Sister companies National Electrical Industries Company (NEI) and Electrical Switchgear Manufacturing Company of Oman's Ali Mirza Group have reported progress in year 2001 sales with the latter, a more recently launched producer, registering an ascendancy of 27 per cent over the previous year.
NEI, which manufactures switchgear assemblies, reported that its sales in 2001 grew eight per cent to RO760,000 ($1.9 million) compared with the previous year, and expects to achieve a five per cent increase in the current year.
The general manager of both companies, Krishnan Vijayraj, said NEI's 2001 sales were a marginal improvement over what was projected. The company, established in 1996, produces switchgear assemblies for a wide spectrum of applications in power distribution, instrumentation and control equipment.
National Electrical Industries expanded its activities in 1998 to manufacture switchgear components and formed a new company, Electrical Switchgear Manufacturing Company, which has state-of-the-art technology to manufacture moulded case circuit breakers (MCCBs), miniature circuit breakers (MCBs), earth leakage circuit breakers (ELCBs) and distribution boards. Its sales climbed 27 per cent in 2001 to RO690,000 and the company projects growth of 14 per cent in 2002
Both companies have their production facilities at Mabella, near Muscat. "The switchgear products are the latest in design and engineering and made in one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced plants in the Sultanate of Oman," said Vijayraj. NEI achieved the ISO 9001 quality system certification from Global Certification Ltd, UK.
Its switchgear assemblies have the approval of Oman's Ministry of Electricity and Water and Ministry of Defence, among other ministries and major consultants. The switchgear assemblies include feeder pillars up to 3,200A 50KA fault level, metering panels up to 1600, 80 ways and automatic power factor correction capacitor banks up to 1000KVAR.
The list also includes street light control panels, relay and control panels, pump control panels, sewage treatment plant control panels and refrigeration and cold room control panels.
NEI plans to manufacture special panel requirements of the petroleum industry and produce medium voltage switchgear assemblies of up to 33KV. It also hopes to expand exports in the GCC region.
Electrical Switchgear Manufacturing Company also has specialised equipment to process electrical grade thermoset materials used in the switchgear products and other processing machinery. The latest testing facilities for switchgear are available through advanced microprocessor controlled test equipment for high current injection and multiple parameter capture.
The switchgear products conform to relevant IEC standards and are tested in respected independent laboratories in Europe. The MCCBs are tested in Asta UK and Cesi Italy.
"Customer orientation has resulted in strategic innovations and market acceptance as Electrical Switchgear Manufacturing Company's engineers design and manufacture switchgear products to suit various industries," said Vijayraj.
The company makes both plug-in and bolt-on MCBs. The switchgear components include moulded case circuit breakers up to 800A, MCBs up to 100A, ELCBs up to 100A with 30, 100, 300mA sensitivity; MCCB distribution boards up to 800A, 18 way; MCB distribution boards up to 100A, 16 way, and GI switch boxes, 3 x 3 and 3 x 6.
The raw materials, particularly the critical components required for producing MCCBs, MCBs, distribution boards and GI boxes, are sourced mainly in Europe, with the Far East and the GCC countries also supplying.
"So far we have not faced any major difficulties in procuring raw materials, only that the cost of transportation has gone up 15 to 20 per cent because of war-risk insurance," said Vijayraj.
"Our company is the only manufacturing unit for circuit breakers in the GCC and we are working towards the ISO 9002 certification."
He said plans included the manufacture of micro processor-based MCCBs and air circuit breakers.
National Electrical Industries Company is able to perform the following tests at its factory: continuity, dielectric, up to 5KV; insulation resistance at 500V AC or 1000V AC, verification of metering circuit, temperature rise of busbars up to 2500A and current injection on ammeters and KWH meters.
The Electrical Switchgear Manufacturing Company also has the capability to perform a number of tests at its factory. The routine tests it conducts, as per IEC 947-2, are the verification of calibration release, verification of thermal release and verification of instantaneous release.
It conducts type tests performed as per IEC 947-2, namely tripping limits and characteristics, dielectric properties, mechanical operation and operational performance capability, overload performance, verification of dielectric withstand, verification of temperature rise and verification of overload releases.
Other tests it conducts relate to the measurement of contact resistance and hardness.
Other manufacturing companies in the Ali Mirza Group are Oman Plastic Industries and Chainlink Fencing. The group includes Civil Contracting Company (Civilco), Trade Links & Services (trading and insurance divisions), Masirah Electrical Trading, Ali Mirza Trading & Investment and Specialised Services & Supplies.
