QANBAR Dywidag Precast Concrete Company (QDC) is set to launch trial production at its third factory in Rabigh in the Western Region this month, further consolidating its position as one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of precast concrete in the region. The new facility will more than double its annual capacity to 500,000 cu m.

With this move, the veteran manufacturer believes it is strategically placed to serve all areas of the Saudi market.
Headquartered in the Eastern Province, QDC’s scope of work covers design, manufacture, delivery and installation of precast and prestressed concrete components in accordance to specifications based on international standards.
The company provides a comprehensive range of products, offering a one-stop shop for all precast and prestressed concrete requirements, right from standard precast concrete elements and products such as paving and interlocks tiles, manholes and seating to boundary walls, external cladding panels, hollowcore slabs, double-tee slabs, and precast domes, prestressed long-span girders, and full-frame systems utilising walls, beams-and-columns.
QDC has seen good growth in the past few years. “In the last two to three years, we have witnessed tremendous growth, with business having been driven by a buoyant construction sector and an increase in infrastructure projects,” says Ahmad Sameh, marketing manager of QDC.
“With the rise in construction activity, demand for precast components has also been growing as clients are becoming increasingly aware of the quality of our precast concrete as well as of the benefits of using precast concrete, especially in the construction of showrooms, housing units, apartments, hospitals, schools and shopping malls,” Sameh says.
QDC’s current order book comprises a wide range of projects – with the company, in fact, involved in multiple contracts with various contractors that are involved on a particular project.
For instance, for the King Faisal University project in Dammam and Al Hasa, it is supplying cladding panels and hollowcore slabs to contractors for various buildings of the university campus. Qanbar’s full-frame system is presently being used in the construction of the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu’s housing units; Saudi Kayan petrochemical complex project in Ju’aymah as well as for its substation buildings in Jubail; Al Sahara Petrochemical project in Jubail; and Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery complex.
Other major projects it is supplying to are Aramco’s community package in Khafji Jubail Industrial College, Sabic apartment building and KAC Science and Technology City’s extension building at Riyadh.
Commenting on the on the Saudi market, Sameh says: “As far as QDC is concerned, while competition has been tough, the company has secured its market position and is optimistic about the future, thanks to its product quality and almost three decades of experience in the kingdom.”
QDC met its targets last year, completing a number of projects, for which it provided:
• Its full-frame systems to a Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) housing project, the Al Suwaidi administration building, Aramco’s Khurais water injection facilities, Khurais Central project and Yanbu pipeline extension, substation buildings for Sasref (Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery); and structures to house upgraded electrical equipment for Saudi Aramco;
• Precast cladding elements for Pince Mohammed University (PMU), Dhahran Mall extension, Sarah housing scheme, and  Jarir Plaza;
• Cladding and hollowcore slabs for King Abdullah Economic City’s main entrance;
• Hollowcore slabs for Al Othaim Mall in Dammam; and
• Cladding for Dhahran Mall.
The company also supplied cladding panels and hollowcore slabs for the King Fahad University for Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM).
QDC was set up in 1981 as a partnership between one of the leading businessmen in the Eastern Province, Sheikh Abdul Razzak Mohammed Qanbar Al Ansari, and one of the largest West German general contractors and precast concrete manufacturers, Dycherhoff and Widmann (Dywidag).
In January 2002, Al Ansari bought all shares held by Dywidag and became the sole owner of QDC. Dywidag remains a technical partner.
QDC’s head office is in Jubail Industrial City in the Eastern Province and its sales offices are located in Jubail, Dammam and Riyadh, all employing about 2,000 skilled and experienced personnel. A full-fledged office will soon be started in Jeddah, following the launch of production at the Rabigh factory.
The company operates three factories – two in Jubail with a combined production capaction of 220,000 cu m per year and the third in Rabigh with a capacity of 280,000 cu m per year. 
Keen to keep pace with technological developments to ensure the quality of its products, QDC continues to make substantial investments on various upgrades.