The high density polyethylene (HDPE) division of Amiantit Oman, following major successes in the Sultanate, is now looking at the regional markets.

Amiantit Oman is a major producer of HDPE pipes in the region and boasts state-of-the-art technology.

The target export markets for the company are Yemen, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Syria and Africa. Last year, exports accounted for 20 per cent of the turnover and this year it will go up to 30 per cent.

Robert Lawrence, divisional manager comments: "The UAE and Saudi Arabia are our natural markets. We have also opened up markets in Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.''

This year the company will be concentrating on Bahrain and Kuwait and has already established agencies in the countries. The first major delivery has also been effected in Bahrain.

"Syria is the source of the largest number of enquiries for our HDPE products," he says. [QQ]"We are also looking at extending our range to more advanced materials, which will offer higher resistance to temperature," says Lawrence.

Located close to Rusayl industrial area, the facility was set up in 1993 under licence from KWH of Finland, a world leader in HDPE production.

Globally, HDPE is very well accepted and it is a high grade, engineered product, says Lawrence. "We target the oil and gas industry and the civil infrastructure such as sewerage and water systems," he says.

The pipes are corrosion-resistant, lightweight, highly resistant to chemicals, have a high impact strength, are abrasion-resistant, easily weldable and offer flexibility.

The division produces two types of HDPE pipes - pressure pipes and Weholite gravity pipes.

The pressure pipes come in sizes from 16 mm up to 1,200 mm in diameter. These can be used to internally line carbon steel pipes as protection from the corrosive effect of injection water and provides a unique solution to protecting carbon steel pipes, says Lawrence.

The HDPE pipes can also be used as stand-alone pipes for oil flow lines, water disposal, fire fighting, potable water supply and sewer lines.

Amiantit Oman claims to have the largest range of Weholite gravity pipes in the world - 300 mm to 3,000 mm in diameter. These pipes are specially designed for taking soil load. They can be buried up to 20 m deep or more.

These pipes have been used in Salalah's sewerage system and have proved very successful, says Lawrence.

One of the recent projects carried out by the division is the replacement of concrete floats with polyethylene floats for the Ministry of Defence in Oman. This is another market where the anti-corrosion properties of PE will win out.

The division's sales have increased enormously during the last three years and the company expects steady growth this year as well.