Basic Chemical Industries (BCI) Group, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading manufacturers of a diverse range of sector offerings, expects a significant surge in sales following greenfield projects it is implementing on the back of new production facilities that became operational in recent years.

A fully automated toll blending plant was set up in Q4 of 2014 for producing metal treatment chemicals for Germany-based Henkel under a manufacturing and supply contract between the two companies. The plant capacity can reach 25,000 tonnes annually of liquid and powder blends of various chemicals accomplished in collaboration with international chemical companies.

“The BCI Group is currently working on new projects aimed at increasing current capacities and introducing new product lines. These projects are in the early stages and will be announced on time,” said the CEO, engineer Saleh M Alyami. 

Alyami said BCI will build a chlorine plant of annual capacity of 200,000 tonnes in the Plasma Park of Jubail Industrial Zone 2 in a joint venture with Aljuffali Group at an investment of SR1.2 billion ($320 million).

“With new projects started and other projects in the pipeline, BCI is targeting sales of $266 million by year 2020,” said Alyami.

BCI group sales were $169 million in 2014 against $175 million in the previous year. Alyami said the company was targeting $170 million in 2015.

The group has a chemicals manufacturing heritage that goes back to its founding in 1973 and includes the establishment of several plants serving clients within Saudi Arabia and overseas.

It commissioned the first chloralkali plant in 1975 to produce liquefied chlorine gas, hydrochloric acid, caustic soda and sodium hypochlorite, followed by a second plant in 1983 using membrane technology and a third in 2005 using the latest membrane technology provided by Uhdenora.

The company makes diverse chemicals for a range of industries

Saudi Water Treatment Company (SWTC) was founded in 1986 as a manufacturer of performance chemicals for water treatment. A plant to manufacture ferric chloride using the latest European technology, Nomexem, was added recently to ensure extremely high quality and a pure end product.

Another company, Huntsman APC, commissioned its plant in 1985 as the kingdom’s first manufacturer of rigid polyurethane chemicals.  It was followed by National Adhesives Limited (NAL), which was founded in 1992 to produce a complete range of industrial adhesives (hot melt and water-based). 

BCNC commissioned in 2004 its plant to produce sulphuric acid, battery acid, and sulphuric acid derivatives.

The group’s marketing arm CMDC was established in 1985 and is engaged in selling products BCI manufactures or trades in.

BCI has had the ISO 9001:2008 quality management certificate since 1995 and is also the holder of the ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 EHS certificates.

The local market accounts for 70 per cent of BCI sales with the remainder coming from GCC and other Middle East countries. Major customers are Saudi Aramco, Sabic, Ma’aden, Marafiq, Sadara, Sasref, Samref and Petro Rabigh.

Reviewing developments over the past two years, Alyami said the main ones were company restructuring and people investment. He attributes BCI’s achievements over the years to a highly qualified work force, professional management and investors’ trust.