Expansion ... new facilities at Ranco & Zamil ready to meet demand.
Ranco & Zamil ready for precast boom
01 October 2012
RABIAH-NASSAR & Zamil Concrete Industries (Ranco & Zamil), one of the largest precast factories in the region, is already reaping the benefits of having recently upgraded and expanded its production facilities in anticipation of a surge in market demand for precast concrete.
The Saudi-based company provides a wide portfolio of precast products, including standard and non-standard columns, panels, plinth foundation, pre-stressed beams, pre-stressed double TT-slabs and flat slabs, hollowcore slabs, boundary walls and road products and many other concrete products. It offers complete solutions, including engineering and full support for the contractors.
According to a company official, the demand for precast concrete continues to rise as the market recognises the benefits of precast concrete.
“Generally, architects, consultants and developers have begun to realise the advantages of precast concrete and we are seeing an increase in enquiries about utilising this kind of system in projects in order to save time,” says Faisal Al Rabiah, management committee member. “We are therefore trying to develop new products to provide an even better service. We are also looking for solutions that are more economical and provide even more advantages than conventional system.”
As a part of its goal to attain the highest level of quality and efficiency, the company has upgraded its main production facility with the latest concrete batching and mixing plants and the latest technologically-advanced machinery. In addition, two fully equipped and modern factories have recently been built and commissioned.
“The first is for the production of hollowcore slabs, and the second is a fully-automated panel production factory. Having completed these major expansions, we have no doubt that our factory will be considered one of the most advanced and capable in the region, qualifying us to execute the largest and most demanding projects,” says Al Rabiah.
Furthermore, Ranco & Zamil has also invested in the latest specialised engineering design, planning and operation software applications that aim at improving accuracy and efficiency. In fact, it recently won an award from Tekla, a renowned 3D design software company, as the winner of the Middle East Model Design Competition for its Al Jomaih car showroom project.
The company has an independent quality assurance division – staffed with experienced engineers and technicians reporting directly to the general manager – that monitors the safety and quality of the whole operation and the quality of the final products. This division undertakes regular testing on raw materials, as well as on concrete cubes. It also performs all the necessary testing on the final products, taking full advantage of the company’s well equipped laboratory and testing instruments.
Ranco & Zamil is a ISO 9001-2008 certified factory as well as a member of Precast Concrete Institute (PCI).
The company has succeeded in establishing a reputation as “a builder with uncompromising quality”, and has been able to complete many important and unique projects, gaining the trust and confidence of its clients, says Al Rabiah.
It recently signed a major contract with the contractor Saudi Oger to build housing villas for the soldiers and officers of the Saudi Arabian National Guard. The scope of the agreement includes design, manufacture and installation of precast villas, an extensive project that also includes schools, shops and mosques in Khashm Alaan area, east of Riyadh. Ranco & Zamil will begin the supply and installation of the precast villas this year, and continue through the end of the third quarter of 2013.
Another major project is a contract for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and Aviation with the contractor Four Corners International Construction to fabricate, supply and erect precast elements for a multi-level car-park project located in the Central Province of Saudi Arabia. The scope of work includes the design, manufacture, shipment and installation of more than 100,000 sq m of precast concrete elements.
Ranco & Zamil has also carved a name for itself in substation projects for the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) such as Power Plants Nine, 10 and 11, (PP9, PP10 and PP11) as well as many 380-110 kV substations around the kingdom. Moreover, it has undertaken many residential and industrial projects for Saudi Aramco such as the Shaybah project to increase gas handling capacity; college projects at Qassim University, Najran University and King Saud University; and other precast buildings and concrete projects around the kingdom.
Ranco & Zamil, a 50-50 joint venture between Zamil Industrial Investment (Zamil Industrial) and Rabiah and Nassar Group, is based in Riyadh. The company designs, manufactures and erects precast concrete buildings used for various applications including residential, schools, shopping malls, manufacturing plants, and wall panels in addition to fabrication of a variety of other concrete-based products.
