Gulf Construction Online - Seeking Opportunities

Saudi Build 2009

Al Jahra hospital ... one of Kirby’s projects.

Saudi Build 2009

Seeking Opportunities

01 September 2009

KIRBY Building Systems sees its participation at Saudi Build as “important” in its growth strategy for Saudi Arabia and the region. Hence, the leading Kuwait-based firm will use the expo to promote its pre-engineered steel building (PEB) products, and especially the new designs it offers in curved beams and structural steel, to the GCC market.

Its participation is aimed at catering to all industries it is involved in, most of which are showing signs of increased activity, according to Praveen Tandon, vice president of the ISO 9001-certified company.
“At Saudi Build, we will highlight the new features of our products, the latest designs and the safety codes governing them,” Tandon adds.
With demand for its products growing, Kirby is keen to support its customers in every possible way. The exhibition is an opportunity in this direction, according to him. “Participating in the show will be of immense importance to our business growth in Saudi Arabia and the surrounding regions, especially because the kingdom is proving to be a major hub for investments in various sectors during these challenging times,” Tandon says.
Kirby’s head office is located in the Mina Abdullah Industrial Area of Kuwait with its production facilities situated in Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, Hyderabad and Haridwar in India and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. These manufacturing facilities, which have a total capacity of 425,000 tonnes per annum, produce hundreds of custom-made steel buildings each year.
Kirby’s GCC sales offices are located in Kuwait; Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, in the UAE; Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia; Qatar; Bahrain; and Oman. Outside the GCC, it has offices in Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
To ensure a high level of service to all its customers, Kirby has adopted SAP in its internal systems. “Our integrated SAP system permits us to source and execute the project at multiple locations. Simultaneously, efficient scheduling algorithm permits Kirby to deliver the project on time, in erectable sequence with optimal use of raw material. These savings are passed on to the customers and the contractors, thus they also gain from Kirby’s best practices,” he explains.
Outlining future plans, Tandon says: “We are looking to set up additional PEB plants in Africa and in the East Mediterranean region as well as plants for structural steel and storage solutions to offer more developed options.”
Recently, Kirby commissioned the structural steel section at its Ras Al Khaimah plant, which has an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes. Its Indian facilities have increased their capacity from 100,000 to 200,000 tonnes.
Among its completed projects are three hospital buildings for Kuwait’s Ministry of Health. Each of these buildings – comprising basement-plus-three storeys, ground-plus-three storeys and basement-plus-seven storeys respectively – was unique in architectural design and shape and was completed on a fast-track basis. Even the client requirements and site conditions of the buildings varied significantly, according to the company.
Among the projects that Kirby has executed in Saudi Arabia are the Al Rajhi warehouse, Al Zahid showroom and Al Faysal Ceremony Hall, all in Jeddah; Panda Distribution Centre and Othaim Shopping Centre, both in Riyadh; Nissan showroom, Dammam; and Giant Stores, Jubail.
The projects under progress include: Bahrain’s Riffa Mall, multiple warehouse buildings in Dammam and for Lulu Hypermarket in Oman.
Set up in 1976, Kirby Building Systems is a pioneer producer of cost-effective PEBs and structures. Kirby solutions cater to applications such as warehouses, factories, showrooms, shopping malls, offices, camps, supermarkets, workshops, mosques, aircraft hangars, car-parks, gas stations, sports complex and schools. Its products include low-rise and medium-rise PEBs, conventional structural steel buildings, primary and secondary frames, mezzanines, fascias, canopies, open web joists and trusses. Secondary members such as purlins, girts and related accessories – either painted or pre-galvanised – are produced in-house to complement the whole structure and provide clients with an all-inclusive package.
Roof and wall cladding systems can be supplied in a wide range of profiles and colours while insulation is also available in single cladding with fibreglass insulation or in polyurethane insulated panels.
Kirby also offers a range of structural steel products, which cover applications in several market segments including oil and gas (onshore and offshore); heavy industry – petrochemicals, steel, aluminium smelters, cement and fertilisers; infrastructure – bridges, power and desalination plants, airports, seaports and railways; and buildings – multi-storey residential and commercial buildings, malls, car-parks, leisure, special-purpose/heavy-duty factories and warehouses.
More than 1,300 employees are involved in its GCC and non-GCC operations and over 2,000 employees cater to the Indian markets. In addition, more than 350 staff members handle its activities in the southeast Asian markets and western, central and southern Africa. The company’s network includes more than 70 offices in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia.
Kirby will be present at Stand A 251.