Work is in progress at Jubail-based Dresser Al-Rushaid Valve and Instrument Co Ltd (Darvico), which has embarked on an expansion plan at its Jubail facility to achieve a capacity expansion in the wake of the growth in demand for its products and services.

“Expansion activity is in progress at the Jubail facility and it will see the completion by December 2021,” Darvico general manager D R Pai said.

The new expansion will create additional space of about 20,000 sq ft at its Jubail facility where it will install a boiler plant for testing valves on steam application. The valve testing facility for steam application, will be the first of its kind in the Middle East, according to Pai.

“Darvico is taking the lead to install, for the first time in the Middle East, a boiler facility for testing valves on steam application. The facility will address all ASME SEC VIII and ASME SEC I Consolidated safety and safety relief valves (SRVs) for steam application to be tested in live steam in Darvico,” he said.

One of the leading local manufacturing companies, Darvico supplies pressure safety valves, control valves, level transmitters and instruments catering to the needs of oil and gas, petrochemical, power and water companies since 1983 in Saudi Arabia.

Through a joint venture partnership established 1985, Darvico and Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE) have been providing highly engineered, Masoneilan and Consolidated control valve solutions through localised production within Saudi Arabia.

“The expertise from Masoneilan and Consolidated worldwide valves plants and local presence of Darvcio is providing their customers a full range of products and services. The entire team including the aftermarket is geared to provide 24/7 service to its customers at their door steps. Darvico has already won appreciation from major petrochemical plants for the outstanding execution and support rendered during the successful turnaround,” Pai added.

The new initiative will add additional capabilities to test all types of valves to meet the upcoming turnarounds and plant shutdowns, he added. The expansion will have a local machining centre to manufacture the trim components to support local customers and will enhance the inventory level of the spare parts which will now be manufactured locally.

“All these initiatives will be aligned with the Saudi government’s Vision 2030 for localisation,” Pai said and added that, “Darvico localisation plan will continue and be executed over more plants in Saudi Arabia.”

Meanwhile, Darvico has also opened a new facility in the Yanbu city, which takes care of the entire Western Region of Saudi Arabia. “To meet the Western Regions customers’ needs, Darvico opened new state-of-the-art facility in Yanbu city,” said Darvico executive director Meshary Al Oqaily. The facility has been built in the Royal Commission Area, and developed as manufacturing and services centre to meet the future demands and meet current customer’s needs, he added.