Gulf Construction Online - Wajhat aims to be biggest in the region

Glass & Metal

Issa ... focused.

Wajhat aims to be biggest in the region

01 October 2012

WAJHAT Glass and Aluminium Company, which started operations in Saudi Arabia during June 2011 as the biggest aluminium and glass factory in the kingdom, has already charted a growth strategy that will see it emerge as the largest facility of its kind in the entire Middle East.

The company had its origins in Dubai almost 10 years ago under the banner of Petra Gulf and decided in 2009 to launch operations in Saudi Arabia to capitalise on the construction boom in the kingdom. These plans resulted in Wajhat constructing a huge factory in Riyadh, including a 42,000 sq m covered machining centre over a 100,000 sq m plot of land – which will allow for a factory expansion plan expected to be executed very soon.

“Our factories in Saudi Arabia and UAE are fitted with the latest and most advanced CNC (computerised numerical controlled) machineries and equipment. We plan to utilise the resources available in our both factories in terms of engineering, project management and machining to ensure better quality and client’s satisfaction,” says Firas Issa, commercial director, Wajhat Glass and Aluminium.

The Riyadh factory continues to be fitted out with industry-leading equipment in a bid to ensure high quality and productivity and timely delivery.

“We have just concluded the installation of the longest unitised system conveyors in the kingdom. The 80-m-long fully-automated conveyor from Japan is one of the most advanced of its kind and will enhance our quality while maximising the production output at the factory,” he says.

Wajhat has also introduced a new rolling and bending machine for aluminium profiles, which is considered to be one of the most advanced and accurate machines of its kind in the Middle East. Procured from Germany, the machine will help produce the exact curvature and quality of the profiles, he adds.

The company has recently expanded its portfolio of products with the addition of unitised curtain-walls, internal glazed partitions and skylights. Its extensive range of products also includes conventional curtain-walls, structural glazing, single- and double-hinged doors, sliding doors and windows, hinged windows, fixed windows, turn-and-tilt windows, rolling shutters, louvred and frameless windows, composite cladding panels, stainless steel facades, and space frames. In addition, it also produces insulated glazing units, laminated glass, tempered or toughened glass, frameless glass, bullet- and blast-resistant glass.

Wajhat is now drawing up plans to set up the biggest aluminium and glass factory in the Middle East in Rabigh, which is about 150 km from Jeddah, in the Western Province. Plans for the 120,000-sq-m facility are still in the early design stages.

Among other developments to increase its footprint in the region, Wajhat is looking at setting up a presence in Qatar towards the first quarter of next year (2013).

In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, the company continues to supply projects for niche clients such as the Ministry of Interior and the many universities being built in the kingdom, with a variety of products including curtain-walls, windows and doors and aluminium composite panels.

Wajhat is part of the Al Harbi Group, a conglomerate of large companies specialising in various industrial sectors such as granite and marble, steel fabrication, mining, construction, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) services, educational programmes, real estate, information technology, and aluminium and glass.

Set up with the goal of becoming one of the leading façade specialists in the Middle East, Wajhat has a multinational staff with extensive experience in the curtain-walling industry.

“We have the technological sophistication to supply the largest scale projects, regionally and internationally with an annual production capacity of 500,000 sq m per year,” says Issa, who joined the company in January this year, bringing with him 16 years of experience in the glass and aluminium sector.

“Our mission is to utilise the most modern production plant and technologies in conjunction with efficient supply chain management to provide our customers with a range of technologically advanced products to meet their project needs,” he says.

He continues: “We are focusing on supplying quality products and establishing partnerships with major developers and contractors in the Middle East. In addition, we are certified manufacturers for major system designers in the world including Schuco, Gutmann, Technal, Hueck and others.”

Client satisfaction and efficient design figure high among the company’s priorities, according to Issa. “Our business model is based on transparency and a commitment towards our clients both in quality and on-time delivery. We also assist in design in order to arrive at cost-effective and value-engineered products for our clients. We continually monitor developments in the glass and aluminium industry that will both contribute to and improve our ability to deliver a premium quality product on time and within budget,” he concludes.