Anshul Tyagi, Enerpac area sales manager (left) and Larry Guevara, product manager

ALAA for Industry (AFI), one of the largest and most diverse industrial companies in the region, is expanding its production capacity in keeping with Saudi Arabia’s objective of indigenising its manufacturing sector.

AFI plans to grow its manufacturing capability by 40 per cent in 2013 adding two more factories. Some $10 million will be invested during the year to buy new equipment, says AFI factory manager Amjad Khan. Besides, the company is targeting an overall growth of 40 per cent in 2013 and planning to launch innovative products for the Saudi market. As part of its strategy to get closer to its customers, Alaa is increasing the number of its branches in Saudi Arabia. By the end of this year the company hopes to have 18 branches in the kingdom.

The company’s fabrication facilities will increase in size up to 1000 sq m. “This facility shall increase our fabrication capabilities for industrial vacuum loaders, vacuum and jetting tankers, lubrication trucks, containers and other fabrication jobs. This is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2013,” he says.

Alaa’s newly acquired automated tig welding
machine

By investing in new machinery, AFI aims to have more advance technology and high productivity. “We have acquired at least eight machines including CNC plasma cutters, rolling machines, press brakes, CNC turning centres, radial drilling machines, welding manipulators, hydraulic cylinders and straightening presses,” he says.

“These machines will further help us in improve our manufacturing capabilities as regards regular cylinders, HPU fabrications, mobile equipment to other various jobs like fabrication and assembly of super sucker, special fabrications like pipe containers, pipe racks and skids. They also help in precision machining of motors, pipe supports and shafts, and for mechanical assemblies like scrapper handling,” he says.

Khan says: “This advancement will increase our productivity, will make delivery timely and improve the quality of products. It will also encourage our sales team to showcase our facilities to their customers and generate trust and confidence to purchase their requirements from us”. All these will lead to increased turnover and profitability.

The company was first in the Middle East to manufacture the supersucker vacuum truck, and one of very few in the world to do so. “We quadrupled our production of the supersucker last year and can build up to 50 a year now,” he says.

“Perfect for a wide variety of industrial, environmental and agricultural cleaning projects, our single-mode, truck-mounted vacuum loader offers high power suction to pneumatically convey solids, liquids, sludges or slurries through lines 8 inches in diameter and smaller,” he says.

AFI was established in 1984 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. During that time the company was engaged in the manufacture of hydraulic seals and trading of industrial products. Although the focus was on the manufacturing of seals and the transportation industry, AFI soon successfully expanded into related businesses by establishing international partnerships with leading industrial brands.

Registered under Ibrahim Ali Al Rashoodi & Partners Holding Company, AFI is today one of the largest and most diverse industrial companies in the Arabian Gulf which has various subsidiary companies with diverse business interests. With 18 branch offices across the Gulf region and over 1,000 employees, AFI provides a focused approach towards the local market and delivers quality services and innovative solutions for a wide range of industrial applications.

The company is the strategic partner for Parker Hydraulics, Asco Pneumatics (part of Emerson Group), HYVA and Enerpac.

“There is a lot of competition in the market, which obliges us to raise our standards,” he adds.

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