R Stahl - already a long familiar name in industrial units in the Middle East, thanks to products from its switchgear division, its explosion-protected and industrial panel controls and components and its crane technology - has come closer to its customers following the setting up of R Stahl Middle East Fze, a fully-owned subsidiary that will focus on the region from its location in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The company looks after the interests of R. Stahl Schaltgeraete and R. Stahl Foerdertechnik (both German companies) and Electromach of Holland for the entire Gulf, and all of them are manufacturing subsidiaries of R Stahl.
The opening of the local office is in line with the R Stahl philosophy of "Think Globally and Act Locally", the company says.
"With the opening of the new subsidiary, our existing and new customers can look forward to being served locally in the same time zones and within much shorter time spans than earlier," said general manager of R Stahl Middle East Han van der Deen. R Stahl provides a range of systems for the refinery, offshore, materials handling and industrial process sector. It is now able to directly handle on a turnkey basis the specification, procurement and installation of specialist systems for these sectors. The long-term plans are to increase its services in the Middle East and provide expertise in the region.
The company's switchgear division manufactures explosion-protection equipment certified to Cenelec/IEC and NEC standards. The company ranks as one of the world leaders in the supply of components and systems for measurement control, regulation, power distribution, circuit protection and illumination in hazardous areas. The products are used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for exploration, transport, processing and distribution of oil and natural gas.
Typical areas of use for the switchgear division's products are refineries, drilling rigs, filling stations, plastics and pharmaceutical plants, painting installations and all areas where solvents are used. The use of such products ensures that the highest safety requirements are met.
Electromach, part of the R Stahl Technology Group, specialises in the supply of custom-made reliability. It produces and supplies explosion-protected and industrial-control panels, and components. The systems are built and certified to Cenelec, IEC and UL standards apart from the various European certifications and cover IEC classifications of Zones 1 and 2, UL Class 1 Divisions 1 and 2, depending on each requirement.
Electromach owes its very existence o its sophisticated knowledge of standards, appliances and safeguards in the international refining and petrochemical industry.
R Stahl's material handling division is the world leader in crane technology. The division has been represented in the region since the 1960s and the numerous R Stahl cranes equipped in the region are proving to be worth their value. The explosion-proof design of the cranes and hoists systems are a special feature of R. Stahl and has set world standards. These cranes and hoists are widely used in the petrochemical industry, on drilling rigs and in various hazardous areas.
R Stahl's crane components are produced at the main factory in Kunzelsau, Germany, while the cranes and hoists systems are built in Jebel Ali. They are fully or partially assembled, trial-run and even in some cases load-tested before dispatch. The steel work for the cranes is fabricated by R Stahl's partner company, which has been trained in the various aspects of fabrication, assembly and installation.
The range of products includes single and double Girder EOT cranes, suspension cranes, monorail hoists, jib cranes and portal and semi-portal cranes in standard and explosion-proof applications.
The portal crane is the newest landmark in the Jebel Ali Free Zone. One of the biggest in the free zone, it has a capacity of 10 plus 10 tonnes with a span of 28 metres, a height of 8.5 metres below the bridge and a travel length of 120 metres. It has sophisticated controls with radio-remote control and frequency-driven motors, additionally with a vacuum lift attached to handle steel plates of varying sizes. The crane is completely designed and manufactured locally, and R Stahl's steelwork partner builds the steel structure. The project was won against stiff international competition in 1999, the company said. Since portal cranes are widely used in the Middle East, the installation of the crane is expected to bring in more projects.
