Saudi Readymix Concrete Company has augmented its fleet with four new stationary concrete pumps. “These pumps, which are the same as those used in the construction of Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest building, in the UAE, are unique in Saudi Arabia and each capable of pumping concrete to a maximum height of 700 m,” it said. 
The new pumps complement Saudi Readymix’s high-rise concrete delivery capabilities, especially considering the recent relaxation of the height limit imposed on buildings in certain areas of the kingdom’s major cities.
The pumps are stationary by themselves and have to be attached to trucks for movement from one site to another.
“We pride ourselves on always leading industry trends and anticipating changes within it. The relaxation of the height limit on buildings is a clear example of this. We prepared ourselves beforehand for the forecasted demand in high-rise construction in the kingdom by acquiring these advanced pieces of equipment and putting in place the necessary mechanisms to ensure success in this endeavour,” said Khalid Baghdadi, Saudi Readymix’s managing director.
According to Saudi Readymix figures, the number of planned high-rise projects in Saudi Arabia for 2008 jumped to 22 in the first quarter of 2008 alone compared with a total of one to two projects annually until 2006.
The company has a separate concrete pumping division.
In parallel, Saudi Readymix has been working on developing special high-strength, high-rise concrete mixes and utilising advanced pumping techniques to achieve heights previously unheard of in the kingdom such as those of Al-Zoebi Tower and Al-Sweiket Tower, the two tallest buildings in the Eastern Province of the kingdom. The company also organised several seminars earlier this year focusing on the specific issues related to high-rise concrete pumping.
Redwan Hameed, Saudi Readymix technical director, said: “Acquiring the equipment is actually the easiest part in high-rise pumping. The main issue is having the necessary technical and operational expertise to handle the unique challenges of high-rise pumping. For this reason, we created a dedicated research and development team that is constantly working to advance the underlying science of our industry with new mix designs and improved pumping techniques”
The acquisition of these pumps comes as part of the company’s SR440 million ($117.3 million) capital investment plan for 2008, a 40 per cent increase over the 2007 investment figure.
Saudi Readymix is the leading producer and supplier of ready-mixed concrete and related products in Saudi Arabia.  Established in 1978, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Khalid Ali Alturki & Sons group of companies (Alturki Group).
 The company employs a total workforce of over 2,200 managerial, administrative, technical and operational staff.
It has worked on an impressive array of prestigious projects for both the public and the private sectors, and most of its stations are officially approved as suppliers to major governmental and industrial authorities.
Saudi Readymix’s network of plants and stations are strategically located throughout the kingdom in order to cover all major commercial and industrial areas. This is made easier with the company’s 380+ mixer trucks and 130+ mobile pumps, making the company’s fleet the largest in Saudi Arabia.
Its products include an immense library of concrete recipes - many of which are unique to the company, – in addition to hot mix asphalt, quarry products and concrete masonry units.