26 February 2008
JEDDAH - Gulf Extrusions, one of the largest aluminum extrusion plants in the Gulf, has announced the opening of a full-fledged sales office in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), to capitalize on the Kingdom's major construction boom. Recent market figures reveal that Saudi Arabia has an estimated USD 200 billion worth of active projects under construction, keeping pace with the growing demand for residential, commercial and industrial projects from regional and international investors. The opening of the new office in KSA is in line with Gulf Extrusions' strategic expansion plan in the region, and will enable the company to consolidate its presence in the regional market.

The Saudi office will also allow Gulf Extrusions to provide an enhanced level of services to their existing clients in the Kingdom, while providing a greater opportunity to the company to attract new clients, at a time when the consumption of extruded aluminium in KSA is more than the production. In 2007, the demand for aluminium extrusion in Saudi was 140,000 tons, while the production stood at 136,000 tons. Moreover, the demand for aluminium extrusion in the Middle East region as a whole is expected to reach an average of 450,000 metric tons in 2008, with KSA, Qatar, UAE and Kuwait accounting for most of the demand.      

"Saudi Arabia represents one of the most important markets in the region for Gulf Extrusions, with unprecedented real estate and construction activity taking place across the Kingdom. We are pleased to open an office in KSA, which is a move that fully complements our market consolidation strategy in the country and the region as a whole," said Modar Al Mekdad, General Manager, Gulf Extrusions.         

"Having a direct presence in KSA will enable us to serve our clients in close proximity, while being able to cater to their requirements for aluminium profiles with greater efficiency. The Dammam office also gives us an opportunity to promote the latest designs and developments in architectural systems in the Saudi market," he added.

Over the years, Gulf Extrusions has earned a reputation for innovation and reliability in handling multi-task projects. The company constantly makes new investments in technology and upgrades existing IT infrastructure to provide the best possible services to clients.

Gulf Extrusions recently increased its production line by 40 percent as it moves ahead with its expansion program to accommodate the region's growing demand for aluminium extrusion products. The company, which has installed two new extrusion press lines to add to its four existing presses, achieved more than a 30 percent increase in output capacity in 2007, compared to the previous year.

Gulf Extrusions produces over 14,000 profiles, ranging from architectural sections to components for household items, AC grills and customised products. The company also extrudes products of several European suppliers and companies under agreement.

© The Saudi Gazette 2008