Saudi Readymix is on track to supply a sizable backlog of projects and to receive new orders it expects to finalise in the coming weeks.

“The cement shortage no longer exists and we have signed many new orders in Q1 2012,” said Saudi Readymix marketing and business development manager Fadi Mujahed.

The company produced in 2011 some 5.6 million cu m of ready-mixed concrete from the basic variety to speciality, self-compacting, high-strength and high-rise concrete. “This is equivalent to pouring concrete for around 16,000 large villas in one year. Just to clarify this amount further, a project like Kingdom Tower in Jeddah is estimated to require around 400,000 to 500,000 cu m – that’s almost as if we have poured the whole ready-mixed concrete requirements of Kingdom Tower in less than a month,” Mujahed said. “In 2011, we produced and delivered several other types of special concrete such as low-heat or hydration concrete used in mass structures (for example, the foundations of high rise buildings), special concrete for backfilling and infrastructure, coloured concrete and self-compacting concrete while continuing to supply high-strength and high- rise pumping concrete,” he continued.

“The construction market in the kingdom was quite strong in certain areas/cities. We followed a strategy of strengthening our presence and our capacity in some areas in order to service our customers better.”

 Output was 5.1 million cu m in 2009 and 5.2 million cu m in the following year.  The company says it has been expanding its factories and quarries from time to time. Raw materials come from within Saudi Arabia while cementitious additives, required for speciality concrete and not available locally, are imported.

The company is currently supplying 300,000 cu m of concrete for the Information Technology Communications Complex (ITCC project) in Riyadh and is the main supplier for the Jabal Omar project in Makkah. It is also contracted to supply the CMA Tower and other projects in King Abdullah Financial District, the Maaden-Alcoa Aluminium Refinery in Ras Al Khair, the Rabigh Railway Station, the Ithra Cultural Centre for which it is supplying pigmented concrete and a smelter and rolling  mill in Ras Al Khair  for which the requirement is speciality concrete.

The trend one now sees in the Saudi construction sector is for mega projects. There are more requests for special concrete and safety or eco-friendly concrete. Mujahed says Saudi Readymix is ahead of demand in terms of concrete category and meeting stringent requirements and specifications. “We correctly predicted trends and prepared for them before they arrived.”

The company was established in 1978 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khalid Ali Alturki & Sons Company (Alturki), a leading industrial conglomerate.

Saudi Readymix employs close to 3,000 managerial, administrative, technical and operational staff and operates laboratories that develop unique mix designs, perform routine testing and analysis on concrete products and research new and under-development products.

Area laboratories are located at main commercial stations in each operational region of the kingdom. They conduct statistical analysis of local test results, issue monthly reports to Saudi Readymix’s management, and render technical assistance to local commercial and on-site factories. All report to the Central Laboratory based in Dammam and directed by Saudi Readymix’s technical manager. The Central Laboratory’s responsibilities include the calibration of testing and measuring equipment, qualification and selection of raw material sources, updating of technical libraries and technical training. Moreover, it specialises in the development of new products.

Since its establishment, the company has worked on an impressive array of prestigious projects for the public, private and government sectors and most of its factories are officially approved as suppliers to major government and industrial authorities such as Saudi Aramco, SEC, Sabic, the Royal Commission and MoDA to name a few.

The factories are strategically located throughout the kingdom in order to cover all major commercial and industrial areas.

These areas include: Dammam, Sihat, Aziziyah, Hofuf, Jubail, Khafji, Khursaniyah, Ras Al Khair, Riyadh North, Riyadh South, Riyadh West, Al Kharj, Jeddah North, Jeddah South, Jeddah Briman, Makkah, Medina, Yanbu and Rabigh.

Saudi Readymix boasts the largest fleet of ready-mixed concrete equipment in Saudi Arabia with over 550 truck mixers and 170 mobile and stationary pumps.