Canam Asia, the manufacturer of steel hoists and steel decks, is poised to expand its role in the GCC with production growing at 20 per cent per year, the company says.
The company is a joint venture between Saudi group Zamil Industrial (ZI) and Steel Plus Ltd, an affiliate of the Canadian Canam Manac Group (CMG).
The Dammam plant has been in operation since 2002 whereas the Ras Al Khaimah factory began production of steel joists in 2007 and diversified into commercial production of steel decks this year.
Canam Asia’s production was 7,000 tonnes in 2006. Last year both the Dammam and Ras Al Khaimah facilities reported a total output of 8,400 tonnes of which the latter’s contribution was less than 20 per cent.
“The joint venture couples the expertise of ZI in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa with the reputation of CMG as a company renowned as one of the leading manufacturers of steel joists and structural steel components in North America and Europe,” a Canam Asia spokesman said.
“Canam Asia is the supplier with the most complete range of steel construction products, the product line including a wide range of steel products - open web joists with long - span roof trusses, the Hambro composite floor joist system and steel decks, normal and composite.
“These products meet all building needs and are manufactured in our plants to ensure consistent quality at a competitive price.”

Open web joists
The open web joist (OWJ) is associated with strength and economic structural elements. It is lighter than full web beams of the same depth. The OWJ can be used to facilitate the installation of ventilation ducts and plumbing as compared to a W profile beam. OWJs provide longer spans, an advantage as this reduces the number of columns inside a building.

Hambro Composite Floor Joists System
The Hambro Composite Floor System (HCFS) has been used with different types of construction - masonry, steel frame buildings, poured in place or pre-cast concrete. Uses range from the single-family detached house to multi-storey residential, shopping centre and office complexes.
The HCSF consists of a hybrid concrete/steel T-beam in one direction and an integrated continuous one-way slab in the other direction. It is custom manufactured to suit particular job conditions and easily installed. Shallower floor depths can be used because of the increased rigidity of the system resulting from composite action. Additionally, the joists spacing and the web opening can accommodate all electrical and mechanical ducting.
The interlocking of concrete with steel provides excellent lateral diaphragm action with the composite joists acting as stiffeners for the entire system. The roll bar and plywood sheets are reusable.

Steel decks
Canam Asia steel deck profiles are generically approved by Underwriters Laboratories. Steel deck sheets used for roofs and floors provide support for gravity loads between joists or beams. These sheets can be used as a horizontal brace and therefore the steel deck works as a diaphragm (The Steel Deck Institute, Diaphragm Design Manual, 3rd edition 2004). The resistance and rigidity of this bracing method depends upon the geometry as well as the frequency and type of attachment used on the structural elements and side lap joints of the steel deck sheets.
The nominal thickness range is from 0.76 mm to 1.52 mm and the deck can be rolled from 1.8 m to 12 m. The composite steel deck acts in composite action with the concrete slab and affords the following advantages: high strength; bigger span; eliminates bottom reinforcing on resisting tension by the metal deck itself; serves as a concrete form for the slab and acts as a diaphragm and provides lateral bracing to the structure.

Different flooring systems
Canam Asia has different flooring systems that can replace hollow core slabs as well as normal concrete slabs:
Hambro composite joists need only a 100 mm thick slab and a wire mesh reinforcing to get the floor completed. This system is suited for spans up to 12 m for all kinds of loads. There is no need for propping during the pouring of concrete slabs. However plywood is needed by the contractor to be placed on top of the assemblies (reusable) in its entire width of 1,250 mm.
With normal open web joists and composite decking for long spans there is no need for wood chattering or propping during the pouring of the 100 mm concrete slab for all kinds of loads. There is no need for lower steel bars in the slab.
Both systems are fast and more economical than normal concrete slabs or hollow cores.

Major current projects
Canam Asia is currently working on a number of major projects, some of which are the Sari Mall in Jeddah, Sumitomo in Rabigh and civil aviation structures in Riyadh and Jeddah.