The Ocean Rubber Factory expects a 10 per cent increase in sales turnover for 2006, according to deputy general manager Sajjad Ahmed.

“We’re currently involved in several major projects, which will put us over last year’s volume total of nearly $25 million,” he continues.
Ahmed says the company’s Q1 figures this year were also quite healthy, reflecting a 10 per cent sales volume gain over Q1 results in 2005.
Last year the company expanded the capacity of its engineering yard by 10,000 sq m to meet market needs. It also executed a major airport project in Africa.
The project in Africa was a major milestone for the company, says deputy general manager Sajjad Ahmed. It fabricated and erected airport baggage handling systems for the project and also participated in other tenders for airports and expects similar jobs in the second half of this year.
Other prestigious projects the ISO 9001:2000 company is executing includes a turnkey project for Saif Bin Darwish Crushers involving design, fabrication and erection of conveying systems as well as steel support structures for equipment supplied by SBD from Telsmith USA for a 750 TPH crusher plant in Fujairah. It is also fabricating and erecting bins and silos for Arabian Mix, Dubai.
“We are expecting more projects shortly to keep us working to capacity during the rest of the year. The capacity to undertake these jobs has been increased by expanding our engineering yard,” says Ahmed.
Ocean Rubber’s operations in Sharjah during the last 17 years have been growing at a steady rate fulfiling the requirements of rubber products and services as well as bulk and unit handling and conveying systems for the construction, quarry, oil, gas and marine industries.
The company says its unique range of rubber processing equipment has been further strengthened in 2005 with the addition of one of the largest injection-moulding presses in the world, having a 2000-tonne capacity, as well as other compression moulding presses.
Its product range includes lining systems, building-protection systems and fender systems.
“Our major products are doing exceptionally well especially those related to the construction, desalination and chemicals sectors,” says Ahmed.
Ocean lining systems include rubber linings for storage tanks, pressure vessels and pipelines. The company says it is the only manufacturer and applicator in the Middle East for WRAS Europe-approved rubber lining systems for potable water. With its capability to design, test and apply rubber linings for specific applications, Ocean Rubber has joined a select few companies in the world which offer such services. Some of the major projects the rubber linings have been supplied to include Perth desalination, Australia, Shueihat desalination, Abu Dhabi and the South Pars in Iran.
The company’s automated polychloroprene application plant for riser pipe coatings is also the only one of its kind in the Middle East.
Its building protection range offers various rubber products like bearing pads, expansion joints, corner guards and speed guards. Many major projects were supplied the building protection range in 2005, including Grosvenor House, Dubai; Dubai International Finance Centre and the Burj Dubai Boulevard parking.
Ocean Fender systems include fendering solutions for boats, marine vessels, ports and offshore platforms. With installations in places such as Hawaii, Seattle, New Orleans, Panama, Venezuela, Nigeria, Iran, Pakistan and almost all countries in the Arabian Gulf, Ocean fender systems are poised for further expansions to include the latest designs and larger sizes of fendering systems in its capabilities
Ocean Rubber’s pipe seals manufactured for the plastic, GRP/FRP, steel pipe industries have been well received in neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, says Ahmed, adding that the company has also diversified into a major player in the bulk and unit handling and conveying systems in the Middle East and Africa.
Its subsidiary, Ocean Equipment Factory, offers turnkey solutions for bulk handling systems with the capability to fabricate most of the parts and components in-house resulting in timely completion of the projects.
It offers Climaflex conveyor belts of EU origin. These belts have been successfully used in the crushing and cement industry for more than 15 years, which has resulted in its becoming the market leader in this field. Climaroll conveyor rollers for conveying systems are also manufactured by the company. Its pioneer screening systems offer high tensile steel-woven screen clothes of different wire diameters and apertures as per specification.