SSF boasts a client list comprising some of the biggest names in Saudi Arabia
Improved marketing efforts, an enlarged product range and upgrading of technical and administrative support services have all contributed to boost business levels for Saudi Scaffolding Factory (SSF) in 2001, the company reports.
SSF, a member of the BINA Group of companies, claims to be the first licensed scaffolding manufacturing facility in the GCC. Its factory is spread over a 3,000 sq m area in the First Industrial City of Dammam. The facility includes standard flow-line production and a fabrication section for special items.
SSF recently acquired exclusive dealerships from a number of European manufacturers of scaffolding accessories and components of certified quality standards - a development which enables it to offer cost-effective solutions to budget-conscious project managers, says a spokesman of the firm.
The company boasts a client list comprising some of the biggest names in Saudi Arabia. It has successfully completed a number of scaffolding design and supply contracts for Saudi Aramco projects in Yanbu, Haradh and Berri, which required materials of superior quality and high specification, according to the spokesman. For the Saudi oil giant, SSF also supplied specially designed suspended scaffolds covering an area of 10,250 sq m.
Among the prestigious projects it has worked on are Sabic's (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) headquarters in Riyadh and the Al Faisaliah Center and Kingdom Centre, the towering landmarks of the capital city.
The company has also been involved in a number of large residential, commercial and community projects, which required both its formwork and scaffolding expertise.
These include the Al Rajhi Towers and Al Moaibed Engineering building, both in Khobar; Al Suhaily Residential Complex, Jeddah; King Abdul Aziz Hospital, Dammam, and Al Kharafi Public Works, Riyadh.
"All these projects required designing and timely supply of propping, decking and formwork material for slabs and beams, measuring up to 1.2 metres depth and special circular column formwork, 1.3 m in dia. In the case of a free-standing restaurant, located 80 m above ground level - which forms part of the Al Suhaily complex in Jeddah - SSF provided special climbing formwork," the spokesman says.
The company also has a Powered Access Division to provide access solutions for facade cleaning and maintenance of high-rise buildings. Tractel/Secalt, an ISO 9001-certified company based in Luxembourg and which is considered to be a world leader in suspended-access systems, supplies the equipment.
Some of the projects handled by this division are:
At other projects such as the World Trade Centre, Makkah, and the Farsi Centre, Mohammedia Plaza and the Westin Hotel, all in Jeddah, special features were incorporated to satisfy the customers' requirements. The company also stocks Malmqvist powered mobile work platforms designed for construction and maintenance jobs.
SSF provides design, installation and commissioning services and tailor-made solutions such as monorails, davits and delta jibs, where the use of standard models is not viable or where inspection areas are fragmented.
SSF also has a Rollform Division, which supplies galvanised steel profiles manufactured from ASTM-graded materials for dry-wall partitions and suspended ceilings. This division is supported by the company's own production lines for expanded metal profiles used as reinforcement to plasters, plaster beads and plastering accessories.
"Quality is our main objective and rigorous quality control procedures are in place throughout our manufacturing facility to ensure that our products fully comply with local as well as international standards," says the spokesman.
"Our products are constantly tested by accredited independent quality assurance agencies and we supply scaffolding that meets the stringent standards set by Saudi Aramco." He continues: "Our products are competitively priced and we ensure that we give prompt attention to customer requirements.
This has helped us secure several large projects both within the Kingdom and in the other GCC states."
