innovating business ecosystems

SPC Free Zone, established in 2017, is a cutting-edge free zone dedicated to the print, publishing, and creative industries. It offers over 2,000 business activities and supports businesses with 24/7 assistance, instant licenses, office spaces, and banking services. Incentives like tax exemptions, 100% ownership, and streamlined registration processes make it an ideal hub for entrepreneurs and startups in the UAE.

Aramex, founded in 1982, is a global logistics leader with a strong presence in the Middle East and North Africa. The company provides a wide range of services, including express delivery, freight forwarding, and e-commerce solutions. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, Aramex ensures reliable and efficient delivery worldwide.

Top 5 global access control trends

By 2031 the worldwide market for biometrics is expected to reach US$136.18bn. (Image source: Canva)

HID, which provides identity and physical access control solutions, announced the 2024 state of physical access control report, identifying five key trends that are shaping the future of access control.

Produced by IFSEC Global in partnership with HID, the report surveyed over 1,200 security professionals across the globe to paint a picture of an industry that has been going through considerable transformation.

Key trends

Mobile access and digital ID set to become ubiquitous

While physical ID is still prevalent within the access control industry, there is no doubt that mobile access credentials and digital IDs are quickly gaining ground.

According to this report, nearly 2 in 5 organisations (39%) now actively use mobile identities with respondents naming touchless/contactless solutions (48%) and mobile access (44%) as the two largest trends shaping the wider access control industry.

Open standards driving smart buildings phenomenon

Open standards have become key drivers for more converged security solutions, where physical access control data is helping not just to decide who should be allowed into the building, but also how that building can best be used. As the report shows, almost half of organisations (48%) already have access control/badge scanning systems in place to monitor building usage throughout the day, at least to some extent. Additionally, 43% of respondents cited smart buildings and flexible workspaces being among the top three trends shaping the wider access control industry. Integration with other business functions was also listed by one in three respondents (32%) as another top trend.

Sustainability becoming a greater influence on business decisions

Sustainability is playing a significant role in access control with nearly two thirds (63%) of respondents citing that those with responsibility for sustainability have either some influence or are fully consulted when it comes to upgrading physical access control systems.

The rise of artificial intelligence for analytics use cases

The use of Artificial Intelligence capabilities in physical access control is becoming more common as AI technologies and expertise are developed. Asked if they are looking to incorporate AI/machine learning into their access control solutions, 38% stated they were (although the same percentage said they were unsure of the benefits). Only 23% said they didn’t have any plans to incorporate AI technologies.

Growing role of biometrics – especially contactless solutions

The biometrics market is growing at a rapid pace. By 2031 the worldwide market for biometrics is expected to reach US$136.18bn while the global facial recognition market alone is predicted to grow to US$16.74bn by 2030, up from US$3.83bn in 2020. That is a CAGR of 16% from 2021 to 2030.