The new Zamil Steel (ZS) factory in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, recently started producing on a small scale while pressing forward with the completion of the facilities.

The enormous potential of the UAE market makes the new facility one of the most important steps ZS has taken in its global expansion initiative.
The total investment in this new plant is SR175 million ($46.7 million).
“Our national sales have been rising steadily over the past few years, increasing by more than 40 per cent,” said Adnan Al Mansour, president, Zamil Steel.
“Specifically, our pre-engineered steel buildings (PEB) sales have reached their highest point ever, which has allowed us to maintain our grip of the PEB market in the GCC countries.  These factors, among others, have encouraged us to continue implementing our global expansion strategy,” Al Mansour added.
Ibrahim Al Solaia, vice-president projects, Zamil Steel, said the construction of the new plant at Ras Al Khaimah began in January of last year.  He said the first phase of the new facility was nearly complete and manufacturing on a small scale had started and was on track for full operations by the end of the first quarter of 2007.
The plant will be capable of producing 40,000 tonnes per year (tpy) of pre-engineered steel buildings, open web steel joists and floor decking. 
The second phase of the factory, scheduled to be operational by the end of 2007, will add an additional 12,000 tpy of steel lattice towers.
The new facility will be equipped with the latest and most advanced technology available.  Complete technical, engineering and administrative departments will be available to meet customer requirements in a comprehensive manner. 
The new plant will be also integrated into the Zamil Industrial Investment Company’s (ZIIC) IT network, streamlining the production and delivery processes of the finest quality steel products.
“ZS RAK will mainly serve the UAE market as well as neighbouring Gulf countries,” said Al Mansour.
“It is a crucial addition to our international network of manufacturing facilities and will help us continue to meet the demands of our customers with the same level of quality and dependability they have come to expect from us.”
Founded in 1977, Zamil Steel is a global leader in the manufacture of pre-engineered steel buildings and the Middle East’s premier supplier of structural steel products and process equipment, transmission and telecommunications towers. Zamil steel operates a joint venture between ZIIC and Steel Plus, a subsidiary of Canam Group, Canada, to design and fabricate open web steel joists and floor decks.
ZS manufactures a total of 250,000 tpy of fabricated steel for low-rise and high-rise steel buildings and structures for diverse industrial, commercial, agriculture, aviation, entertainment and military applications and support of infrastructure and development projects.
Its products are sold in more than 80 countries through an international network of dedicated sales and representative offices, certified builders, agents and distributors.  Its main factories are based in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.  Additional factories are located in Egypt and Vietnam.
More than 500 engineers are employed in its engineering departments in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Vietnam and India.