Saudi Cable Company is expanding its output capacity at a time when hope for higher demand for its cables has been bolstered by the Saudi government’s decision to invest $400 billion in five years up to 2013.

The expansion, which began in 2007, will double capacity to 100,000 tonnes by the end of 2010 with the surplus production likely to cater mainly to the GCC region. Like Saudi Arabia, the other states in the region are witnessing a spurt in industrial and infrastructure activity.

Better prospects have raised expectations that Saudi Cable Company will improve on its 2009 performance which showed net profits of SR105.48 million, down 51 per cent from the previous year.

According to the company, sales in 2009 were SR1.72 billion against SR2.61 billion in 2008.

It said low voltage cables contributed to 45 per cent of the turnover.

The company also makes high and medium voltage cables, building wires, specialty cables, instrument and control cables, optical fibre cables, metallic cables and overhead lines.

Since its takeover of Elimsan of Turkey in mid-2009, the company has been offering cables for switchgear, joints and terminations.

The company expects to achieve sales of SR3.06 billion in the current year.