Hill International Signs Memorandum of Understanding with ECETA to Strategically Develop Facilities Management Operations Capabilities in Egypt


PHILADELPHIA and CAIRO, Egypt, Oct. 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hill International (NYSE:HIL),  the global leader in managing construction risk, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with leading Egyptian Facilities Manager ECETA to provide project management, construction consulting services and integrated facilities management. The MOU will enhance the quality of service provided by the companies through the exchange of knowledge, experience and personnel. ECETA and Hill have agreed to partner for one year, and will commence their alliance on a project-by-project basis.

“Corporations today are pursuing simplicity,” said Sherif Sultan, Chairman & MD of ECETA in Egypt, explaining the strategic objective behind the partnership. “They want their requirements met in due time with the best quality and most effective costs. This type of business requires one-stop-shop service with no quality compromises.”

Sherif’s explanation aligns with projections for growth in integrated facility management (IFM) services. A recent survey by Frost & Sullivan’s Global IFM Report indicated the IFM market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 6.4% between 2013 and 2019. Today, the IFM market in Egypt is in the infancy stage compared to other countries both globally and in the Middle East. Globally, the market for FM is projected to reach US$394.7 billion by the end of 2017, according to a market research report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 

According to Sultan, “Companies are seeking to achieve more with less through a streamlined approach.” In other words, they want to leverage the power of one — i.e. one provider for all Integrated Facilities Management. Outsourcing IFM to a single-source provider has three fundamental benefits, says Sultan: it enables organizations to lower operating costs, improves financial control and realizes best practices. 

“In spite of the globally witnessed growing need IFM, companies in Egypt continue to operate with single or bundled solutions focused on catering, cleaning or security,” emphasizes Sultan.

Hill International expects to expand its capabilities and capacity through the MOU to serve its many existing clients in the region. “We are excited to explore this new opportunity with ECETA to further develop our presence in Egypt,” said Waleed Abdel Fattah, Senior Vice President & Regional Manager at Hill International.  “There is a great need for IFM services in Egypt, especially in view of the number of grand-scale, mega-projects being implemented. Partnering with one of Egypt’s oldest facility management companies is a positive step to expanding Hill’s services.”

Seeking the appropriate partner to provide sustainable business solutions is critical, Abdel Fattah explains. “The MOU initiates closer collaboration between our two companies. We both consistently aim to deliver exceptional and innovative services in facilities management and sustainability. This MOU is a shared belief in the importance of furthering the objectives of Hill International and ECETA to better increase the reach of these benefits, locally and internationally."

Hill International, with more than 3,000 professionals in more than 50 offices worldwide, provides program management, project management, construction management and other consulting services to clients in a variety of market sectors. Engineering News-Record magazine recently ranked Hill as the eighth-largest construction management firm in the United States.  For more information on Hill, please visit our website at www.hillintl.com.

Certain statements contained herein may be considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and it is our intent that any such statements be protected by the safe harbor created thereby.  Except for historical information, the matters set forth herein including, but not limited to, any projections of revenues, earnings or other financial items; any statements concerning our plans, strategies and objectives for future operations; and any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, are forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties.  Although we believe that the expectations, estimates and assumptions reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements.  Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in our forward-looking statements are set forth in the Risk Factors section and elsewhere in the reports we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including that unfavorable global economic conditions may adversely impact our business, our backlog may not be fully realized as revenue and our expenses may be higher than anticipated.  We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement.

Hill International, Inc.
Elizabeth J. Zipf, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Vice President
Hill International, Inc.
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 17th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel:  215-309-7707
elizabethzipf@hillintl.com

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John Glenn Grau
President
(203) 295-7841
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