Rapid expansions, new products and strong sales are putting Riyadh-based Saudi Ceramics on track to enter the global big league.

The company had a very good year in 2006 with sales revenues reaching SR500 million, up 17.37 per cent over the previous year.
Saudi Ceramics has also achieved great milestones in terms of volume of production, as its tile production capacity reached 20 million sq m during 2006 with the addition of porcelain tiles, and plans are well underway to raise that figure to 30 million by the end of this year.
The new porcelain plant has a production capacity of 7 million sq m of tiles per year and will be able to produce tiles in many sizes varying from 30 x 30 cm up to 1 m. Capacity is also being raised in the company’s sanitaryware plant and an expansion has been approved for the production of electric heaters.
Abdul Karim AlNafie, general manager of Saudi Ceramics, said the new tiles plant would further strengthen the company’s existing product portfolio by adding a premium and exclusive image.
  In 2006 the company had made substantial investments in plant modernisation and expansion.
Started in 1977 in Riyadh with the manufacturing of sanitaryware, the company diversified into the production of ceramic tiles and ceramic road markers and later on to electric water heaters. The company today produces 20 million sq m of ceramic and porcelain tiles, 1.8 million pieces of sanitaryware and 800,000 pieces of electric water heaters annually, making it one of the largest Arab ceramic manufacturers. The company, which is exporting to more than 45 countries, owns and operates 26 showrooms across Saudi Arabia.
“2006 was a remarkable year for the company as it became the first Saudi Arabian tile manufacturer to produce high-quality porcelain tiles,” a company spokesman recalled. This major development occurred as the company was celebrating its 30th anniversary. AlNafie commented that the new product was superior in terms of technical and aesthetic qualities.  “As we celebrate our 30th anniversary we consider this as a real breakthrough in our 30 years of business excellence,” he added.
Saudi Ceramics, which used the just-concluded SaudiBuild exhibition in Riyadh as a platform to officially launch its array of brand new porcelain tiles, reported a positive response from visitors, which it says translates into a strong endorsement from customers and the market for its product development capabilities.
“Though we have now introduced 18 new designs in different sizes, several additional designs and sizes together with matching decoration strips are in the offing,” said AlNafie. The project, which included the induction of several sophisticated technologies and machineries including Rollfeed, took approximately two years to complete. The new plant also features advanced technological towers to feed four high-tonnage presses. Along with a characteristic vertical batching system, the plant is equipped with two Easy-Colour dry powder colouring lines. Two feeders are installed for the production of tiles of superior aesthetic quality with a “travertine” double filling effect and “veined” through-body effect. Additionally, the plant is equipped with a Croma 225 and a Rollfeed 225 equipment.
The company, which will introduce new designs through its collaboration with international design studios besides its in-house designs, will position its latest porcelain series in the niche market. “We plan to introduce modern designs from several international design studios which we hope will help us position in the high-end segment of the market, where the driving demand is for high quality and modern designs,” said AlNafie. “We will also continue to make large-scale investments both in technology as well as in machineries to increase the quality and volume of our production. This approach will help us to set the benchmark for quality, innovation and performance in the luxury segment of the market.” To back this up, the company has developed a clear and well-defined branding strategy, which includes highly effective and visible marketing communication activities across the region. “We want to create a consistent message across the region which will be centered on style, quality and our excellent customer service,” said AlNafie.
Following closely on the heels of this achievement, the company’s sanitaryware plant, which currently has an annual production capacity of 1.8 million pieces, is now undergoing an expansion scheduled to be completed by the middle of 2007. Aimed at increasing both the quality of its sanitaryware products and its global reach, this expansion includes upgrading existing machineries, increasing kiln capacity and casting capacity and the induction of several advanced automatic machineries for handling of finished goods etc. To further increase the glazing quality of its sanitaryware, the company, in addition to its existing robot spraying machine, has recently installed robots for its glazing lines.
Saudi Ceramics is also a major player in the electric storage water heater market, its main export markets being Europe, Russia and other CIS countries. The company has announced plans to expand its plant. The board has given the green signal for this project, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2007.
Says AlNafie: “Our objective is not only to provide our customers high-quality products and value-added services but also to create Saudi Ceramics as a successful business model.”
With the new manufacturing lines devoted to producing ‘through-bodied’ and glazed porcelain tiles, sanitaryware and electric water heater plants, Saudi Ceramics aims at strengthening its leadership position in domestic and international markets.