Gulf Construction Online - Total solutions from materials 'hypermart'

Oman

Total solutions from materials 'hypermart'

01 March 2005

THE largest construction materials hypermart in Oman is what Bahwan Building Materials (BBM) claims to be as it continues to offer total solutions as well as the A to Z in quality building materials to the Omani construction sector.

The flagship of the Suhail Bahwan Group (Holding), BBM was set up 35 years ago and today offers a vast array of building materials all under one roof.
“We have a substantial share of the total Omani materials market and can justifiably boast that we have supplied some or – in many cases – all the materials for virtually every building construction or civil engineering project in Oman,” says Sandeep Mishra, general manager.
Its portfolio of products includes an unrivalled range of quality products from worldwide major manufacturers. In addition, BBM is on a continuous quest for new products.
“We stay abreast of the latest developments in our field and are quick to introduce any new product that is of high quality and useful to our clients,” says Mishra.
The company is structured into five divisions namely: basic building materials, which is the major contributor to its turnover; hardware; equipment catering to both the construction and industrial sectors; electrical supplies; and special products.
The basic building materials division supplies – steel reinforcement bars; cut and bend of steel; structural steel; cement; timber and plywood; BRC meshes; cast iron manhole covers; chain link fencing; blasting grit; steel straps and telcom duct spacers.
The hardware division cater to the requirements for ceramics and sanitary ware products; brassware and sanitary fittings; plumbing requisites; paints – decorative, industrial and auto paints; construction chemicals; PVC floor coverings; water heaters; and insulation materials.
The special products division offers specialty products ranging from skylights to geotextiles and spiral and longitudinal pipes.
The equipment division focuses on a variety of medium and light construction, material handling, industrial and survey equipment and accessories.
The electrical division has two departments – accessories and projects. The accessories department offers wires, cables and conductors, ceiling and exhaust fans, lamps and allied electrical products while the projects department focuses on designing and supply of luminaries and fire alarm, dimming, security, access control systems to various projects.
Commenting on BBM’s performance over the past year and its expectations for the short-term, Mishra says: “2004 was an excellent year in terms of business for all steel companies and with steel accounting for a major share of our supplies, BBM has had a good year.
“Last year we registered a 25 per cent growth in turnover for our top-of-the-line products and an even higher increase in the remaining product range. To achieve this level of growth in trading is indeed commendable and we expect 2005 to be a good year for the construction business. Given the strong oil prices, the entire Gulf will carry forth the boom.
“The projections for the year are good with a large number of industrial facilities and infrastructure being set up in Oman. In fact, our parent company Suhail Bahwan is setting up a RO500 million ($1.3 billion) fertiliser plant in Sohar.
“We are looking at increasing our market share in Oman and are also keen to penetrate markets in neighbouring countries.”
“The market in Oman, however, is highly competitive and price-sensitive,” he continues. “Despite this fact, BBM insists on offering quality materials. When we supply steel it has to be the right steel for the project and of the right specifications. We are trying to inculcate quality awareness and the need to use quality materials.”
Mishra realises that BBM’s staff is its key asset hence he has ensured that the company employs the right people for the job. “Our marketing team comprises highly qualified staff and our philosophy is that our people should know the market,” he comments.
Besides its main office and showroom and a major stockyard in Muscat, the company has eight branches in the Sultanate as well as two warehouses - one for hardware and the other for basic building materials, covering a total area of 28,000 sq m. These stockyards maintain a comprehensive inventory of materials, which is replenished on a monthly or quarterly basis depending on the type of product and the demand.
To cater to the needs of the market, BBM has set up state-of-the-art showrooms across Oman displaying its wide range of tiles, bathrooms suites, lighting and security products.
BBM basically supplies to the Oman market and has a group company – UBM – which caters to the requirements of the UAE market.
Bahwan Building Materials also has an associated company called Bilad (Oman) Steel Industries, which has carried out projects both in Oman as well as in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.