Al watania to produce gypsum boards
01 February 2010
Al Watania Gypsum Company of Saudi Arabia is in the process of installing production lines at its new gypsum board factory in Al Kharj, following the completion of civil works on the plant.
The machinery for the Al Yamama Plaster Boards Factory has already arrived, and it is expected to go on stream as early as July with an annual production capacity of 10 million sq m per year.
“The plant comes after the successful completion of our first facility for gypsum boards – Al Watania Plaster Boards Factory – in Yanbu, which will start production by the end of March, with a capacity of 8 million sq m per year,” says a spokesman for the company.
Al Watania was established six years ago, to become the second producer of gypsum powder and plaster boards in Saudi Arabia. It started producing gypsum powder at its Al Yamama Gypsum Factory in Kharj in 2004.
It also established a new factory to produce gypsum powder in Yanbu. The facility – Al Watania Gypsum Factory – started operations in April last year, with a total production capacity of 840 tonnes per day of high-quality gypsum of various types – French, ceramic, anti-humidity, medical and Alfa gypsum.
The company employs the latest technology within its factory. All operations are fully automated, right from bringing in the raw material to loading the trucks with finished goods, he says.
Elaborating on the objective behind launching production of plasterboards, the spokesman says: “The company was keen to enhance its competitive edge by utilising part of its gypsum powder production to produce a final product – plaster board – with an annual production capacity of 18 million sq m.”
The boards will be of three types – regular, fire-resistant and moisture-resistant – and will be manufactured using state-of-the-art facilities, high-quality raw materials and highly-specialised production technology. All boards will be produced as per German specifications DIN 18180, and American specifications ASTM C-36.
The boards will be offered in lengths ranging from 1,800 mm to 4,500 mm with the width being 1,200 mm. However, boards in non-standard widths including 600, 900, 1,219 and 1,250 mm can also be produced. The boards, in a choice of edges, come in standard thicknesses of 9.5, 12.5 and 15 mm, although thickness of between 6.5 mm and 25 mm can also be offered.
The official says that the company carries out research, and has conducted demand-and-supply studies in the kingdom and the rest of the GCC on both current and future demand for gypsum powder and plaster boards. It is anticipated that the kingdom will invest more than SR1.2 trillion ($320 billion) on real estate sector until 2020 to meet the country’s residential and commercial requirements, he indicates.
“Accordingly, we embarked upon this expansion plan to help meet the growing demand for these two products in the region,” he adds.
“Despite the presence of six companies producing gypsum powder, Al Watania Gypsum Company is the only company that has been successful in producing French gypsum as per the NF-EN 13279-1 and NF-EN 13279-2 specifications,” he says.
French gypsum is characterised by its high purity (not less than 98 per cent) and hence its unique colour. It also offers high durability while being highly resistant to humidity, which extends its area of application.
Equipped with a 1 million sq m quarry, Al Watania Gypsum Factory covers a 250,000 sq m area on Yanbu-Amlj Road. The factory is claimed to be the first of its kind in the Middle East to produce various kinds of gypsum including standard gypsum, as well as adhesive gypsum and special gypsum used in the manufacture of sanitary ware. It will also produce hard plaster gypsum that is suitable for external applications in the region, as it is resistant to water, humidity and high temperatures.
“We are looking at producing gypsum with special characteristics to fulfil the market demand and substitute imports, thus helping the national economy,” says the spokesman. “Our factory has immense capabilities, being fully automated. Installed under the supervision of German experts, our production lines are considered the latest in the gypsum production arena.”
The company also employs experts and consultants to train its Saudi workforce.
Al Watania Gypsum Factory is an affiliate of Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Rajhi & Sons Company, which has various steel and real estate interests.
The company is initially targeting the markets of Makkah, Madinah, Yanbu, Jeddah, Taif and Jizan as well as the GCC markets.
- USG panels grace Burj’s interiors
- Eco-friendly glass launched
- Cladding enters the third dimension
- Al watania to produce gypsum boards
