ASHARQ Al Baeid of Saudi Arabia is currently working on two major projects that involve the construction of a fibreglass insulation factory and a power transformer plant, both of which need to be carried out on a fast-track basis and demand a high standard of expertise in civil and electro-mechanical infrastructure.

The contract for the fibreglass factory, Arabian Fibreglass Insulation Company’s (Afico) second, was awarded last year by a joint venture between Zamil Group and Owens Corning of the US, while the Saudi power transformer plant deal was awarded this year by a joint venture between Wescosa and CG Power Systems of Belgium.

A leading construction company, Asharq Al Baeid offers general contracting, fabrication and erection of steel buildings and space frames and management support services. It operates three main divisions, namely civil works and finishing; structural steel and pre-engineered steel; and electro-mechanical. The company, which is engaged primarily in industrial construction, is now planning to expand into the commercial field, said Bader Al Qahtani, general manager.

Some of its other ongoing projects include a titanium and steel manufacturing plant awarded this year by TSM Arabia and SSP Company, and a warehouse and office building project for Al Quraishi and Bros.

Commenting on the Saudi construction market, Al Qahtani said: “Major projects such as the economic cities, universities, new railway lines, expansion of the Holy Mosque and others reflect the highly positive growth pattern of this sector.”

In fact, he said, Asharq Al Baeid will follow the growth path of the Saudi market, which has seen an improvement in the quality of construction business.

Established in 1985 as Asharq Al Baeid Trading Establishment, the company expanded its contracting expertise to become Asharq Al Baeid Contracting in 1989.

“The company has continued to grow, increasing its penetration of the local market with additional manpower to match the demands of the fast-growing construction sector, driven both by the public and private sectors by organisations such as the National Guard, Saudi Consolidated Electricity Company (Sceco), Saudi Aramco and Saudi Telecommunications,” he said.

According to Al Qahtani, Asharq Al Baeid’s success in completing numerous projects in a short period of time can be attributed to its close and constant supervision of project work by the management and the expertise of its construction and engineering professionals.

“Our main goal is to achieve client satisfaction by completing projects on time and on budget, backed by supporting consultation and services,” he concluded.