Almabani General Contractors has enjoyed almost three decades of growth in the Kingdom through implementing a variety of projects. The Jeddah-based company, however, does not intend to rest on its laurels, says Ghassan El Khazin, area manager.
Japan's TCM Corporation is all set to launch its latest Acroba forklift on the international market. The new electric model, called the Acroba-s (epsi), will be marketed in Saudi Arabia by Abdulaziz & Mohammed A Aljomaih Company, TCM's sole distributor in the Kingdom. 'This will provide customers with a greater selection of the Acroba series.
UK-based Hewetson Floors plans to increase its stock-holding facilities in Saudi Arabia and train and develop a full installation team with Isam Kabbani & Partners, its dealer in the Kingdom.
Saudi Lighting Company Limited, already an important player in the manufacture, supply and installation of indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures, hopes to capitalise on the numerous projects likely to be launched following the announcement of the Saudi budget.
Office furniture manufacturer Steelcase Inc has launched in the Middle East its Leap chair, a new seating technology that is said to address the problems of back pain and reduced worker productivity.
A major rail expansion in Saudi Arabia is expected to go ahead, after the government dropped a demand that the builder would have to pay billion-dollar compensation bills towards land used by the project.
The year 2001 has got off to a disappointing start according to Saudi Pan Gulf-UBMO, a supplier of a wide range of high-quality mechanical, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) and architectural finishing Materials. 'An anticipated increase in activity in the construction sector has not materialised,'says general manager Paul Gent.
Saudi Al Amar for Trading and Industry (commonly known as Al Amar), which was established as a specialty building materials trading company and developed in the past decade as a manufacturer of building accessories, has specialised in the general areas of fixing and lifting systems for the construction industry.
Rashid Geotechnical & Materials Engineers (RGME), which introduced the Vibrex piling and ground improvement system to the Saudi construction industry in 1994, has over the years successfully worked on several projects in the Eastern Province and moved on to the country's western coast, while also being invited to participate in tenders for piling
2000 is likely to go down as a watershed year in Saudi Arabia's history . April 2000 saw the announcement of the Foreign Investment Law, which permits non-Saudi companies to wholly own their investments and property in the kingdom without a Saudi partner.
Saudi Metal Ceilings Manufacturing Company (SMC), which has under its belt a prestigious order for the King Fahd Military Hospital's G-200 extension project, Phase 1, Jeddah, has projected better performance during 2001 on the heels of good performances in 2000 and 1999.
High-rise buildings, by the sheer nature of their dimensions, can pose tremendous problems. Of the essence are such matters as time, efficiency, economy and safety.
The Jeddah Hilton, Saudi Arabia's newest deluxe property, is gearing to open its doors by June this year. With over 420 luxurious rooms and suites, the hotel will be one of the largest in the Kingdom. Located on the fashionable North Corniche, the hotel offers enchanting views of the city and the Red Sea.
Saudi interior decor specialist Alarabi has recently been involved in the finishing works on the Jeddah Hilton, which is one of the largest in the Kingdom. The deluxe property which has more than 420 luxurious rooms and suites, is gearing to open its doors by June this year.
A number of recreational facilities for the residents of Jeddah will be built on a one million sq m area adjoining the Equestrian Club, a local newspaper said in a report. The facilities will include an open park for families, a children's playground, pedestrian squares and car-parking zones, the report said.
Riyadh-based Alkoblan Thermopipe Factory Company (KTP Thermopipe) expects to make a bigger impact on the polypropylene pipe market when an ongoing expansion of production facilities, designed to nearly double the maximum size of its pipes and fittings, is completed.
Jeddah-based Almabani General Contractors currently has projects worth around $500 million under execution throughout the Kingdom, right from Al Khobar on the east coast to Jeddah in the west.
Recent successes in faucet sales have prompted Nabeel Al Siddiq Trading Services of Dammam to think of opening showrooms dedicated to that product. The company has done very well in marketing US-based Delta Faucet Company's products both within Saudi Arabia and abroad.
The first Saudi company to manufacture prepainted steel products hopes to achieve a production capacity utilisation of up to 80 per cent this year and consolidate the gains it made in Western Europe and the Arabian Gulf.
AYTB (Al Yusr Townsend & Bottum Company), whose forte is industrial construction, completed late last year what it describes as a unique project in Jubail for Arabian Petrochemical Company (Petrokemya).
Few companies can boast of the distinction that Ahmed N Albinali & Sons has notched up in Saudi industry. It has been in business nearly since the start of the oil era.
Hempel Paints Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of a major promotional campaign for its Hempatex Enamel (56360) that it says has a long track record of success in protecting and decorating a wide range of structures in the Gulf's demanding environment.
Under contracts worth a total of SR100.4 million ($26.77 million), Almabani General Contractors is helping shape a high-profile medical city in Benban, 20 km north of Riyadh.
Zamil Glass Industries has introduced what it says is a revolutionary new installation system that requires all-glass facades to have minimal framing support. The 5S frameless system is unlike the traditional all-glass facades that require glass panels to be drilled and supported with patch fittings or point fixed spider fittings.
Jotun Paints Saudi Arabia started 2001 well with nine major work orders in hand, the largest being a project at Prince Abdullah Military City in the Kingdom. For this year, the company has targeted an annual growth rate of 10 per cent, says marketing manager Venkat Krishnan.
Saudi Turf Company has been actively involved in the surfacing of recreational facilities and in waterproofing, its services being sought by hotels, educational institutions, military complexes and private compounds, besides other establishments.
Saudi Factory for Asphalt Products, part of the construction materials manufacturing group Al Rajhi Company for Industry and Trade, is eyeing the overseas market and planning an expansion of its production capacity to accommodate the additional demand it expects to be forthcoming in the near term.
THE recent establishment of the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) to encourage and facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve its investment climate should increase Saudi Arabia's share of FDI over time.
Projects worth millions of dollars originate at the drawboards of Al-Bawardy Consulting Engineers (ABCE) and provide essential utilities to homes, offices and industries. Among them is what is considered to be the second largest 380 kV substation in the world.
Rowad National Plastic Company says its polycarbonate (PC) sheet is an excellent substitute for glass as it weighs only half as much as glass, is transparent, economical and offers flexibility in design.
The UAE's Al Huraiz Establishment for Industry, which achieved a record sales target of some 95,000 electric water heaters in 2000, plans to better that mark by another 15,000 units. Among the markets it is looking at is Saudi Arabia, where it is keen to appoint an agent.
Following the recent completion of its 'model' office building - the Farsi Centre - Zaki Farsi Engineering Consultant is pushing ahead with a residential landmark which boasts penthouses designed to offer the heights of luxury.
A prestigious science and technology centre, which boasts metal domes for a theatre and an observatory is now taking shape over a 21,700 sq m site in Al Khobar. The SR104.50 million ($27.
Al Latifia Trading & Contracting has grown to occupy a sound position in the Saudi construction industry over the past 14 years since its establishment and the company today has the infrastructure, including equipment and personnel, to undertake contracts of any kind, its general manager Zaid Al Khudairi says.
Isam Kabbani & Partners' contracting operations has five specialised businesses dedicated to the construction, petrochemical and ITsectors in the Kingdom. The businesses, coming under the Kabbani Contacting Group (KCG) are BMC, Cosma, Cres, Sintec and Sogec. "In 1999, we became a five-business group instead of only BMC ...
$17.8m deal for college The General Organisation for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) has signed a SR67 million ($17.8 million) contract for the construction of a polytechnic college in Baha. It also plans to set up similar institutions in Madinah, Hail, Tabuk and Najran.
Saudis target 30 water plants Saudi Arabia will have 30 desalination plants serving the Kingdom's water needs once the expansion plans are completed over the next decade.
Steel fabricator Geyad for Commerce and Import Company expects to work more on pressure vessels in the near future and is currently developing a workshop dedicated exclusively for that kind of activity at Dammam's second Industrial City where the company's plant is located.
Termite control operators must be properly vetted by a client before they are handed the job, says Masa Establishment for Pest Extermination Services. Though cost considerations play a role, it's better to have the best team as well as the best pesticides to exterminate pests, says Ranjith de Alvis, entomologist at the Saudi firm.
THE Kingdom Centre with its distinctive tower rising 300 m over the heart of Riyadh is poised to be the largest, most modern mixed-use development in the Middle East.
Sigma Paints Saudi Arabia says its turnover rose in 2000, despite a difficult year for the construction industry in the Kingdom. Jo Paffen, general manager of the Dammam-based paints manufacturer, says: 'The year was satisfactory, despite a deterioration in the prices of paints and coatings, and our profitability was in line with expectations.
AN amusement park that has European, Far Eastern, American and African themes is being built in Riyadh at a cost in excess of $25 million by the Al Hokair Group. The flagship amusement park of the group, known as Al Hokair Land, id for easy striking and saving concrete.
The General Investment Authority (GIA) has granted a licence to a US consortium to build 3,000 schools in different parts of the Kingdom at a total cost of SR13 billion ($3.46 billion).
