Saudi Arabia’s massive infrastructure investments across a host of sectors have prompted Kuwait-based Kirby Building Systems to push aggressively for a greater share of the kingdom’s market.

The manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings (PEBs) has announced it will participate in Saudi Build scheduled to be held from October 4 to 7 at the newly completed Riyadh International Exhibition Centre.

“Kirby Building Systems sees its participation at Saudi Build as important in its growth strategy for Saudi Arabia and the region,” a company spokesman said.  “Hence, it will use the expo to promote within the GCC market its PEB products, especially the new designs it offers in curved beams and structural steel.”

Praveen Tandon, vice president of the ISO 9001-certified company, remarked that Kirby’s presence at the show was aimed at all industries it was involved with, most of which he said were showing signs of increased activity.

“At Saudi Build, we will highlight the new features of our products, the latest designs and the safety codes governing them,” Tandon said, adding that with demand for Kirby products growing, the company was keen to support its customers in every possible way and that the exhibition was an opportunity towards that end.

“Participating in the show will be of immense importance to our business growth in Saudi Arabia and the surrounding regions, especially because the kingdom is proving to be a major hub for investments in various sectors during these challenging times,” the official added.

Saudi projects completed
Among projects that Kirby has executed in Saudi Arabia are the Al Rajhi warehouse, Al Zahid showroom and Al Faysal Ceremony Hall, all in Jeddah; Panda Distribution Centre and Othaim Shopping Centre, both in Riyadh; Nissan showroom, Dammam, and Giant Stores, Jubail.

Kirby is currently working at erecting multiple warehouse buildings in Dammam.

Elsewhere in the GCC region, Kirby projects underway include Riffa Mall in Bahrain and Oman’s Lulu Hypermarket.
Among its completed projects are three hospital buildings for Kuwait’s Ministry of Health. Each of these buildings – comprising a basement-plus-three storeys, ground-plus-three storeys and basement-plus-seven storeys respectively – was unique in architectural design and shape and was completed on a fast-track basis. Even the client requirements and site conditions of the buildings varied significantly.

Kirby’s head office lies in the Mina Abdullah Industrial Area of Kuwait with its production facilities situated in Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, Hyderabad and Haridwar in India and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

These manufacturing facilities, which have a total capacity of 425,000 tonnes per annum, produce hundreds of custom-made steel buildings each year.

Kirby’s GCC sales offices are located in Kuwait; Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, in the UAE; Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Qatar; Bahrain; Oman. Outside the GCC, it has offices in Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

To ensure a high level of service to all its customers, Kirby has adopted SAP in its internal systems.

“Our integrated SAP system permits us to source and execute the project at multiple locations. Simultaneously, efficient scheduling algorithm permits Kirby to deliver the project on time, in erectable sequence with optimal use of raw material.

These savings are passed on to customers and contractors; thus they also gain from Kirby’s best practices,” Tandon explains.

Outlining future plans, he says: “We are looking to set up additional PEB plants in Africa and in the East Mediterranean region as well as plants for structural steel and storage solutions to offer more developed options.”

Recently, Kirby commissioned the structural steel section at its Ras Al Khaimah plant, which has an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes. Its Indian facilities have increased their capacity from 100,000 to 200,000 tonnes.

Set up in 1976, Kirby Building Systems is a pioneer producer of cost-effective PEBs and other structures. Its solutions cater to applications such as warehouses, factories, showrooms, shopping malls, offices, camps, supermarkets, workshops, mosques, aircraft hangars, car-parks, gas stations, sports complexes and schools. Its products include low-rise and medium-rise PEBs, conventional structural steel buildings, primary and secondary frames, mezzanines, fascias, canopies, open web joists and trusses. Secondary members such as purlins, girts and related accessories – either painted or pre-galvanised – are produced in-house to complement the whole structure and provide clients with an all-inclusive package.

Roof and wall cladding systems can be supplied in a wide range of profiles and colours while insulation is also available in single cladding with fiberglass insulation or in polyurethane insulated panels.

Kirby also offers a range of structural steel products, which cover applications in several market segments including oil and gas – onshore and offshore; heavy industry – petrochemicals, steel, aluminium smelters, cement and fertilisers; infrastructure – bridges, power and desalination plants, airports, seaports and railways; and buildings – multi-storey residential and commercial buildings, malls, car-parks, leisure, special-purpose/heavy-duty factories and warehouses.

More than 1,300 employees are involved in its GCC and non-GCC operations and over 2,000 employees cater to the Indian markets. In addition, more than 350 staff members handle its activities in the southeast Asian markets and western, central and southern Africa.

The company’s network includes more than 70 offices in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia.

Kirby will be present at Stand A 251 at Saudi Build.