EMIRATES Steel, the largest integrated steel maker in the UAE, said a premier Saudi quality mark it has received will reinforce customer confidence in its products and raise its prestige in markets.

The steel firm announced that its rebar received the prestigious Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation (Saso) quality mark certification.

“We are proud to receive the quality mark certification from Saso, which is one of the regional entities of excellence in all areas of standardisation and quality,” said Emirates Steel’s chairman, Suhail Mubarak Musallam Athaeeth Al Ameri. “This certification recognises the outstanding quality standards that we adopt and reflect in our products,” he added.

According to Saeed Ghumran Al Romaithi, acting chief executive officer of Emirates Steel, “the Saudi quality mark is a clear recognition of our product quality and safety, it will further reinforce the confidence our customers in the kingdom have in us and in our products and it will help us in securing new customers.”

Formed in 1972, Saso has about 14,000 Saso-promulgated standards, and is actively pursuing the promulgation of hundreds of new standards currently in various drafting stages of development. In November 2010 Emirates Steel received the Emirates Quality mark, another proof Emirates Steel’s products meet the latest technical and international standards and with the requirements of quality systems in the steel manufacturing process.

Quality is a top priority at Emirates Steel’s production facilities

The Saudi certification included an assessment of the quality systems and a technical assessment of the company’s plants and the procedures and systems used in controlling production and internal quality control, as well as the testing of product samples in specialised laboratories.

Tariq Al Afifi, vice president – standards and audit, pointed out that Emirates Steel underwent the conformity assessment process by Saso, the only body authorised by the kingdom’s Government to award this certification. The Saso audit involved the inspection of the company’s industrial complex, in addition to product sampling and testing. A similar audit will be undertaken annually to ensure continued conformity.

“This certificate will enhance the prestige of Emirates Steel in both regional and global markets and assist in ensuring our continued commitment to the latest standards and requirements for quality systems in the steel manufacturing process.” Said Al Afifi.

The company operates a well-equipped laboratory and inspection facilities and all testing, inspection and monitoring procedures are carried out based on international standards.

Emirates Steel had been awarded the certification to manufacture Grade B500B rebar and coil conforming to BS 4449:2005 by the UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels (Cares). The company is also certified as a quality manufacturer and supplier of products conforming to BS 4449:1997 Grade 460B. It operates a quality system which complies with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and the relevant Cares quality and operations assessment schedules. In addition, Emirates Steel’s rebar has been accredited by the Dubai Central Laboratory Department (DCLD) of the Dubai Municipality as conforming to BS 4449:1997 Grade 460B with Amd.1 and BS 4449:2005 Grade B500B. In 2011, Emirates Steel also gained the UK Cares Sustainable Reinforcing Steel certification for the production of continuously cast steel billets and carbon steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete.

Emirates Steel is wholly-owned by the General Holding Corporation (GHC). Strategically located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (Icad), just 35 km away from the heart of the city, it is the only integrated steel plant in the UAE utilising the latest steel manufacturing and rolling technology to produce reinforcing bar, wire rod and heavy sections.

At present, the company has a finished product capacity of 3 million tonnes per year. The many strategic alliances that the company has established with leading technology providers, coupled with its state-of-the-art facilities, will ensure that Emirates Steel maintains its position at the forefront of the industrial sector.