SUCCESS STORIES MADE IN ORIENTAL

Entrepreneur on two continents

Dr El Houcine El Kambouch was born in Morocco and migrated to Germany at the age of 20. Today, he is director of his own engineering company with offices in Germany and Morocco. His story shows how the knowledge of different countries paired with work experience and studies abroad can serve entrepreneurial goals.

Resume

Dr El Houcine El Kambouch was born in 1966 to a middle-class family in Beni-Nsar (Nador). When he was three months old, his family moved to Melilla, where he lived until the age of 20. He went to school in Melilla, Beni-Nsar and Nador. In 1987 he passed his A-levels in sciences. For one year, he studied physics and chemistry at the Mohamed V University in Oujda. In 1988 he came to Germany at his own expense to pursue his studies. After an intensive course in German language, he started his studies of civil engineering at the Technical University Darmstadt. He earned the living during his studies through small jobs in engineering companies and architecture firms during the holidays and in his spare time. In 1997, he earned his degree in civil engineering with honours. While he was self-employed, he studied architecture at the University of Applied Sciences in Frankfurt. He earned his degree with honours in a record time of only four years. In March 2009 he received his PhD in architecture and construction engineering.
Dr El Kambouch speaks Arabic, Spanish, French, English and German. He is licensed as an architect civil engineer in Germany, Spain and Morocco.

Company’s fields of activity

All phases of housing construction are carried out in Dr El Kambouch’s company: from planning through statistical calculations to implementation planning and the development of special construction techniques. The company’s activities in industrial construction range from civil engineering over the construction of ready-to-use buildings and industrial plants to the rehabilitation of buildings.

The company also offers its services over the internet: in a special online planning and online statics procedure, the development of projects as well as the calculation of bearing structures according to modern techniques.

Dr El Kambouch’s company also participates in the construction planning. As construction supervisor, he oversees the materials and components in accordance with technical norms (DIN). He sets up rules concerning work execution as well as the use of specialized firms. He is also responsible for the strict respect of security rules on the construction site.

Offices

The company has two offices. The headquarters are located in Frankfurt with a second office in Tangier, directly at the Mediterranean coast.

Facts and Figures

Over the last ten years, Dr El Kambouch has built up a staff of four persons and a network of ten specialized engineers who work freelance for him. Two of the employees work in Frankfurt, the two others in Tangier.

An office employee in Frankfurt is responsible for administrative tasks. Dr El Kambouch directs both planning offices. Two employees, a prospective engineer and an architect, support him with project planning and the supervision of works.

Two colleagues in Morocco and two interns take care of local administrative formalities and assist Dr El Kambouch with project development and planning. They also help with the preparation and planning of construction projects.

Position of the company on the global market

The German planning office is a small company, yet it has concrete objectives on the global market. Due to the current recession in the German construction industry, businesses fight a though struggle for survival.

Dr El Houcine El Kambouch has therefore turned towards the Moroccan market and sees opportunities in the expansion of his projects abroad. Unlike in Germany, in Morocco the real estate market is not yet saturated.

Dr El Kambouch’s objectives and visions encompass modern architecture, the protection of the environment and renewable energies. Because he absolutely wants to contribute to this cause, Dr El Kambouch participates in conferences on the generation of alternative energies. The state as well as national and international energy providers can be involved in his project planning via a public-private-partnership. This can be a particularly sensible investment for countries with little oil resources.

Dr El Kambouch’s experiences and projects in Morocco

When Dr El Kambouch registered his company in Nador in 2001, he faced some difficulties:

• He wasn’t familiar with local formalities, regulations and authorities. He had to do some research to acquaint himself with the local bureaucracy. Unlike for many other Moroccans living abroad and returning to their country of origin, language wasn’t an issue as he speaks French.
• Because Dr El Kambouch didn’t graduate in France, it was difficult for him to gain a foothold at first. He had problems to have his diploma recognized in Morocco, because at that time there were not many engineers with German diplomas in Morocco. A lot of work and patience allowed him to overcome this obstacle.
• When he employed a secretary and two experienced construction technicians Dr El Kambouch realized that his own way of working was different to that of his staff. He had to retrain them with a clear concept of how his company was supposed to run. In the beginning, the company didn’t run as well as expected (lack of confidence, payment practices, etc.) so that he first gave up after 2 years.
• In 2003, when the “Bureau d’Investissement” was established in Morocco, Dr El Kambouch saw his chance to present his concept for a tourist project in Nador. Everyone was very enthusiastic about the idea. Dr El Kambouch secured support for the planning of the project and looked for investors. With the help from whom would later become his associate, Dr. Zugermeier, he made a proposal, including complete calculations and potential investors from Germany and Monaco who were willing to put the project into practice. The proposal was analyzed and received a written permission from the authorities. Unfortunately, in spite of all this they are still waiting to carry out their project.
• Later Dr El Kambouch opened his architectural practice in Tangier, from where he has already carried out lots of interesting projects both in Morocco and abroad.

Dr El Kambouch’s work as engineer and construction supervisor

Company: Siemens AG (KWU Offenbach), civil engineer in the construction technique department
Company: Techno Bau GmbH, civil engineer and construction supervisor
Company: Bema Bau GmbH, civil engineer and construction supervisor

References

French school of Frankfurt (Philip Holzmann AG)
Office building “Frankfurter Welle”, Frankfurt (Arg. Philip Holzmann AG and Billfinger & Berger)
ICE station for high speed trains, Montabaur (Arge Walterbau / Fa. Gebr. Bommhardt)
Lufthansa training centre, Frankfurt