Al Faris Equipment Rental’s fleet,  one of the largest for mobile cranes in the Middle East, has announced it will expand just a year after it opened its first depot and workshop in Jubail. It plans to open a second depot in the Western Region.

The company now has more than 60 such cranes in Jubail and  further orders have been placed for another 18 units to be delivered throughout the remainder of 2012 and the first two months of 2013.

Later, in May, the company will take delivery of a 750 t Liebherr LTM 1750-9.1 mobile crane featuring a 52 m telescopic boom. Another similar crane will be installed in Dubai.

The Saudi rental fleet of Leibherr mobile cranes currently includes 29 in the 50-100 t class; 18  in the 100-160 t class; 12 in the  200-250 t class and 4 in the 300-500 t class.

A 5-axle model with a 58 m boom offers the largest telescopic boom in its class. Maximum lifting capacity is 95 t at 3 m.

ORIGINS IN DUBAI
Al Faris was established in 1992 to provide craneage and transportation for oil and gas company’s throughout the UAE. Today, both in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, it lists more than 360 units including all-terrain and rough terrain models.   It has virtually standardised on Liebherr all-terrain cranes with almost 200 models including a 1200 t capacity crane, the Liebherr LTM11200-9.1.

According to Al Faris technical director, Brian Green, the company felt that despite business improving in Dubai – with its rental yard regularly empty - it was necessary to seek new business in order to continue growing.

“Saudi Arabia is a large market, but it does have considerable drawbacks due to slow governmental procedures and lack of infrastructure,” he said, adding, “there is however plenty of work, and we are continuously striving to cope with the demand from the regular customers and hence, the new orders.”

Green remarked: “The Saudi market is beginning to become saturated with lifting equipment. However new upcoming projects are cropping up in remote locations. Mobilisation of equipment to such areas is becoming increasingly difficult due to Saudi laws and infrastructure limitations.”