Leading Middle East geosynthetics producer Alyaf Industrial Company Limited has announced it is expanding its annual manufacturing capacity with the addition of a fourth line by the end of next year.

Current annual capacity at the plant is more than12,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) and this figure will be augmented to 20,000 tpa when a fourth unit is set up by 2015. Alyaf’s production lines are located in Dammam’s Second Industrial City.

Alyaf also announced it is embarking on major backward integration by adding a fibre production plant for its captive consumption.

Alyaf, established in 1992 and a fully Saudi owned operation, has pioneered the development of geosynthetic solutions in the Middle East by becoming the first company in the region to produce high-performance technical nonwovens.

The company recently joined forces with GEOfabrics Limited, a UK-based firm specialising in geocomposites manufacturing. The alliance will create a range of products for civil and environmental applications such as landfills, gas venting systems, vertical and horizontal drainage, roof gardens, salt barriers and capillary break layers.

The landmark deal places both companies in an advantageous position to expand successfully into new markets across the Middle East and become the premier choice for geocomposites in the region and beyond, said Alyaf chief executive and president Nader Nafady.

Alyaf products follow stringent quality procedures

Alyaf offers a unique range of technical nonwovens made with polyester or polypropylene that effectively perform the functions of separations, filtration, drainage and protection in various environments.

The company manufactures needlepunched, nonwoven polyester geotextiles – A1 and A1 XL series; needlepunched nonwoven polypropylene geotextiles – Alyaf XP range; thermally bonded, needlepunched nonwoven polypropylene geotextiles – Alyaf XS range; a polyester thermally set range engineered for use in cold applied liquid waterproofing systems – Alyaf TS range; paving fabrics made from 100 per cent polyester fibre – Alyaf TS range; a three-dimensional cellular confinement system engineered to provide erosion protection on slopes – ALFWEB, and nonwoven polyester mats engineered specifically for the production of bituminous waterproofing membranes.

“Alyaf nonwoven geotextiles are engineered to offer excellent tensile strength with good elongation in all directions, superior puncture resistance to static and dynamic loads, high permeability with fine opening size, high porosity to prevent clogging of the filter, and resistance to rot, chemicals and UV,” Nafady said.

“Our geotextiles are engineered to suit various geotechnical applications. They have been popular across the region for a variety of applications including soil stabilisation for roads and railways, subsurface drainage, crack relief paving fabrics for asphalt overlays, erosion control in marine constructions, protection of waterproof membranes and thermal insulation, protection of synthetic liners and drainage in landfills and waste containment systems and landscaping,” he added.

The company is the largest manufacturer of geotextiles in the Middle East.

Alyaf’s success in satisfying the regional demand has led the company to introduce a new range of geosynthetic products including geocomposites, geogrids, GCLs and woven geotextiles.

A wide range of multilayered geocomposites are manufactured under licence from GEOfabrics of the UK. Alyaf geocomposites are engineered to serve various application needs, which typically have a core with a geotextile to one or both sides. The core itself could be a HDPE multiplanar net or a cuspated PE sheet.

Alyaf is embarking on major expansion projects to expand its product portfolio to include GCL and woven geotextiles.

Alyaf biaxial geogrids are currently manufactured at a state-of-the-art external facility through a process of extrusion, punching and stretching of polypropylene sheets. Biaxial geogrids provide an optimum aperture geometry and stiffness which help reduce the lateral movement of interlocked, overlying aggregates that are subjected to dynamic loads.”

Alyaf’s GCLs, marketed as ALFCLAY, will consist of a high quality bentonite layer between two geotextile layers to form a sandwich-type composite of around 10 mm thickness. Once hydrated, ALFCLAY forms an extremely low-permeable layer against liquids, vapours and gases.

Alyaf’s woven geotextile range, marketed as ALFWEAVE, will be manufactured from high tenacity, high molecular weight multifilament yarn.

PROJECTS AND POTENTIAL

The company is the largest manufacturer of geotextiles in the Middle East

Alyaf’s products have been used in some of the most prestigious projects across the Middle East and beyond, among them the Doha Shiokh redevelopment project in Qatar, the Gorgon gas project in Australia, the Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, the Durrat Al Bahrain project in Bahrain and the new South Side Roads and grading of corridors scheme at Ras Laffan in Qatar.

The products are manufactured, tested and supplied in line with stringent quality management systems and follow relevant ASTM and EN ISO standards, the company says.

For over two decades, Alyaf has been a mainstay in the Middle Eastern market, especially Saudi Arabia, and has a significant market presence in other parts of Asia, Africa and Europe. The prime focus has been to manufacture the best geosynthetics for the Saudi market but also to cater to other growing markets of the GCC region.

“The Saudi market and the Middle East in general have been progressive in nature and are expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the next five years. Alyaf has exceeded expectations as a market leader in the Middle East, and with a host of exciting industrial, construction and infrastructure megaprojects lined up ahead, we are all set to go above and beyond,” Nafady commented.

“Alyaf has always sought to increase its market outreach to be part of the industrial boom in the Middle East. Its partnership with GEOfabrics is expected to be a game-changer.

“With dedicated teams of qualified professionals in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam, Alyaf is all set to grow from strength to strength in the global geosynthetics market.”