With three companies having begun commercial production within the past 15 months, Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMC) has underscored its mission as a galvanising force in the development of small and medium industries.

Amiantit Qatar Pipes Co Ltd (Aqap), Gasal, and the fully owned subsidiary Qatar Paving stones (QPS) together have an investment value of QR334 million ($91.8 million).
Aqap has QIMC and Saudi Arabian Amiantit Co holding 40 per cent of the stake each while Trading & Agency Services Ltd holds 20 per cent. Total production capacity is 15,000 tonnes of fiber glass pipes and fittings and investment in the plant was QR78 million. Production began in mid-2008 in Doha’s New Industrial Area.
In the Gasal venture, QIMC had equity participation through one of the new company’s partners, Qatar Nitrogen Company.  QIMC shares ownership with Qatar Petroleum (QP) in Qatar Nitrogen.  In Gasal, Qatar Nitrogen owns a majority stake of 59 per cent, the other shareholders being Air Liquide-Al France, 40 per cent, and QP, 1 per cent.
Gasal, which commenced manufacturing in first-quarter 2008, produces industrial gases (nitrogen and oxygen) to supply industries in Mesaieed Industrial City and Ras Laffan Industrial City. Production capacity is 6,000 normal metres cubed per hour (nm3/hour) of nitrogen and 4,900 nm3 per hour of oxygen. 
Investment in the venture was QR190 million, the highest for any QIMC company, and manufacturing takes place in both the industrial cities.
Qatar Paving Stones, QIMC’s fully owed subsidiary, produces premium-quality paving and kerb stones in various colours and patterns. Investment in the company is QR66 million and annual capacity is 3 million sq m each of paving stones and kerb stones. The plant is located at Umm Bab Road, near QIMC’s Qatar Sand Treatment Plant.
QIMC was established in 1990 with a government- private sector investment ratio of 20:80. The company operates 15 manufacturing companies on its own or jointly with other companies.

Companies in operation
Operating ventures include five in construction (Qatar Sand Treatment Plant, Qatari-Saudi Gypsum Industries Co, Qatar Clay Bricks Co, Amiantit Qatar Pipes Co and Qatar Paving Stones); two in paper and plastic (Qatar Plastic Products Co and National Paper Industries Co), two in food products (National Food Co and Qatar-Tunisian Food Co), four in chemicals (Qatar Nitrogen Co, Qatar Acids Co, Gulf Formaldehyde Co and Gasal), one in energy (Qatar Jet Fuel Co) and one in metals (Qatar Metals Coating Co).
QIMC firms have has so far invested QR865 million in  operating ventures. Companies that attracted investments of QR 100 million or more were Gasal (QR190 million) and Qatar Sand Treatment Plant (QSTP) (QR100 million). QSTP, wholly owned by QIMC, produces washed and treated sand for construction and agricultural use. Production started in October 1992 and capacity is 6 million tonnes annually.
QIMC announced it is implementing a project to produce aluminum profiles in different alloy grades required by the architectural, building, construction and industrial sectors. The cost was estimated at QR72 million.
The company is also studying the possibility of launching a number of additional ventures including ones related to chlorinated paraffin waxes, autoclaved aerated concrete, unsaturated polyester resins and dry mix mortar.
Net profits for the first quarter of this year wereQR38.6 million compared with QAR 27.2 million for the corresponding period in 2008.  Net profit for full-year 2008 was QR188.4 million, an increase of 63 per cent.