Two Dubai-based eco-entrepreneurs are the force behind a car-wash technique that uses a biodegradable spray and cloth - but no water. The Kohli brothers Rishi, 35, and Sanuj, 26, expanded their circuit-board business, Laser and Electronics Middle East (LEME), into WaterWise Car Washing. They are now looking to expand their waterless car-wash technique into cleaning skyscraper windows.
q What made you diversify into a car-wash company after the electronics business?
a Rishi: What used to irk us was that so much water was being wasted [in washing cars]. … The initial plan was to sell the [car washing liquid, which is made from tree sap and is biodegradable] to existing car-washing operators; but with their reluctance to actually spend money and change their operational methods, it became evident that the only way was to start up the service of the business.
Sanuj: Many businesses in Dubai and the UAE diversify due to the competition. It is difficult to stay in one line of business … in general, government procurement has also slowed down by 40 to 50 per cent.
How do you plan to expand the car-wash business?
Sanuj:We are looking at how to clean other things without water, such as buildings, using robotic technology. We are expecting to do that within 12 to 18 months. We plan to start with one of the major skyscrapers. By the end of this year, we hope to officially launch waterless urinals in safari camps and corporate buildings in mainly Kenya as well as Tanzania.
How did you get funds for the start-ups?
Rishi: The initial capital for LEME, when we set up in 2006, for the circuit board side of the business came from our father. For WaterWise, it was a mix of money from LEME and … a local bank. Getting finance then and now is still very difficult unless you want to pay high borrowing rates, which defeats the purpose. Banks do not lend to start-ups and are very non-supportive. We have had some limited support from a local bank, but at times that has proved vital.
How much of the UAE market does the car-wash business control?
Sanuj: We distribute the car washing liquid to two car dealers: Lamborghini Dubai of Al Jaziri Motors and Al Habtoor Motor's prestige car division. WaterWise now controls 20 per cent of the UAE [car-wash market], but Dubai-wise [it is] around 40 per cent.
How has it grown?
Rishi: We started [with] trading the [liquid in] 2008 to dealerships and individuals through home kits … Our first major retail site [was] Souk Madinat Jumeirah in November 2010. We also re-export [the liquid and the microfibre cloth] to [the Arabian Gulf region], India and Africa.
Sanuj: Initially WaterWise had five people, including Rishi, my father and I. Today we have around 45 people.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS
Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
Biosafety Level 2
These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.
Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1
Biosafety Level 3
These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.
Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.
Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.
Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.
Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.
Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.
Biosafety Level 4
The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.
All material must be decontaminated.
Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.
Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.
Entrance must be via airlocks.
