ALKIFAH Batching Plant Factory (KBP), which is the only producer of mobile, portable and stationary concrete batching and mixer plant and accessories in the Middle East, has set up a new marketing arm to spearhead the sales of its products in the region.

This apart, the firm is also boosting its product range to cater to the market’s diverse requirements.
Located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, KBP’s products also include complete aggregate washing plants, cement silos, radial and static conveyors and electric control panels, among other products.
The company reports a robust performance despite the economic downturn, thanks to the large volume of orders it secured for its products during the construction boom.
Salman bin Hassan Al Afaliq, chairman of Alkifah Building Material Company – of which KBP is a part – admits that the financial downturn has affected Alkifah as almost everyone else worldwide.
“However, we are tackling this matter by an increasing emphasis on sales and marketing of all our products through Alkifah Construction Equipment Company (KICE). We have also started diversifying our product range, and are currently in the process of producing dust collectors, transit mixers, tower cranes and precast distribution systems. These products will help us strengthen our portfolio and meet most of our customers’ demands,” he says.
“Our diverse range of products that are marketed by KICE — which also sells other products such as Junjin concrete pumps and light machinery — has helped us to combat the impact of the economical downturn,” Al Afaliq adds.
KBP’s new transit mixers, which are expected to enter the market by end of this month (May), have been built utilising the company’s 30 years of experience in the concrete business.
Among other developments, the company has recently expanded its network of offices by opening a new branch in Riyadh. It already has branch offices operating in Jeddah and Dammam in Saudi Arabia as well as in Dubai in the UAE.
Customer satisfaction is a high priority for KBP and while others in the industry have been looking at cutting costs, the company has boosted its workforce by introducing a new specialised after-sales team, which will “take care of customer demands and solve their problems in the fastest way possible,” according to Al Afaliq.
Among other plans to enhance its organic structure is the establishment of a research and development department, which will be responsible for the quality of its products as well as developing new products. KBP recorded a 25 per cent increase in revenue last year compared to that of 2007, which indicates a growing demand for its products.
“In 2008, the demand for concrete was huge and this boom had a direct impact on us, resulting in a high demand for all our products — from batching plant to concrete pumps,” he comments.
The company expects to match last year’s figures in 2009 and even surpass them “by a small percentage”. Over the past couple of years, KBP has supplied to a large number of customers including some of the leading names in the readymix and contracting business. These include Saudi Readymix, which purchased more than 25 batching plant worth more than SR50 million ($13.3 million) in total. Other major customers in Saudi Arabia include Saudi Binladin Group and Arabian Readymix Company.
KBP has recently clinched a deal with Al Qassim Readymix and is now in the process of supplying the company with two batching plant worth a total of more than SR3 million ($800,000).
Besides the Saudi market, the company has captured a niche market in the GCC and other Arab countries. Its most recent orders have come from Haji Hassan Readymix in Bahrain and Tremix and TransGulf in the UAE.
“KBP has plant operating in most countries in the Middle East and has maintained its reputation by adopting the latest innovative design techniques that allow many combinations to suit customers’ specifications and environmental considerations,” says Al Afaliq. He says the plant is designed to be wet, dry or a combination of both. “The company also offers refurbishment of existing plant to the same high standards that it achieves with its new equipment,” he adds.
KBP control systems can be supplied for manual operation or with the latest technology computer batching systems, tailored to suit customers’ requirements. Control cabins can be sited at mixer platform level, or in a suitable position on the ground. “Our quality production and simple inexpensive set-up has gained recognition in all GCC states and neighbouring countries including Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. We offer quick after-sales service by our highly qualified technicians,” Al Afaliq asserts.
KBP is committed to attaining high quality standards and its efforts have earned it the ISO 9001 certification.
“With our highly-qualified administrative and technical staff, we assure our valued customers top-quality products and services. The plants we have supplied and established offer a proof of our standards,” Al Afaliq concludes.
Established 15 years ago, KBP’s facilities are located in Al Hasa Industrial City. The company employs 200 staff.