As Saudi Arabia was going through its early phases of industrialisation, the need was

felt for packing material to meet the demand from the emerging factories. It was in 1976 that the Saudi Polypropylene Sack Factory (SPSF) was established, and as demand for polypropylene packing material was still huge, another factory was set up, the Almoajil Sack Factory (MSF) in 1984.

Both are part of the Abdul Aziz & Saad M Almoajil Group of Companies. The product range of the twin factories includes polypropylene sacks, covers and bailing ropes, flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC) or jumbo bags and Adstar polypropylene blocks bottom valve sacks.

The SPSF factory is located at Dammam's First Industrial City, while the MSF production facilities are at the Jubail Support Industries Park. The present capacity of both plants is 247 million sacks per year, most of which are consumed locally

The FIBCs, manufactured according to international standards, are used for packing chemicals, fertilisers, animal feed, foodstuffs and construction material. These jumbo bags are available for filling in the range of sizes 500kg, 1000kg, 1,500kg and 2000kg with polyethylene coating or with internal liners or both. Customers are told the bags have the following properties: safe working load - 1,500kg; safety factor - 5 to 1; lift - four-loop belt lifting, reinforced with PP belt at the top of the body; fabric - UV stabilised polypropylene cloth, reinforced weaving vertically at belt points. No side seams (circular woven cloth); water proof with polyethylene liner or lamination. The spout is introduced in accordance with the customer's preference.

The FIBCs are available with a choice of open top, duffle or skirt top or inlet sleeve. The base is either flat or fitted with an outlet sleeve and tie cord. They are fitted with four lifting straps for four-point pickup. Longer straps are provided for single-point lifting. All straps can be fitted with special sleeves for protection against wear and tear.

The cloth produced for FIBCs can also be used for manufacturing trailer tarpaulin covers, fitted with steel eyelets. The covers are waterproof.

The latest addition to the production range is the Adstar polypropylene bottom valve sack which is considered the ideal packing solution thanks to its strength, compact brick shape, ability to fill, store and transport easily and resistance to water and the weather. These sacks have many applications and are best for packing cement, calcium carbonate, gypsum, lime, sand, polymer granules, PVC compounds, carbon, soda, flour, corn, grain, animal feed and sugar among other things.

As well as manufacturing, the Abdul Aziz & Saad M Almoajil Group of Companies is engaged in general trade, contracting dealings with international agencies, the import and export of food products, construction material, pipes and other industrial equipment and chemicals. In addition o the companies mentioned, the group includes the Almoajil Pallet Plant in Dammam, the Almoajil Cement Products plant in Dammam and the Almoajil Barley Bagging Plants in Dammam and Jubail.

"Our factories are doing well despite several other plants having come into the same line of production during the past few years," said group managing director Mohammed Saad Almoajil. "Ours is the first polypropylene bags factory in the Middle East region and so far we are the largest in this area. We have a strong customer base built up over two and a half decades of dedicated service. The key factors responsible for our success are quality and service."

Commenting on the packing industry, Almoajil said it had recorded tremendous growth. "Until the early 1990s, ours were the only two polypropylene bags factories in the Kingdom and there are now many. Growth as been substantial not only among units in the packing industry but also among end-users," Almoajil said.