Saudi Arabia's Zamil Air Conditioners is poised to manufacture its five millionth room air conditioner this summer.

Set up in 1974, the Dammam-based firm is a leading maker of consumer and commercial air conditioning products that are sold in over 55 countries across the Middle East and overseas.

"Zamil Air Conditioners has built a commanding position in the AC market, both in Saudi Arabia and internationally," said Shaikh Hamad Abdulla Al Zamil, president of HA Al Zamil & Brothers Group, as he welcomed a group of French officials to the plant.

"We maintain close ties with a number of French companies, where we buy compressors and other related components."

The delegation was led by Serge Boidevaix, president of the Franco Arab Chamber of Commerce, and included Bernard Poletti, France's ambassador to the kingdom, and Francis Bouquin, commercial adviser to the French embassy.

The AC manufacturer recently received certification from the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), US, for its chillers and unitary range of products. The achievement follows its successes in gaining the Eurovent certification and upgradation of quality systems to ISO 9001 standards.

The company was the first in the Middle East to receive the ARI certification.

Zamil Air Conditioners is part of Zamil Industrial Investment Company (ZIIC), a joint stock company listed on the Saudi stock exchange.

The officials also visited another sector of the ZIIC group, Zamil Steel Industries.

Set up in 1978, Zamil Steel Industries is one of the largest makers of pre-engineered steel buildings in Asia and Africa. To date, it has supplied over 30,000 buildings to more than 70 countries across the world. Zamil Steel also provides a wide range of structural steel products, high-rise steel buildings, transmission and telecommunication towers and steel joists and decks.