The challenge
Marwa Construction Group was awarded a USD 480 million hi-rise build in mid-2024. With a 30-month construction timeline and a peak workforce of 12,000 across multiple trades — concrete, steelwork, MEP and finishing — the project's safety director needed a PPE supplier capable of:
- Delivering 240,000+ units of mixed-category PPE on a rolling 30-day schedule
- Co-branded packaging with Marwa's safety program branding
- EN 397, ANSI Z89.1 and EN 361 dual-standard compliance
- Heat-rated products (above 45°C ambient site temperature for 8 months of the year)
- A single-account project manager fluent in Arabic and English
The solution
Safeworks assigned a dedicated project team in Qingdao, comprising a senior account manager, two engineers and a quality assurance lead. We consolidated the multi-category requirement into a single master supply agreement with monthly release orders.
"Safeworks' project-based approach meant one contract, one invoice, one point of contact. That alone saved us 14 hours of admin per week."
— Ahmed K., Safety Director, Marwa Construction Group
Product mix delivered
- 120,000 SH-401 hard hats (co-branded, hi-vis yellow)
- 85,000 SG-501 cut-resistant gloves (ANSI A4)
- 32,000 SFA-1101 full-body harnesses (EN 361 + EN 358)
- 15,000 SV-1502 Class 2 hi-vis vests (Marwa-branded)
- 8,500 SE-201 anti-fog goggles (EN 166:2025 compliant)
- 4,200 S3 safety boots (climate-tropical compound)
Engineering highlights
Three engineering adjustments were made specifically for the Marwa project:
- Heat-resistant shell compound. Standard SH-401 uses an ABS shell rated to +50°C. For Marwa we shifted to a polycarbonate-ABS blend rated to +60°C — extending in-service life by ~30% under desert conditions.
- Bilingual user instructions. All packaging printed in Arabic and English, with QR codes linking to a 90-second donning video.
- Pre-staged buffer stock. We held 30 days of forecast consumption in our Jebel Ali bonded warehouse, allowing next-day emergency replenishment without customs delay.
Outcome
Across the 24-month contract period:
- 240,000+ units delivered, with 98.7% on-time-in-full (OTIF) vs target 95%
- Zero lost-time incidents attributable to PPE failure
- 28% cost saving vs Marwa's previous supplier (through SKU consolidation and reusable packaging)
- 4.8 / 5 worker satisfaction score on quarterly PPE surveys
The program is now expanding to a second Marwa project in Riyadh, scheduled to begin Q1 2027.
