Saudi Arabia's Al Watania Plastics (WP) has raised its green foam production capacity to 100,000 cu m a year with the aim of boosting its market share in the Gulf.

"WP has been supplying various major clients in the contracting and trading sectors in the Gulf for years," says general manager Yousef Ba-Zid. "We, still however, continue to focus on the construction, manufacturing and distribution industries in the Gulf which consume 330,000 cu m of foam annually."

WP claims its product, called 'green foam', is superior to conventional foam, adding that experts consider it a quantum leap in foam technology

"Our product, which is 100 per cent locally produced with German expertise, is in demand," says Ba-Zid. "By boosting capacity, we hope to serve a wider range of customers. The foam is suited for insulation applications, including roofs, walls and floors."

The green foam also appeals to the end-user because of its 'well-proven' energy-saving features, Ba-Zid says. "Green foam saves up to 35 per cent in electricity bills and achieves the best insulation capabilities in cold, hot and humid weather at temperatures ranging from - 40 deg C to +50 deg C. Basically, we offer international quality at value-for-money prices on the doorstep of the Gulf." Manufactured to strict international DIN and ASTM specifications, green foam closed-cell rigid boards are made of extruded polystyrene in sizes ranging from 25 mm to 100 mm in thickness and from 1,260 mm to 2,500 mm in length.

Ba-Zid continues: "WP, in addition, carries out - in its own laboratory - an in-house testing scheme, which ensures that target strengths and quality are reached for all types and sizes of green foam. The company is strongly committed to quality control and quality assurance and complies with ISO 9002 standards."

Apart from excellence in manufacturing, WP stresses on customer service and satisfaction. This has endeared the company to a growing list of customers who look for and think only 'green', according to Ba-Zid. Commenting on business levels, Ba-Zid says: "Competition is very high with numerous local and foreign players and this is further exacerbated by the presence of untested construction materials in the market. All this is having an effect on prices. "However, since its inception in 1982, WP has never compromised on quality, and this policy will not change. On the contrary, we will continue to provide quality products and overcome competition by boosting efficiency, controlling costs and being more selective in our markets."

WP urges customers to visit its head office in Riyadh or branches in Eastern and Western provinces to find out more about its green foam. The Riyadh-based WP, a subsidiary of Al Watania for Industries, manufactures plastic products for the construction, industrial and consumer sectors.