New contracts for mega projects and expansions at its plants have helped maintain optimism at building materials manufacturer Qanbar Dywidag Precast Concrete Co Ltd (QDC).

The company is also upbeat over the growing demand for its products and services throughout Saudi Arabia and its capabilities, having completed and delivered major projects on time.

“2013 has been a good year for QDC,” said QDC sales manager Mohammed Abdullah, who reported increased demand for the company’s products and services, especially in the eastern and western provinces, prompting it to pursue expansion projects in both areas. Abdullah said demand in the Eastern Province had grown particularly in the housing market, while in the Western Province the increase was mainly in the industrial and commercial markets.

In the eastern city of Jubail, where the company has two manufacturing facilities, the largest expansion is a new state-of-the-art highly automated concrete batching plant. Other additions include a new tower crane in the stockyard area, new truck heads, cement bulkers, forklift trucks, concrete mixer trucks and a wheel loader. Future expansions at the main plant in Jubail include the construction of a new mess hall, foreman offices, an employee training facility and the addition of more area for product storage.

QDC’s products have great brand recognition. Picture shows the company’s Jubail factory

In the Western Province there have been a number of expansion projects at its factory in Rabigh including four new hollow-core lines, a new steam generator automated curing system and the installation of permanent electric power from Sceco, eliminating dependence on on-site generators. Future expansion plans include the construction of a new mess hall, an administration building and
a mosque.

“The Rabigh plant has completed 11 projects to date for Saudi Aramco. After a rigorous approval process the QDC plant in Rabigh was enlisted on the Approved Vendor/Material List for King Abdulaziz University,” said Abdullah.

Major contracts awarded in the past 12 months include a variety of projects in Jubail for Sadara, Saudi Aramco, APCC and the Royal Commission. The Jeddah projects include a building for Medical Skills & Marine Studies at King Abdul Aziz University and a sports hall for the King Abdullah Sports City project. QDC has also bagged a Friday Mosque project for Marafiq in Yanbu, western Saudi Arabia, and won a contract for Saudi Aramco’s Rabigh Phase-2 petrochemical project.

BUSY WITH PROJECTS

Major projects ongoing or completed in 2013 include housing schemes in Jubail for Sasref, Sabic and the Royal Commission, a 380 kV substation for Sceco in Makkah, Qassim University Hospital in Qassim, central Saudi Arabia, a Makkah project (Mina Tent) for the Ministry of Hajj, a medical centre expansion for the Royal Commission in Yanbu, an in-flight service training centre in Jeddah for Saudi Airlines and car parking for the Islamic Port of Jeddah as well as a Mechanised Brigade project for the National Guard in Al Hassa, eastern Saudi Arabia.

An overview of the Aramco Bachelor Camp in Haradh, a QDC project

Among contractors who awarded projects to QDC were ABB Contracting, Beijing Construction Engineering Group, Saudi Oger, Sinopec, Fluor Arabia, Petrofac, the El Seif Engineering-Hyundai joint venture, Khonaini International, Azmeel Contracting, Project Build Company, Al Fouzan Trading, Al Osais, Al Mansouryah and Gulf Symbols.

QDC stresses it implements best industry practices to manufacture and deliver value-added precast concrete products and building systems to the highest quality standards.

The company was formed in 1981 as a partnership between one of the Eastern Province’s leading business conglomerates, Al Ansari Holding Company (Abdul Razzaq Mohammed Qanbar Al Ansari & Sons) and one of the largest German general contractors and precast concrete manufacturers, Dycherhoff & Widmann AG (Dywidag). In January 2002 Al Ansari Holding became the sole owner of QDC and Dywidag remains as a technical partner.

QDC’s parent, Al Ansari Holding Company, is a joint venture partner in Qatar International Precast (QIP) in Doha, which has also seen an increase in demand for its products and services in Qatar this year and just recently completed the construction of a new administration building. They are currently producing an industrial pipe racks system for Dolphin Energy and Larsen & Turbo Construction Co (L&T).