Bahrain Aluminium Extrusion Company (Balexco) has announced it will expand its anodising and powder-coating capacities in a bid to become more competitive in the growing construction market in the region.

The company is also exploring new markets in the Middle East, the Ukraine and India.
Balexco, which started production three decades ago, currently produces 24,000 tonnes per year of profiles. It is installing a new anodising line and a powder coating line at a total investment of $8.5 million.
“Initial work on the anodising line has started with discussions going on with consultants and contractors,” said general manager Jassim Mohammed Seyadi. The anodising project is expected to be completed in 2010.
Work on the powder coating line will commence after the anodising line is set up, he said.
“With the new lines, capacity will grow to 6,000 tonnes for anodising and 8,000 tonnes for powder coating. The anodising capacity is being upgraded from 11,000 amps to 60,000 amps which will help Balexco deliver anodised profiles in the shortest possible lead time.”
Balexco’s turnover in 2006 was approximately $80 million against $55 million in the previous year. By October 2007 the company had achieved sales of $70 million.
The plant was set up with collaboration from Alusuisse of Switzerland.
Balexco’s major shareholder is Gulf Finance House with a stake of 50.81 per cent. The remainder of the shares is held by industrialists and the general public.
The company receives its raw materials of billets and ingots from the Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) smelter located nearby.
Balexco has three extrusion lines with equipment and technology from SMS Schloemann of Germany and Clecim of France. One of the installations is a modern press which Seyadi said met the requirements of critical and complicated profiles.
The extrusion presses are capable of extruding billets ranging from 177 mm dia to 230 mm dia. Other equipment in the plant includes heating furnaces from Mechatherm and an ageing furnace from Elhaus.
Output at the remelt furnace is 12,000 tonnes annually. “Balexco’s remelt plant has stringent quality control measures and the contents of the aluminium alloy for chemical properties are checked by a modern spectrometer that provides data of the alloying elements to 100 per cent accuracy,” Seyadi commented.
“The remelt plant is a fine example of the company’s commitment to make the maximum use of its resources as well as protect the environment.”
Balexco was the first extruder in the Gulf to have been accredited with the ISO certification. It complies with all the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2000 for all activities of the organisation.
“Quality management system is incorporated in each and every department and procedures have been drawn for strict adherence right from the procurement stage until the finished goods leave the factory,” the general manager said.
“Alba’s billets, Balexco’s own remelt billets and elements of the aluminium alloy such as silicon, manganese, magnesium and titanium required for the extrusion process are all tested and come under the purview of quality procedures.
“There are also strict procedures for ordering the die. The quality system covers the production parameters from the stage of receipt of the press card from the planning department all the way to the finished product.
“Since Balexco believes that quality alone will count in the market, there are well-trained quality control personnel who ensure that all quality requirements for the different processes are met.”
Aluminium extrusions are manufactured in accordance with international standards, either DIN or BIS. The powder coating and anodising processes comply with the Qualicoat and Qualanod standards respectively.
The plant produces extrusions in different finishes of powder-coated and anodised profiles suitable for a wide range of product segments including air conditioning, scaffolding and ladders. The extrusions include solids, bars, tubes, decorative sections and customised profiles.
The company is now paying more attention to profiles for the industrial and architectural sectors. The architectural system profiles include Balexco 45/45i Casement series with thermal break, Balexco 100-sliding series and Balexco 60 curtain walling systems. Among the profiles it makes are those for sliding windows and doors, hinged windows and doors and curtain walling of various kinds. The company provides technical support to customers and fabricators.
To meet the fast-growing demand for new products, Balexco plans to develop a thermal break system for the sliding-type Balexco 100 series similar to the Balexco 45 Casement series. 
Balexco system profiles have found a place in some of the most prestigious establishments including Gulf Air (simulator), University of Bahrain’s student council building, the new building of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zayed Town villas (UAE), various towers in Juffair (Bahrain) and Mashreq Towers (Riyadh).
Projects currently under progress in Bahrain include Toyota Plaza, Riffa Views, Khalifa Sports City, Royal Medical College of the Bahrain Defence Force and the building of the General Directorate of Traffic.
In Kuwait Balexco is working on the Fintas Mall and in Riyadh on Al Qassim University, among other overseas projects.
“Our immediate attention is on new markets such as Morocco, Algeria, Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine and India and we plan to supply them without compromising our existing markets,” said Seyadi.
“Aggressive penetration in the GCC region with a special focus on the UAE and Saudi Arabia is also a part of the marketing strategy.”
 Balexco has a branch office in Dubai where it hopes to employ more staff. In Riyadh it has an office and warehouse to provide ‘just in time’ service to local customers. Similar facilities are being planned for Doha and Kuwait.
Some 70 per cent of the profiles are exported. While most of its shipments go to the Arabian Gulf, the company has also fulfilled orders from Norway.