Gulf Construction Online - Al Latifia forges ahead in Saudi Arabia

Regional News

Al Latifia forges ahead in Saudi Arabia

01 November 2011

AL LATIFIA Trading & Contracting Company continues to boost its impressive portfolio with landmark Saudi developments including one of the largest data centres in the Middle East and a multi-purpose development for the General Organisation for Social Insurance (Gosi).

The Grade One classified Saudi general contractor is currently engaged on the Saudi Aramco Data Centre in Dhahran, which is one of the largest of its kind in the Middle East. Al Latifia’s scope of works includes materials procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of a fully-operational Tier IV corporate data centre (CDC) that will house computing systems for Saudi Aramco.

Classified as a mission critical facility, the CDC will feature state-of-the-art data storage systems and will be equipped with the latest air-conditioning technology and fire-extinguishing systems.

Al Latifia’s long-standing expertise has also been called upon for the construction of Gosi’s Granada housing and business park in Riyadh, according to Mussab Al Khudairi, the company’s assistant CEO.

This multi-purpose development includes six high-rise office towers, ranging from 15 to 20 storeys high, four low-rise office buildings, a multi-purpose business centre, and 48 townhouses. About 75 per cent of the 139,000-sq-m project will encompass greenery and landscaping, plus car-parking facilities for 3,500 to 4,000 vehicles in four basement levels.

Other key projects it is working on include the King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue in Riyadh and the National Guard warehouses and camps project.

Among its recently completed projects is the luxury five-star Sofitel hotel in Al Khobar, comprising one basement and 11 floors, overlooking the Arabian Gulf. One of the main challenges Al Latifia faced on the project was in implementing the foundation works, which required considerable piling and dewatering due to the proximity of the site to the sea, Al Khudairi says.

The medical sector is another area which Al Latifia is very active, its major projects being four hospitals for the Ministry of Health, with a total capacity of 500 beds, in Jizan, Arar, Quraiat and Jouf.

Al Khudairi said the company has succeeded in winning a substantial share of projects in Saudi Arabia thanks to its commitment to each project’s success, its proven expertise, focus on quality and upholding stringent engineering standards as well as its efforts to expand its portfolio of light and heavy equipment and transportation fleet.

“This has helped us forge strong partnerships with suppliers and major companies of the kingdom, especially concrete firms, ministries, government institutions, banks and major consulting offices,” he said.

The company, which is also involved in the manufacture and supply of building materials, apart from contracting and other services, provides innovative engineering, procurement and construction solutions.

Headquartered in Riyadh and founded in 1987, Al Latifia Trading & Contracting Company has grown from a general building contractor into a successful multi-disciplinary firm that is one of the most sought-after in the kingdom, today.