Jeddah

Alupco announces plans for Jeddah

A production facility at Alupco’s Jeddah plant

Alupco, the largest aluminium extrusion company in Saudi Arabia, has announced plans to upgrade capacity at its Jeddah plant which will help it supply higher volumes to the Western Region and international markets.


The company, meanwhile, is in the process of completing a major expansion project at its Dammam plant and building a factory, also in Dammam, to manufacture aluminium composite panels (ACPs).


“For Jeddah we have serious plans to add two presses, a wood finish line and a thermal break line,” said Saad Tahsin Al Waheb, Alupco’s marketing supervisor.


The Jeddah manufacturing facility has annual capacity of around 45,000 tonnes. On completion of the expansion, Alupco Jeddah will have capacity of 55,000 tonnes per year.


The plant now operates five extrusion presses, one aluminium cast furnace, one anodising line, a horizontal line and two vertical powder-coating lines as well as two polishing machines and three automatic packing lines.


Most prominent profiles emerging from the Jeddah plant are ones for windows, doors, curtain walls and kitchen systems.


“We have achieved our status of being the biggest aluminium extrusion company in the kingdom by aiming to improve ourselves every single year. The year 2015 is no different. Our plant in Jeddah is state of the art and continues to surpass expectations,” said Al Waheb.


The Jeddah plant takes care of sales in the Western Region while also sending shipments to the GCC states, the wider Middle East and beyond.


“As always, Alupco’s focus for the Jeddah plant is to retain and improve its business and to develop new business opportunities in the area. All Jeddah requirements are met from the Jeddah plant and our plan to install the new presses will help Alupco Jeddah start exports to additional markets,” said Al Waheb.


Alupco’s expansion project at the Dammam plant is set to be completed this year. The company is installing there a new anodising line, a new casting house and a new press with capacity of 12,000 tonnes annually as well as two thermal break production lines.

The Jeddah plant is to be expanded with additional units

The Jeddah plant is to be expanded with additional units


Capacity at Alupco Dammam is now around 40,000 tonnes with four extrusion presses, two aluminium cast furnaces, one anodising line, two vertical powder coating lines, two wood finish paint lines, one thermal break crimping line, two polishing machines, two protective tape machines and three automatic packing lines.


Some 30 to 40 per cent of the new output will feed export demand.


A key project Alupco is currently implementing is the construction of a plant in Dammam to produce aluminium composite panels  in partnership with Eurocon Metal Industries, a subsidiary of UAE-based Eurocon Building Industries and the authorised Alubond USA total solutions provider. Alubond USA is one of the largest ACP producers in the world bringing out more than 12 million sq m of the product per year.

 

QUALITY MARKS PROFILES


Alupco, established in 1975, became the first aluminium extrusion company in the Middle East to gain the ISO 9001 certification way back in 1995. Exports have advanced from 20 per cent of total sales in 2009 to 35 per cent in 2013 and 40 per cent last year with most overseas shipments bound for markets in the GCC region and North Africa.


The aluminium profiles it designs and produces as well as the surface treatment it provides in various finishes are in line with internationals standards: EN (European), DIN (German), BS (British) and SASO (Saudi Arabia).


The company’s most popular product is the Curtain Wall system which provides structural four-sided, structural two-sided, conventional and semi-structural solutions.


Alupco is also well known for its Saraya Sliding System, 52 System and Thermal Break systems for hinged doors and windows and Pivot systems and Huge Range systems for the commercial and industrial sectors.


Alupco systems have been popular as they are designed to meet market requirements in all GCC, other Middle East and international markets and enjoy a technical support system for customers and projects, the company says.


It highlights its special systems as architectural W, D and CW including the 50SG curtain wall system and thermal break systems for sliding and hinged solutions.


It is also the sole producer and seller in Saudi Arabia of the Italian ALUK system. Alupco offers several other international architectural systems.

 

PROJECTS AND OUTLOOK


Among major projects Alupco completed during 2014 and the first half of this year were the Eastern Province projects of Al Hugayet Tower, Al Saddoun Tower and Al Falak showrooms.


Projects in recent years  that Alupco was involved with as supplier were prestigious Saudi universities including one of the latest to be built – Princess Noura in Riyadh, other Riyadh projects such as  Kingdom Tower,  Faisaliah Tower and Al Bustan Compound, Eastern Province projects including Mousa Tower, King Fahd International Airport, the Sabic office building and Royal Commission College.


Outside the kingdom, the company’s profiles embellished the Central Bank of Kuwait and the Telecommunications Tower (Kuwait), Burj Al Arab Hotel and Jumeirah Beach Residence (both in Dubai), Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi; Khalifa Stadium and Al Areen (both in Doha) and Beirut Marina Tower and Verdun VII (both in Beirut).


About the business outlook over the next three years, Al Waheb responded: “It looks very positive as there have been major movements in the kingdom. Mega projects have been awarded as Saudi Arabia continues its desire to improve and build iconic landmarks that will stand for many years to come. The government’s insight for the future has given us optimism as it continues to plan landmark projects.


“Alupco has always been a major contributor to famous landmarks in the past and will continue its history in the future.”