Australian Builder Enters UAE Market with First Project in Sharjah

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 6, UAE real estate developer Arada Group announced that its Australian construction contractor Roberts Co has officially entered the UAE construction market, with its first project confirmed as Phase 2 of the Aljada Central Business District in Sharjah. Roberts Co has established a local headquarters team in the UAE and has begun providing pre-construction services for multiple development projects in Dubai and Sharjah. The first project is located within the Aljada mixed-use development, which has a total investment of AED 35 billion, and mainly involves the construction of commercial office facilities.

Roberts Co's confirmed involvement is in Phase 2 of the Aljada Central Business District, rather than the construction of the entire mixed-use development. Arada Group had previously planned the area as Sharjah's new commercial office center, encompassing multiple office buildings and supporting commercial facilities. Roberts Co will participate in the implementation of Phase 2, and the specific construction contract value, number of buildings, building area, and on-site commencement date have not been disclosed in this announcement.

Prior to the confirmation of the first project, Roberts Co had already begun providing pre-construction services for other Arada Group projects in Dubai and Sharjah, with work in the preparation stage before formal on-site mobilization. Arada Group CEO Ahmed Alkhoshaibi confirmed that Roberts Co will participate in UAE project implementation alongside the group's existing external contractors and will not fully replace existing construction partners.

Arada Group acquired Roberts Co in 2025. Roberts Co had previously primarily undertaken healthcare, education, commercial, residential, hospitality, and industrial construction projects in Australia. Following the launch of its UAE operations, Roberts Co has established a local management team and expanded its engineering implementation business to Arada Group's Middle East projects. The company had previously been confirmed to undertake the construction of a twin-tower residential project developed by Arada Group on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, which is planned to include approximately 1,000 residential units.

This business arrangement is coordinated by Arada Industries, a subsidiary of Arada Group. This business system currently covers construction, lifting equipment, mechanical and electrical engineering, and smart technology services, with Roberts Co responsible for the construction engineering implementation business. Arada Group currently has projects under development in the UAE, the UK, and Australia with a total value of approximately AED 171 billion; however, this amount represents the combined scale of the group's multinational development projects and does not constitute the construction contract value for Phase 2 of the Central Business District.