ALABNIAH’S precast factory will be the first production facility in Saudi Arabia that brings industrialised building methods to the market, according to Prilhofer Consulting, which was responsible for the design of the factory.
The Germany-based designer and consultant for industrial production also designed all the equipment layout and took charge of the coordination for the machines, building and infrastructure.
The project – the installation process of which was completed at the end of April – is also a good example showcasing the scope of services offered by Prilhofer Consulting whose main markets are the Gulf region, Europe, Asia and America.
“The test production will take around three months, following which the factory will run a two-shift operation,” says a  spokesman for Prilhofer.
The new facility can produce all the precast products that are popular in the Saudi market in a very efficient way with the best achievable quality. “To make this possible, it was realised that the best machines and plants available must be used,” he adds.
Hence Alabniah and Prilhofer Consulting discussed and agreed upon the range of products, the output and the degree of automation. In the next step, the specifications and tendering documents for the suppliers of machines and plants were produced and sent to the potential partners. In placing the orders, Prilhofer Consulting assisted Alabniah in the technical and commercial aspects of the project.
“After the orders were placed with the selected suppliers of machines, plant and building components, the design and project coordination was initiated by Prilhofer Consulting. This guaranteed the most effective and shortest planning, manufacturing and installation period. Prilhofer Consulting was the key point of contact for all parties involved in the project. Due to this fact, it was possible to start with the installation of the machines within months of signing the contracts with the suppliers of machines and plants,” the spokesman points out.
Outlining the advantages of precast concrete, he says: “Production of precast concrete elements is the key to an industrialised way of building. Among the various advantages of precast concrete elements are the fast erection time, lean infrastructure on the building site and consistent quality.”
The spokesman, however, stresses the importance of having the final designs in hand before launching work on a precast concrete building.
“As precast elements are high-quality prefabricated parts, the design process must be completed before manufacturing can start. This means all components and parts must be specified and made available before manufacturing is initiated. The planning and building process for a precast structure is completely different from that involved in constructing a building the traditional way with bricks or cast in-situ concrete.
“Hence, before starting any work on the building site, the design of the building must be completed and approved. All details of the building must be known such as mechanical and electrical (M&E) services and so on. Once the installation process starts, it is almost impossible to make any changes. On the building site, the main work involved is assembly – similar to that of a machine or an automobile,” he explains.
Prilhofer Consulting, founded in 1994 in Germany, offers the complete know-how for using this technology as a one-stop supplier, the spokesman continues.
The company has made significant inroads into the global export market and since 2004 more than 50 per cent of its projects have been outside Europe, with its main overseas markets being the Gulf region, Asia and the US. Among its current projects is a factory for low cost-housing, which is under construction in Mexico. The output of this factory is 40 units per day in a two-shift operation.
“A similar but smaller plant was built four years ago in Bangkok, Thailand, which is producing 10 two-storey villas per day. These projects show the success of the industrial production process of buildings,” he says.
Prilhofer Consulting is experienced in carrying out projects across the globe and with its increasing know-how, it offers cost-effective solutions to its clients.
“All aspects of the products (buildings) to be produced using the precast system in relation to the environment will be considered by Prilhofer along with the client, before starting with the actual design process of the production plant,” he adds.