One of Saudi Arabia’s leading contractors best known for defence contracting and procurements has launched a new initiative in the industrial production field.

Riyadh-based Jash Technical and Services Co Ltd has set up a fully owned subsidiary, the Eastern Energy Engineering Services Co (EEES), which, it says will meet a big demand for petroleum process equipment made of  “high alloys and exotic materials.”  The range is to include pressure vessels, shell and tube heat exchangers, reactors, columns, towers, process tanks, condensers, evaporators and fabricated pipe works.
“EEES aims to support the execution, expansion and replacement activities of the local oil and gas sector by providing local and global clients with high quality and international-standard products and services,” says Jash executive vice president Bader Saad Al-Sullaim.
He stresses that EEES facilities will be “state of the art” in the engineering and fabrication of customised petroleum process equipment, the company also providing sophisticated maintenance, repair and test services. The equipment fabricated in its facilities will also have applications in the non-oil sector.
The company will pay special attention to R&D, training and employing about 200 Saudi nationals in different technical trades including engineering, steel fabrication and welding, says Al-Sullaim. The company has completed feasibility studies and is in the process of selecting a foreign technology partner. Its facilities will be built over 65,000 sq m in Jubail Industrial City.  
This is Jash’s second venture in manufacturing after it set up in 1981 the Desert Finance Company (Defco) for producing a range of fences including ones imbued with high-tech devices to enhance their security utility.
Defco has its facilities in Riyadh’s Second Industrial City. It was built at a time when the kingdom’s security and surveillance requirements increased dramatically.
Over the years, Defco has emerged as one of the biggest fence companies in the Middle East, completing more than 4 million metres of fencing material including high-security chain link fences that incorporate an electronic alarm system; industrial chain link fences, ring lock fences and high-tension wire fences for expressways and access control. The chain link fences are galvanised or PVC coated. The fencing equipment covers barbed wire and razer wire, also known as barber tape, among other types.
“Defco’s participation in many large fencing projects in the kingdom is due entirely to its extensive experience, expertise and quality and the satisfaction of consultants and clients,” comments Al-Sullaim.
Jash was founded in 1976 by Saad Sulaim Al Gahtani, a US-educated ex-employee of Aramco. 
As a company dealing with the highest echelons of the Saudi government, Jash has few equals. Among Saudi contractors, it has had a big hand in defence procurements for Riyadh. Indeed, the value of contracts in defence procurement rose from SR120 million ($31.9 million) between 1994-1998 to SR388 million in 1999-2003. In the next four-year phase from 2004 until 2008, the company envisions contracts worth SR776 million. 
Jash’s services also cover general procurement, technical support, trade and commerce, life support and operations and maintenance (O&M). Its projection for all contracts for 2004-2008 is SR1.6 billion.
While defence procurement revenues have climbed significantly, the company has also had a strong presence in O&M, although projections show the sector will slip considerably from SR258 million in 1999-2003 to SR158 million in the following four years. But the company sees general procurement making giant strides, from SR66 million in 1999-2003 to SR132 million.  The company also envisions that technical support will fetch SR354 million compared with SR236 million in 1999-2003.
Among recent Ministry of Defence and Aviation (Moda) projects it won was a three-year contract to provide technical support for F-5 aircraft including personnel support services, logistics and procurement.
Under another contract, also for three years, Jash will provide the Saudi Air Force technical support for commands, control and communication systems including defence procurement, logistics and personnel support services.
Jash has also been contracted to provide security surveillance, CCTV, access controls, video badging and electronic fencing for the ministry’s office complexes in the central region. The contract is for 12 years.
The company will provide a range of services for other Moda establishments in the Central Region including O&M for the residential city of the Royal Guard Brigade (six years); O&M for buildings and technical support services for command control and communication facilities at the region’s headquarters complex (three years); O&M and management for the Royal Terminal (11 years); technical services and hospitality services management at the Military Guest House (four years); life support and hospitality services for military factories (three years) and technical maintenance and operation of hospitality services  for the Armed Forces Officers Club (15 years).
Jash has also been successful in winning a number of non-Moda contracts including ones from universities and post offices. 
It lists its international partners and associates as L3 Communications GSI, Advanced Testing Technologies Inc, Duncan Aviation, Romax Systems Inc, Summa Technology Inc, International Marketing Corporation Ltd, Kongsberg, Global American Line 2TG Manpower International, Lamba Foreign Travels Pvt Ltd and Al-Karrim Lanka Consultants.
 “The company’s futuristic corporate strategy and an active R&D programme have spurred the extent and value of its operations,” notes Al-Sullaim.
“Despite a sluggish global economic environment, Jash’s current contracts exceed half a billion riyals in value.”
Al-Sullaim also announces that the company’s vision for the coming decade includes joint ventures with foreign partners in specialised national defence needs and in the provision of technical and personnel support services to prime manufacturers. It expects to win contracts with the Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation and will offer logistics support for sourcing and procuring sensitive equipment and spares.