THE construction sector in Saudi Arabia has turned full circle as most of the region battles with an economic downturn. The kingdom, which was displaced by Dubai over a decade ago as the magnet for construction players, has now regained its distinctive status as the construction powerhouse of the region.
SINCE the launch of the landmark Durrat Arriyadh development project in early 2007, construction work has continued apace at its prime location north of Riyadh to create one of the kingdom’s largest and most prestigious real estate projects.
WORK is under way on a vast new 480-hectare campus for King Faisal University at Hofuf City, Al Ahsa in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, furthering the dream of its namesake, the late King Faisal, and meeting the demand of a growing student population. The SR5 billion ($1.
THE landmark Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University for Women (PNU) construction project is fast taking shape on a massive site area to the north of Riyadh.
GULF Construction goes on site at the Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University for Women and speaks to Saudi Oger’s project director for PNU Stephane Chanteloux about the key aspects of the leading contractor’s scope of works on the massive development: What is Saudi Oger’s scope of works on the Princess Nora bin Abdulrahman University proj
SCORES of tower cranes dot Riyadh’s horizon, heralding a major transformation of the capital city: a financial centre of massive proportions is now rising in its midst which will place the nation firmly on the global financial map.
ANYONE who worked in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s would recall the prestige held by Riyadh’s Kasr Al Hokm (Justice Palace) project in construction circles at that time. Now, two decades later, Buro Happold has been called upon again by the developer Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) to undertake a similar redevelopment and regeneration project.
THE SR2-billion ($533 million) Lamar Towers project – a luxury development in Jeddah comprising two stunning skyscrapers that rise above a crescent-shaped lower-rise podium – has made considerable headway with the award of several construction packages on the project over the past year.
DESIGN work is nearing completion on what is expected to be Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated energy trading platform, which will take shape over a 1.5-million-sq-m site at Dammam’s Second Industrial City.
IN LINE with global moves towards environment protection, Al Kifah Building Materials Company (AKBMC) is spearheading a drive towards greater environmental awareness and pollution control in Saudi Arabia.
AL AWAMI Planners and Consultants has been prolific in meeting the design requirements of the kingdom’s vibrant construction sector, with close to 200 projects having emerged from its drawing boards last year.
WITH its eyes firmly set on boosting output and sales and gaining new customers while maintaining the loyalty of existing ones, Canam Asia is highly optimistic about prospects for the coming year.
SIGMA Paints has once again demonstrated its core strength with the launch of a high-performance paint system that is extremely durable and environment-friendly.
DESPITE the challenges posed by a difficult 2009, Al Osais Contracting Company says it has managed to sustain its growth levels that have averaged at 20 per cent for the past five years.
ALARABI Decoration and Construction Company, which has close to three decades of experience in interior decoration works, continues to add that touch of elegance and class to some of the luxury developments that are taking shape in the kingdom.
HEMPEL Paints (Saudi Arabia) is focusing on its marketing strategy to boost its market share in Saudi Arabia, where the public sector has been spearheading development in the basic services sectors such as education and health. “We have secured many huge projects under construction which will be supplied during this year and the coming years.
AL BANJER Plastic Factory is expanding the capacity of its recently-established polyethylene terephthalate (PET) strap production facility this year in response to the huge demand for the product. Al Banjer Plastic is a division of Dammam-based Yousef M Al Dossary and Sons holding group.
BUOYED by a substantial growth in turnover in a difficult year, Global Source Establishment is focusing on a growth strategy that includes expansion of its portfolio of construction products and equipment and its physical presence.
KUWAIT-BASED Kirby Building Systems sees Saudi Arabia as a key market in the region and is gearing up to reinforce its presence in the kingdom as a leading regional manufacturer of pre-engineered steel building (PEB) and steel structures.
GIVEN the increasing focus on safety at site and within industrial facilites, Saudi Leather Industries Company reports a good performance over the past year with contracts from major organisations such as Saudi Aramco, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) and Saudia Arabian Airlines.
RIYADH will be the first port of call for Shaaban Steel Company, a Jeddah-based steel trading veteran, as part of an ambitious expansion venture to cover Saudi Arabia in its entirety.
A NEW polyethylene and polypropylene pipes factory, which is set to come on stream in Riyadh shortly, is optimistic of landing huge orders from its domestic as well as other Gulf markets once it launches commercial production in July.
AL RASHED Building Materials Division (BMD), a well-established supplier of construction and industrial materials, has embarked on a major expansion plan that will see new branches opened in Saudi Arabia in the next two years, thereby extending its supply chain throughout the kingdom.
SAUDI Ceramic Company (SCC) achieved record sales last year despite the global economic gloom and is now targeting to exceed those sales figures, buoyed by the signs of the good growth in its construction markets both in Saudi Arabia and abroad.
A STRATEGIC decision made over a decade years ago to produce copper materials is paying rich dividends for Saudi Electric Industries Company (Seico), a prominent Saudi specialist in the manufacture of electrical products and accessories.
AL NASSER Company, a leading supplier of electrical and lighting devices, has drawn up strategic plans with a view to targeting the huge projects in Saudi Arabia that are being launched on the buoyant market.
A SR540 MILLION ($144 million) construction chemical factory in Rabigh, to the north of Jeddah, will set the ball rolling on Sika Saudi Arabia Company’s ambitious plans to strengthen its market presence in the region within the next three years.
A FRUITFUL partnership with leading international surveying equipment specialists – nurtured with efficient sales and support services in the kingdom – has helped position Al Jehat Company (Jatco) well on its growth chart last year.
AL RASHED Steel Products has recently shifted operations to a new state-of-the-art factory in the second industrial city of Dammam.
AL RAJHI Steel Industries is establishing what is expected to be the largest steel factory in the Middle East under an ambitious expansion plan that will involve a total investment of SR4 billion ($1.06 billion). The investment will see Al Rajhi Steel Industries mark key milestones in steel production and reach new heights in self-sufficiency.
OVER the past three decades Arabian Building Chemicals Factory (ABC) has made relentless efforts to keep pace with the discerning tastes of an increasingly demanding Saudi market.
ALDREES Industrial and Trading Company (Alitco), a group of companies catering to the construction industry in Saudi Arabia since 1978, has introduced new hollow metal doors and frames under the Steel Tech Doors and Frames brand name.
A NOVEL paint that combats graffiti is what Al Jazeera Paints has presented in its latest efforts at innovation. The research and development team of one of the leading Saudi paints companies has – after five years of research – formulated this new product that resists attempts by anyone at writing or drawing on walls.
QANBAR Dywidag Precast Concrete Company (QDC), a leading precast manufacturer in Saudi Arabia, has seen tremendous growth in the past two years against the backdrop of a strong construction sector and increase in infrastructure projects.
ELECTRONIC Special Equipment Company (ESE), a Jeddah-based low-current systems integrator, has provided its sophisticated services to some of the high-profile projects in Saudi Arabia over the past year and is projecting further growth, given the mega projects being unleashed by the kingdom.
ALTHOUGH just five months into production, Alabniah Precast Concrete Building Factory has already secured a number of high-profile projects and is poised to expand its reach in the kingdom with the opening of a new branch office in Riyadh next month.
DESPITE the challenges posed by the financial crisis last year, Samir Khalil Abdul Wahab Factory for Prepainted Aluminium Cladding registered a 60 per cent growth in sales rising to SR8 million ($2.1 million), compared to SR5 million ($1.3 million) in 2008.
EQUIPPED with modern technology and highly-skilled labour, Saudi Arabia’s Al Kifah Precast Company is looking to secure a sustainable growth through market penetration, having identified the huge demand for its products in the construction industry.
LAST year was an excellent one for Arabian Building Support and Rehabilitation Company (Absar), which is pressing ahead with plans to expand its business manifold in the specialised field of concrete repair and marine works.
WITH the increasing focus on green buildings and energy conservation, Arabian Chemical Company (ACC-PS) is gearing up to tap the enormous potential for insulation in the Saudi Arabian and GCC markets in the foreseeable future, by expanding its capacity.
A NEW partnership in the aluminium business has created a strong operator in Saudi Arabia to take on the challenges of the latest demands posed by the stunning landmark buildings taking shape in the region.
ALTHOUGH a new entrant to the market, Fazah Industrial Company has already gained a foothold in the uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) profiles market, with the burgeoning construction projects market fuelling its growth prospects.
