Zamil Ladders recently shipped a container of some of its ladder models to Mumbai in response to an MoU signed with Western India Limited.

The two companies aim to establish a joint venture company in Mumbai named Zamil Western for the manufacture of ladders.

Vincent Joseph, global marketing manager, Zamil Ladders, said Western India would conduct a market study to determine demand for models designed and manufactured by the Dammam company.

For the Indian firm, ladder manufacturing will be a diversification in its activities as it now makes rubber products.

The India initiative is part of Zamil Ladders’ strategy to gain a foothold in the large Indian market. The company’s current customers are mainly in Saudi Arabia, other GCC states and the wider Middle East.

Sales in 2009 were SR35 million ($9.3 million) of which SR18 million was accounted for by exports. In 2008, sales were SR40 million including exports of SR23 million.

The company also manufactures a range of manhole covers whose sales amount to about 10 per cent of total sales.

It manufactured some 140,000 ladders of various sizes and descriptions in 2009 against 162,000 in the previous year and 144,000 in 2007. Beyond its standard range, it offers customised production.

Main contributors to revenues were dual purpose step/extension ladders, single and extension straight ladders and special access products.

“We are planning to register annual growth of 30 per cent,” said Joseph. The company uses extruded aluminium alloys 6063 and 6351for aluminium ladders. It also makes fibreglass models.

Joseph said cheap, counterfeit products appearing in the market were a real concern.