Middle East Circuit Breaker Company (MECBCO), based in Riyadh, is a major supplier to power utilities and panel board builders in the region. Licensed by Westinghouse/Cutler-Hammer of the US to manufacture electric circuit breakers, it uses the American company's raw materials and technology.
"The production and quality control procedures are all carried out under the direct supervision of Westinghouse/Cutler-Hammer," says general manager Sami Farraj.
The product range of the company includes: Miniature circuit breakers, moulded case circuit breakers and air circuit breakers. " MECBCO has been able to manufacture a high quality electric circuit breaker identical to the Westinghouse/Cutler-Hammer breaker, becoming a major manufacturer of circuit breakers in the Middle East and main supplier of this product to electric utilities, panel board builders and the private sector in Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states and other countries," says Farraj.
A Saudi-Jordanian company, MECBCO has plant and warehouse facilities in the Riyadh Second Industrial City - Zone II. It has a staff strength of 52. Products are distributed through agents Advanced Electrical Company and Al-Quraishi Electrical Services as well as distributors in several areas of the Kingdom. MECBCO is exporting to the GCC and the Arab world.
MECBCO started the production of miniature circuit breakers 10 - 100 amps 1, 2 & 3 poles in 1985 with a capacity of 7,000 poles per day.
989, the factory was expanded to include a product line of Series-C moulded case circuit breakers up to 600 amps. This line was further expanded to cover the complete range up to 5000 amps in 1991.
"With the support of Westinghouse/Cutler-Hammer MECBCO uses state-of-the-art equipment in both the production lines and the laboratory to manufacture, calibrate and test its electric circuit breakers. This equipment is identical to that used by Westinghouse/Cutler-Hammer at its circuit breaker production lines and laboratories in the US," says Farraj.
"By utilising this highly sophisticated equipment, MECBCO is able to manufacture breakers to suit the different requirements of the Middle East including ambient temperatures from 40 - 55 deg C and other local conditions and applications," he adds.
