Gulf Packaging is set to double production of its biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film this year paving the way for greater sales within Saudi Arabia and far-flung markets.
A company of the Al Rajhi Group, Gulf Packaging will take its annual capacity to 76,000 tonnes by adding some 37,000 tonnes in the expansion at its Jubail plant. The company operates production facilities in both Jubail and Dammam.
The company has signed up with Bruckner Maschinenbau to supply the new production lines. Bruckner has been supplying Gulf Packaging production lines since 1990 when it became the first producer in the Gulf region to produce BOPP film.
A new stretching line in the expansion will use twin screw extrusion technology for highly flexible raw material usage and energy savings.
The equipment includes direct drive systems for high optical quality and low maintenance, an inlet tracking system and high-speed line operations based on the latest linear motor technology.
Other features are a high-performance rail and chain  track system; a fully automatic film feeding system called  Speedy Threader, a revolutionary linear motor winding system called Liwind and integrated waste film handling as well as a high-performance metalliser that will help fulfill increasing demand for value-added film. 
Another planned expansion will raise capacity to 100,000 tonnes by the end of 2011.
Ali Hassan Al Jameel announced last year that the company had acquired 100,000 sq m of land in Saudi Arabia’s Western Province for further expansion of BOPP film capacity.
Gulf Packaging exports 60 per cent of its output to markets including the Indian Subcontinent, North and South Africa, Eastern and Western Europe and the Middle East.
The company has the ISO 9000-2000 certification, uses the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) system and follows American Institute of Banking standards. Its films meet America’s Food and Drug Administration and EC requirements.
Products in the BOPP film range that the company makes include transparent, white, pearlised, label and matt.  
The company has an R&D centre and recent innovations it launched were anti-fog films for vegetables and label-grade films for bottles.