As supplier of the entire factory structure of Bahrain’s newest glass facility, Banz Trading & Contracting Company WLL considers its involvement as another feather in its cap.

The company supplied and installed the structure – a pre-engineered steel building –   and panels for Bahrain Prism Glass Factory (BPGF) that were designed and fabricated by Butler System at its factory in Saudi Arabia.
Part of Bahrain-based Banz Group, Banz Trading & Contracting is the Bahrain agent and distributor for Butler steel buildings and has completed several major projects in that capacity.
As well as steel buildings, the 60-year-old Banz Trading & Contracting also supplies products and services related to industrial doors and shutters, shelving, fire protection, engineering, air conditioning, machinery and other technical items. It has signed up as agent and distributor with leading global brands in various fields.

The main challenge
Commenting on the BPGF project, Banz Trading & Contracting’s general manager Tarek Abdulla said: “The main challenge was to meet the deadline which we duly did despite serious traffic snarls on the Saudi Causeway. We accomplished the mission through sound planning.”
Abdulla pointed out that his company won the contract after an open tender.  Notwithstanding that Banz Group was linked to the new plant as investor, Banz Trading & Contracting had to compete with other bidders and won the project because it offered the most competitive price with an attractive delivery schedule, the official said.
“The project proceeded smoothly and all technical questions and challenges were overcome in a professional way.”

Projects supplied with Butler products
Other major projects supplied with Butler steel buildings in recent months included the 17,000 sq m Agility warehouse in the Hidd Industrial Area that was completed at the beginning of this year and various sheds at Sheikh Khalifa Sports City, completed later in March.
Most warehouses of the Banz Group have been supplied and installed by Banz Trading & Contracting through Kansas (US)-based Butler Manufacturing Company’s Saudi joint venture.
The Butler products Banz Trading & contracting offers include structural systems, roof systems, wall systems and storage space.
To all those it delivered steel buildings and warehouses in the past few years, Banz Trading & Contracting also provided doors, shutters and dock levelers obtained from its principal, Dammam-based Al Kuhaimi Metal Industries. The company specialises in manufacturing metal doors for industrial, commercial, residential, security and other applications and has three plants in Saudi Arabia.

Well-established operation
Banz Trading & Contracting, in business since 1948, is one of the oldest and most reputed companies of its kind in Bahrain Initially the company started its operations as an automotive parts dealer and then expanded its product range by adding on diesel engines and transmissions, beltings, hoses, industrial tools, shelving, chemicals and lubricants, fire detection and protection systems and maintenance services and safety-related products.
It diversified its activities becoming one of the leading suppliers of pre-engineered steel buildings and single- and sandwich-type panels while also providing installation services.
“We’re well-established being more than 60 years old and we’re the main suppliers in the supply chain as we deal with all major industrial companies in Bahrain and government organisations. Our reach extends to the general market where, for example, we supply shelving products to banks,” noted Abdulla.
Banz Trading & Contracting is the sole distributor in Bahrain for SSI Schaefer, which supplies storage and warehousing solutions.
In the Machinery Division, Banz offers manlifts and forklifts, overhead cranes, welding machines, power generation machines, mixers and machine tools The company is the official agent for Godrej forklifts.

Integrated solutions
“We offer integrated solutions. Our broad strategy is to give our clients integrated products and services for everything required for building a warehouse – supplying doors, shelving, fire fighting products and material handling equipment along with maintenance,” said Abdulla.
“We will expand and diversify in products complementary to our existing business.
“In the machines division, we’re trying to expand into material-handling equipment in order to give our customers a full range of services.”

Engineering Division
Banz’s Engineering Division deals with the sales and servicing of Detroit Diesel engines, Allison Transmissions, International trucks and the supply of spare parts. Other brands in the portfolio include Fleetguard and Briggs & Stratton, which is among the world’s largest producers of engines, generators and pressure washers, among other things.
Through its Trading Division, Banz Trading & Contracting deals with industrial maintenance chemicals, automotive batteries, belts, safety shoes, cutting and grinding discs and welding electrodes. Brands it represents include AC Delco and Grindwell as well as WD-40, which is considered a magic formula for protecting metal from rust and corrosion while also being used for lubricating, cleaning grease and grime and penetrating stuck parts.
The Air Conditioning Division deals with cooling products from Voltas, a Tata enterprise.
Banz Trading & Contracting is located in the Sitra industrial area of Bahrain. Its complex there extends 9,600 sq m and comprises a showroom, a warehouse, a workshop and administrative and sales offices.