Group Five Pipe Saudi (GFPS), a major manufacturer of large spiral seamed arc welded pipes, is set to dramatically increase production following an expansion of its facilities to accommodate more spiral mills.

The Dammam-based company recently boosted its production capacity by more than 150 per cent, from 130,000 tonnes per year (tpy) to 350,000 tpy with the expansion.
Group Five Pipe Saudi Arabia is a joint venture between Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al Qahtani & Sons Group of Companies (Tareq Abdel Hadi Al Qahtani & Brothers) and Group Five Pipe of South Africa (GFPS), which is well recognised as a manufacturer of carbon steel large-diameter spirally welded pipes.
The company manufactures pipes from 18” (457 mm) up to 132” (3,353 mm) in diameter and can utilise steel thickness from 6 mm (0.24”) up to 25 mm (1”). Pipes are available from 40 ft (12 m) in length to 80 ft (24 m).
The pipes are suitable for transporting water, oil and gas, piling, offshore structures and in the construction of various structures including bridges. They are manufactured to European, API 5L, AWWA, Saudi Aramco, NACE and other international standards and produced from steel grades from API 5L Gr-B to API 5L Grade X70.
The company employs state-of-the-art automated welding systems in the manufacturing process, thus enhancing product quality control.
Dating back to year 2001, the company has earned respect in the pipe making industry within Saudi Arabia through innovation and quality products, says general manager Salah Aqaad. It has enjoyed a significant market share having successfully accomplished several projects with Saudi Aramco, Ministry of Water Affairs, Technip Coflexip, Halliburton, Baseelah Commercial Service, Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu (all in Saudi Arabia) and Qatar Petroleum.
GFPS enjoys the services of an elite team of engineers in all departments and employs highly trained staff to operate its state-of-the-art pipe mills. “Rigorous manufacturing quality procedures, keep the company well-equipped and prepared for the most demanding projects. The company conducts in-house and outside training to keep the manpower prepared to respond to the demands of high quality spiral seamed arc welded pipes,” says Aqaad.
This year Group Five Pipe Saudi signed a contract with Saudi Aramco for a large-scale project. The five-year reserve capacity contract with Aramco means that it will dedicate a portion of its production to the oil giant. Saudi Aramco is not a new client as already it is the single biggest buyer of Group Five Pipe Saudi’s products.
“Group Five Pipe Saudi continues to soar high by setting up one of the best research and development laboratory for metal inspection and testing, employing highly qualified personnel and acquiring the latest and top-of-the-line technology instruments to further improve its line of products,” says Aqaad.
The company sees great possibilities in Saudi Arabia’s industrialisation drive and, indeed, for that matter in the rest of the Gulf region, where high oil prices have spurred great investments in the energy field as well as in general construction, including commercial and residential projects.
 “We have plans to diversify into ERW pipes and longitudinal well pipes for the oil and gas industries in the next five years because the energy situation is booming in Saudi Arabia and also in neighbouring Qatar,” he says.
Currently the company supplies 70 per cent of its production within Saudi Arabia, leaving 30 per cent for other GCC states. It has also supplied pipes to Iraq through a Halliburton contract.
“To utilise some of the additional capacity, we are in touch with Japanese companies who will need pipes for their Gulf contracts,” says Aqaad.