The decorative concrete tiles launched recently by Assarain Concrete Products have been well-received in the market. The company, which is part of the Assarain Group of Companies, employs state-of-the-art Italian technology in the production of these tiles for indoor and outdoor applications.
Assarain is the only company in Oman which produces decorative concrete tiles, says vice chairman and managing director of the group Khalid Said Al Wahaibi.
The product comes in three ranges: Concrete roofing tiles, textured concrete tiles and exposed aggregate tiles. Colour options include white, grey, red, yellow, green, brown and black.
To meet the expected demand for the product, the company is planning further expansion and installation of new machinery.
Assarain Concrete Products, established in 1984, also produces paving blocks, kerbstones, hollow and solid building blocks, for use in the local construction industry.
The company is also one of the leading manufacturers in Oman of inter-lock paving tiles and hydraulically pressed kerbstones.
The factory premises stretch over 100,000 sq m of land in Rusayl.
Assarain product range includes: Uni interlock tile; Uni Decor interlock tile; Rectangular interlock tile; Classico interlock tile; Quadro interlock tile; Twist interlock tile; Tango interlock tile; kerbstones; paving slabs; roof slabs; electric cable slabs; and concrete blocks.
The company is planning a major expansion of its interlocking tiles factory. Production will be increased one-and-a-half times, says group general manager D M Gulwadi.
Currently, the company is developing blocks which are 30 per cent lighter than the ordinary blocks and insulated blocks which ensure low energy utilisation. They are the products for the future, says Al Wahaibi.
The factory uses German technology and is the most up to date in Oman, he says.
"We have conducted a market study of the UAE and Qatar and have found good demand for this product in these countries," he says.
Interlocking paving tiles will be a major focus of the company for the near future, says Al Wahaibi.
The company has 40 per cent market share in the paving tiles segment in Oman. The new plant will also make building blocks, enabling the company to double its share of the market. [QQ]The demand for kerbstones depends on government spending, he says.
Al Wahaibi says the private sector is now fuelling growth in the country. The company has been experiencing 20 per cent growth annually.
He says the interior areas of Oman are experiencing tremendous growth and there is a lot of demand for the company's products in these regions. About 50 per cent of the products go into these regions.
The company operates a huge fleet of trucks to transport its products to various regions.
"We are heavily involved in the Sur, Sohar and Buraimi development projects," he says.
The projects the company was involved with include: Qurum-Seeb dual carriageway, Shatti Al Qurum infrastructure, Muscat corniche, Sohar infrastructure and beautification, Buraimi infrastructure and beautification, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) properties at Mina Al Fahal and interior area, RGO Complex at Seeb and various ROP (Royal Oman Police) locations.
The company has its own research and development facilities and tests are conducted there. It is planning to go for ISO certification.
On the competition within the industry, Al Wahaibi says: "It is good as long as it is healthy. When there is price war, it forces us to look into production methods to cut costs. [QQ]However, quality is very important. We will not compromise on quality. We have a reputation to maintain."
