Dammam-based Alaa for Industries (AFI) has announced its factory is investing in new machinery to take on additional business even as a new hydraulic repair workshop prepares to open for normal operations.

It is purchasing a CNC welding manipulator, a CNC plasma cutter, a CNC rolling machine and a CNC press brake along with a hydraulically operated cylinder dismantling device by June of this year, said AFI factory manager Amjad Khan.

The plant designs and manufactures hydraulic systems cylinders for industrial and mobile applications, pneumatic cylinders, power packs, mechanical structures and scrapper launchers among other products. It also fabricates and assembles mobile systems such as industrial vacuum loaders (super suckers), jetting tankers, combination tankers, service trucks, lubrication systems and cement blowers.

Khan at Alaa’s plant in Dammam

“Saudi Aramco and Sabic facilities are AFI customers for various types of loading arms. Other high-profile companies that buy our factory products are Archiridon and the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu. The company recently designed and manufactured marine flap gates for use in marine lagoons,” said Khan.

AFI factory products that have done very well in the market place are industrial vacuum tankers (super suckers) and jetting tankers, he added.

About the new hydraulic repair workshop, AFI marketing supervisor Matio P Morales said it will accommodate most hydraulic repair work from the Dammam and Jubail area. “We consider this facility to be important as customers operating in the area will have faster and easier access for repairs.

Equipment AFI will use at the workshop includes a device for hydraulic cylinder testing, a lathe machine of 250 mm diameter and 2.5 m length, a welding machine for Tig and Arc welding, a bandsaw horizontal cutting machine, a honing machine, a drilling machine, an air compressor and a forklift of capacity 3 t.

“Our workshop services will cover repairs of hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, re-sealing, assembly and testing, replacing of rods and tubes and manufacturing of small cylinders. Welding machine procurement is under process. Once we receive that equipment and the staff to operate it we can open the workshop at any time,” said Morales. “We will be repairing hydraulic equipment manufactured by us and by others.”

One of the important work facets of AFI is onsite services. The company’s personnel visit customer sites for maintaining hydraulic systems for oil  rigs and for performing shutdown services for refineries, overhauling of loading arms and hydraulic systems, hose repairs and replacement, repairs of hydraulic pumps and motors, installation of hydraulic pipes and rendering oil flushing and filtration services. General trouble shooting is accomplished on most of the hydraulically operated industrial and mobile equipment and AFI has contracts for annual maintenance and calibration of weigh bridges.

“We have a new additional hose van for visits to Jubail, Riyadh and Jeddah. It’s fully equipped and manned by experienced technicians with capability to carryout most repairs on site. It provides complete solutions for all hydraulic systems breakdowns,” said Morales.

INTERNATIONAL BRANDS
Another important area of activity is the marketing of international brands.

The company has the licence to distribute Igus products. Igus makes energy chain cable carriers, Chainflex continuous-flex cables, iglide plastic plain bearings, DryLin linear bearings and guide systems and igubal spherical bearings.

“Many companies are buying Igus products from us, replacing brands they used earlier,” said Morales while he was at AFI’s booth at Gulf Industry Fair in Bahrain.

An Igus product that is very popular in the Gulf is the Igus E08 Series E-Z chain, a lightweight and maintenance-free carrier that protects and guides hoses and cables on automated machinery, preventing them from breaking, corkscrewing or tangling during normal operation.

Morales at Alaa’s Gulf Industry Fair booth in Bahrain

Another admired product is the Igus Triflex EZ Access which has a smooth tubular design and 360° twisting capability. The Triflex EZ carriers guide cables and hoses around and through even the most intricate machinery while preventing them from snagging on machine elements.

Products the company showcased at the fair included Parker hydraulic and pneumatic offerings and electric motors and gear boxes from Leroy-Somer, an Emerson company.

It also highlighted induction heaters and hydraulic coolers from Bega and hose reels from Reelcraft as well as Enerpac products including hydraulic jacks, hydraulic cylinders, electric pumps, hand pumps and pressure gauges.

The company supplies and installs truck-mounted Hyva equipment for lifting heavy material and supplies and installs Dhollandia tail gates of various capacities.

AFI is also well known for distributing industrial tools and equipment such as induction heaters as well as transmission products from SKF including bearings and pulleys.