Bhatia & Company (Bahrain) WLL, a fully owned subsidiary of the Banz Group, already has an extensive range of products and services, and now plans to diversify into manufacturing.

The company has revealed it is exploring the possibility of launching a fabrication facility.
This is part of a process to consolidate Bhatia’s position as a key provider of goods and services in Bahrain and to expand its presence in markets outside the kingdom.
“We are conducting a feasibility study to set up a facility in Bahrain and we expect it to be in operation by the end of this year,” said Bhatia general manager Tony Scannell. The official added that negotiations were going on over the selection of a suitable site.
Scannell said the fabrication would involve steel products including pressure tanks, and he was confident there was good potential for the business. He added that the Banz Group would not enter into collaboration, preferring to do it on its own.
 As the company stands today, it comprises three business divisions: trading, engineering and projects, and within each division it handles a number of different products and represents leading international manufacturers, each with globally recognised brand names. Some of these are:

Trading Division – welding electrodes and generators: Lincoln Electric; bearings: Timken and NSK; industrial maintenance chemicals: WD-40, Loctite, Rocol, CRC, Redox; automotive batteries, oils and spares: AC Delco; automotive and industrial filters: Fleetguard; hoses: Sunflex, Italy; belts: Bando, Fenner; safety shoes: Redwing, Dema and Worx; cutting and grinding discs: Grindwell; pneumatic components: Hoerbiger Origa, Germany; chains-roller/conveyor/SS/pintle: Hitachi Japan; safety helmet and accessories: various suppliers; valves for water, oil and gas: various suppliers.

Engineering Division – diesel engines: Detroit Diesel; petrol engines and portable gensets: Briggs & Stratton; large power generators: Marapco, Powerco and Himoinsa; automotive transmissions: Allison Transmission and truck spare parts: International Trucks.

Projects Division – pre-engineered steel buildings: Butler Steel Buildings; shelving storage systems: SSI Schaefer; automatic door systems: Al Kuhaimi Metal Industries; fire protection/fire alarm/security systems: Viking, Godwin, Menvier; airconditioning windows/splits, water dispensers: Voltas India.

Among Bhatia’s many customers are the Banz Group companies and joint venture firms. It has had a strong association with BMMI, providing it with racking products from Schaefer. “We supplied the biggest mobile racking system to BMMI at their facility in Sitra,” says Scannell. “We also provided racking for the Djibouti and Mina Salman warehouses, which again came from Schaefer. Other sales to BMMI include the fire fighting, fire protection and security systems.”
Added the official: “We consider our relationship with BMMI a very important part of our overall business strategy and we’re hoping to participate with them throughout the region. We would hope we could build up the excellent ties we have developed with the company and its people. It’s been a long-term relationship. What we’re doing now is what we hope to continue to do.”
The clientele of the company includes such luminaries of the Bahraini economy as Alba, Bapco, GPIC, Banagas, Asry, Basrec, Garmco, GIIC, the Bahraini Defence Force, the Ministry of Electricity and Water, the Central Stores Directorate, Bahrain Airport Services and literally every big business house in the country.
Bhatia has the distinction of being one of the oldest technical trading companies in the Gulf. Its history goes back to 1947 when it dealt in fasteners to meet the growing needs of the nascent oil industry.
Success in the venture prompted it to go into the trading of other products such as hand tools, power tools, bearings, welding electrodes, safety products, hoses, belts, industrial maintenance chemicals, automotive spare parts, batteries and fire fighting equipment. Successful again in its extended trading, it underwent diversification, stepping into service-oriented businesses and adding to its stable such products as diesel engines, petrol engines and automotive transmission for which it set up a well-equipped workshop to ensure strong service backup.
Another development came in 1978 when the business converted into a limited liability company and, in 1993, the Banz Group took over as a majority shareholder, which triggered the next phase of development. The company entered the field of projects, catering primarily to the growing construction industry. It introduced shelving systems for the warehousing sector, fire protection systems, pre-engineered steel building, doors and rolling shutters and, most recently, commercial air conditioning products, finally getting on to the stage it now finds itself in.