Distribution management leader Arcoma has reported strong strides in the Kingdom, particularly in the supply of forklift trucks, and is looking forward to presenting itself as a one-stop shop for equipment linked to materials handling.

The company is keen to enter the rental and leasing segment for materials handling equipment. The forklift fleet management system is another area it is interested in.

Jeddah-based Arcoma's materials handling division represents Crown lift trucks from the US, Germany, UK and Ireland as well as BAE, German made traction batteries for electric forklifts and Hyundai diesel and LPG-powered forklift trucks.

It recently introduced industrial sweepers, scrubber driers (Dulevo of Italy), dock levelers, dock shelters, sectional and speed doors and mobile ramps (Combursa of Spain).

The new products come ahead of plans to open showrooms in the kingdom, the first of which is to be set up in Jeddah. Arcoma's materials handling division manager Farhan Shah says the company is looking for a suitable site on Mecca Road.

'That is where most of our competition is located. We are working on a concept to make this division a 'one-stop shop for material handling equipment,' says Shah.

'Keeping that in mind we have introduced motive power batteries for forklifts; diesel and LPG forklifts, industrial sweepers, dock levelers, sectional doors etc. Our aim is to provide complete warehousing and material handling solutions under one roof.' The division has fully fledged branches at Riyadh, Dammam and Yanbu with facilities for dispensing parts and service.

The momentum already generated has triggered very high expectations for 2003 and the company is working on some major projects involving large fleets.

The company has catapulted to the third or fourth position in terms of volumes in electric lift truck sales and become a supplier to some of the region's most recognisable names.

Arcoma's big-name association fetched it a turnover of SR8.2 million in 2002 against SR5.2 million in 2001, amounting to a growth of more than 55 per cent over 2001 and 70 per cent over 2000. It commanded a share of 18 per cent in electric lift trucks in 2002.

The company has taken aggressive marketing strategies including the introduction of full-fledged branches in Dammam, Riyadh and Yanbu. Arcoma's group executive director, Shaikh Mohammed M Balkhair, has been the mastermind behind the setting up of the materials handling division.

'Arcoma's new materials handling division complements its already-established storage systems division and is now capable of providing complete material handling and storage system solutions,' he says.

The company's top management - Shaikh Omar A Bajammal, president, and Shaikh Salem A Bahamas, managing director and vice president, are very supportive towards expanding the present business and exploring new business areas.

Crown has recognised Arcoma's marketing efforts, presenting it with its achievement award for 'exceptional sales results and professional approach.' It also won a prestigious business contract with Olayan Tibbett and Britten for supplying 24 units of Crown electric reach trucks, counterbalanced trucks and rider pallet trucks. The agreement was signed in late January.

The customer list for Arcoma includes Aramco, Sabic, Olayan Tibbet &Britten, Abdul Lateef Jameel Co, Panda super Stores, Banaja- Saudi Import Company, Modern Food Manufacturing Co (Ulker- Dallah), Al Hudaiti (Chicco products), IKEA, Al Munajem Cold Stores, Jareer Book stores, Toys r Us, Sunbullah food Co., Azeezia Panda super markets, Al Jazeerah vehicles Co and Savola Edible Oils.

Recently the company was successful in securing orders from Abdul Lateef Jameel Company (Toyota distributor) for six additional Crown SP 3000 series stock-picking forklifts and Sanbullah Food Company for Crown 3-wheel counterbalanced forklift trucks. It also won an order for supplying 24 units of Crown WP 2030 S rider pallet trucks from the Azeezia Panda chain of supermarkets. Arcoma sold a record unit of Crown hand pallet trucks, more than 360 units in recent months.

The ALJ order was implemented in a record time of 14 days. 'This was achieved to meet the specific demand of our very special customer who operates more than 22 Crown stock-picking forklifts in its central warehouse,' said Shah.

Crown, a pioneer and world leader in manufacturing quality warehouse equipment range and whose lift trucks Arcoma represents, has plants worldwide and is one of a very few manufacturers that provide a complete warehouse range. 'With its central parts depot stationed at Munich, Germany, they are easy to get at and dispatch any non-moving parts at the earliest,' says Shah. ' We take care of every single customer. Crown has a Middle East regional office in Dubai and its manager, Malcolm Godbold, visits Saudi Arabia regularly. Crown's service engineer's from Germany visit us at least twice a year. This is to ensure that quality service is delivered to each and every customer and their special needs including training requirements are met'

While Crown has received plaudits for its design, general workmanship and high levels of productivity, it also manufactures more than 80 per cent of its parts, thereby maintaining the highest control over quality issues and prices. It also enjoys high demand because of interchangeability of parts amongst Crown's different models.

'Crown's 3-wheel counterbalanced truck SC 3000 series has proved to be the most appreciated forklift on this market,' acknowledges Shah. 'Its rugged construction, tight turning circle, comfortable operator area and easy accessibility to service parts make it one of the most versatile lift trucks in its class. Crown's 'reach' truck design is very heavy duty, giving maximum stability while handling loads at the highest lift heights and making it one of the steadiest machines.

'Crown's unique hand pallet truck design is very heavy duty. The truck is built with high quality 4mm thick steel chassis and comes with different wheel options to suit various applications. Its fully enclosed hydraulic unit ensures durability.'

BAE, Europe's leading battery manufacturer, is able to produce batteries for all kinds of forklifts. In association with BAE, Arcoma offers a warranty of up to 2 years. 'The bolt-on flexible connector design makes maintenance of these batteries simple and cell replacement very easy,' says Shah. 'All materials used in manufacturing these top-quality batteries are of the highest grade and tested for durability and highest efficiency. Arcoma maintains in its stock a wide range of batteries to suit some of the popular forklift brands in Saudi Arabia.'

Arcoma's role also gets a boost from its representation of Hyundai, believed to be the fourth largest construction equipment supplier in the world. 'Hyundai are known to employ in their forklifts high-quality engines, transmissions and hydraulic systems. Built to perform in the toughest conditions or intensive work applications these forklifts can match any Japanese or European forklifts of repute,' observes Shah.

'The introduction of Hyundai diesel and LPG trucks in Saudi Arabia was one of Arcoma's key achievements,' he says.

'Hyundai, being one of the pioneers in construction equipment manufacturing in the world, chose Arcoma as their Saudi Arabian partner for marketing and servicing fork lifts. This was due to Arcoma's vision which is focused around the materials handling industry and the progress we had made in popularising Crown lift trucks in the market.'

Shah says the market has responded positively to Hyundai diesel/LPG forklift trucks, making it one of the fastest-selling items in Arcoma's armoury.

He is optimistic that materials handling will continue as a growth sector for Arcoma. 'We are committed to providing best service and parts support to our valued customers. Our service department is manned and headed by experts in this field. Our service manager has over 25 years' experience in the forklifts field. All are service engineers are qualified and trained and hence provide efficient and reliable service.'

Arcoma's longstanding presence in Saudi Arabia's business field and its success in various business undertakings has helped strengthen customer confidence.

Omar A. Bajammal founded the company in the early 1950s as a family business to cater to local businesses' retail imports. It served in that capacity for the first 20 years. The second 30 years reflected the evolution of the Saudi economy. The firm was restructured for the first time to capitalise on the business boom, seeing the need for a wider range of food, consumer and engineering products. It grew substantially to expand into engineering and manufacturing. In 1980 it established the first manufacturing facility in Jeddah for polystyrene downstream processing to meet demand from the construction industry and other sectors. This was the only factory of its kind in Saudi Arabia. Two years later, it established the second factory for heavy duty shelving and racking to cater to auto dealers. In the mid-1980's Arcoma established its third plant in the Central Province (Qassim) to serve the agricultural areas and construction industry.

Arcoma established its first foreign branch in the UAE followed by a branch in Sanaa and another in Aden. It set up a branch in Jakarta in the late 1980s where it was honoured with an award from President Suharto for contributing to the promotion of exports to the Middle East and Europe. Interestingly, in the late 18th century, the Arcoma founding family had business links with firms from the Netherlands, Indonesia's colonial rulers.

'The company has a long way to go and we believe there are a lot more opportunities for introducing new trends in the market which is ready to accept new trends and techniques in materials-handling technology,' observed Shah.