The Bahrain Precast Company (BPC) says its 32 years of market experience coupled with state-of-the-art production facilities have helped strengthen its position as a leading precast solutions provider.

BPC has its own batching and mixing plant for the production of concrete for captive use and a large and well-equipped stockyard with gantry cranes for the management of logistics. Other facilities comprise a full-fledged laboratory for testing of concrete and precast products, a fleet of trailers and truck units for transporting precast elements to the sites and a fleet of mobile cranes of various capacities for the erection of elements at sites.

BPC manufactures and supplies all types of precast concrete components such as facade elements, precast hollowcore slabs and glass reinforced concrete and is the first company to design, produce and erect precast components in Bahrain.

The company recently added to its range the Precast Structure System and Precast Building System which are its main products along with hollowcore slabs, cladding panels, internal walls and boundary walls. It has successfully employed its hollowcore slabs to introduce low-cost boundary walls on a commercial basis.

According to general manager Michael Pedersen, a shrunk market and an increasing number of precast manufacturers have created an environment of cut-throat competition.

'We have a firm belief that companies who provide quality products and services at reasonable costs will be able to tide over these rough times. Of course, we are constantly trying to lower the cost of our products and services,' he said.

'Most of the basic materials used in concrete products are not available and have to be imported. That means uncertainty of availability can be a risk. BPC alone cannot solve this problem and it tries to work with the industry.'

BPC produces almost 35 per cent of the precast products consumed in Bahrain and continues to maintain its lead despite many other new players entering the field, according to Pedersen.  'In spite of the financial crunch, the company was able to complete precast work for some good projects in 2009. We designed, produced and erected precast for the upcoming Zallaq Hotel and Spa in a record time of three months. In addition we have completed the twin 24-storey precast structure in the Seef District and the Car Park in Tubli for Toyota and Lexus cars on behalf of EK Kanoo as well as precast buildings for different ministries.'

'We expect the industry will come out of these hard times in six months or so,' Pedersen predicts.
 

Turnaround by mid-2010

He said the 2009 sales were not up to the company's expectations as the financial crunch made investors cautious and forced banks to restrict loans, but he hopes the situation will turn around by mid-2010.

Pedersen: better times expected

BPC's product range includes hollowcore slabs of 150, 200, 265, 320, 400 and 500 mm thickness and spanning up to 21 m, external facade elements, internal wall elements, long/short span beams, precast columns, precast building systems, boundary walls, staircases and architectural components.

With the exception of some construction chemicals, all materials are imported.

BPC has completed residential cum commercial buildings of 24-, 18-, 13- and 11-storeys with construction work on 14- and 35-storey buildings in progress.

Some of the major projects recently completed include: the twin 24-storey building in Seef District, Zallaq Resort Hotel & Spa, Al Marri Mosque, Sacred Heart School Extension, Toyota car park in Arad and Durrat Al Bahrain.

Some of the ongoing projects are: the 35-storey BFB Precast Tower in Seef District, Villamar at the Financial Harbour, and Shaikh Isa Sports Stadium in Isa town.

The company has operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, but its sales are limited to the Bahrain market except for occasional exports of hollowcore slabs to Saudi Arabia.

Haji Hassan Group and HSBC Pvt Equity are its main shareholders.