ULMA-Attieh, part of Saudi Arabia’s Attieh Group and a renowned name on the kingdom’s construction scene, has this year seen the completion of landmark structures in various parts of Saudi Arabia.

In Riyadh, the specialist scaffolding and formwork supplier was involved in the striking amphitheatre at the Princess Nora University (PNU); in Jeddah, it has provided its systems for the construction of the Bin Baz Bridge; and in Mina, it supplied products for the Mina viaduct bridge.

Despite its already extensive geographic footprint, the company is now intensifying efforts to increase its penetration of the market, according to Nouri Daher, general manager.

Ulma-Attieh offers a large variety of products and materials such as vertical and horizontal formworks, civil engineering systems, props and shoring in addition to scaffolding systems. It offers various formwork systems, which can be used in the construction of different types of structures, such as vertical and horizontal formwork, climbing and civil engineering systems, props and shoring systems, and timber beams and plywood.

“Our main objective is client satisfaction, offering best service quality. We are capable of expanding our area of operation both in the kingdom and abroad and we are working on that,” he says.

Ulma’s products are currently being used on a number of projects in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region including the Dakar International Airport project in Senegal, where its Enkoflex, Enkoform, the climbing system and T-60 are being used by Saudi Binladin Group.

In Saudi Arabia, the company’s Enkoform V-100 vertical formwork system – which was recently introduced in the kingdom – is being used in the construction of Ethra Tower for Aramco in Dhahran, along with its climbing system and the KSP platform. The main contractor on the project is Saudi Oger. Other ongoing Saudi projects include the Makkah and the Arafat rail project.

Commenting on its recently-completed projects, Daher says the amphitheatre project at the PNU has an unusual geometry and was required to be completed on a fast-track basis. For the project, the contractor Saudi Oger utilised Ulma’s climbing system and the KSP Platform. Enkoform H-120 formwork and T-60 towers were used in the construction of the Bin Baz Bridge in Jeddah, and a viaduct at Mina.

Ulma-Attieh achieved a satisfactory performance last year, thanks to a well chalked out growth strategy and, given the huge potential offered by an increasingly buoyant Saudi market, Daher sees ample opportunities for further growth.

“Saudi Arabia is one of the few markets that were cushioned from any impact of the international crises,” he says. “The construction market in the kingdom is huge, and we see good opportunities for growth.”

Ulma-Attieh has provided systems for the Mina viaduct bridge.

The Jeddah-based company, which offers formwork systems that are manufactured in Spain, recently introduced the Enkoform V-100 vertical formwork system, which is designed for use in the construction of vertical structures in buildings and civil engineering such as walls, columns, piers and abutments. “The product guarantees high performance and excellent concrete finishes. Panels used in Enkoform V-100 are custom formed with standard items, namely steel walers, timber beams and plywood, depending on the required performance and dimensions,” he says.

Its range of vertical formwork also includes Orma, Comain, Enkoform V-100, LGR, CLR and single-sided formwork system. Orma is a modular formwork system that suits any type of vertical structure, such as walls, columns, piers, abutments, and foundations in both building and civil engineering.

“This system contributes effectively to minimising labour costs and assembling time, increasing performance considerably,” says Daher. “Orma has components that provide efficient and safe solutions for all types of geometries.”
Comain is a handset, light formwork that can be manipulated by a single operator, eliminating the need for a crane. It allows building any vertical concrete structures for small or large areas: walls, foundations, one-sided walls, beams and columns.

LGR is a light, vertical formwork system created for framing rectangular columns in residential buildings. The CLR, meanwhile, is used to create circular columns and is based on metal moulds made up of two semi-circular panels connected with bolts. The single-sided formwork system, used as vertical formwork, is a simple solution for single-sided walls of different heights.

The amphitheatre at Princess Nora University ... another Ulma-Attieh project.

Ulma-Attieh’s climbing systems consist of the conventional types, comprising anchorage systems which, when embedded in the concrete, provide support for the wall climbing systems and perimeter working platforms.

Under the horizontal formwork range, Ulma-Attieh offers CC-4, VR Table and Enkoflex. The CC-4 is a light, safe, high-performance formwork that provides excellent concrete finishes. This is a horizontal drop-head formwork, basically made of aluminium, which allows fast erection and dismantling, and offers safety for the worker.

Meanwhile, targeted at the civil engineering sector is the Enkoform H-120 formwork, which can be adapted to different geometries in civil engineering, and is used for casting any bridge deck section, over and underpasses, among other applications. Also used for civil engineering applications are the MK structures.

Apart from these formwork systems, Ulma offers props and shoring systems, such as the EP Prop, which is designed as a horizontal formwork systems support, among other applications on the construction site; and the T-60 shoring system, which are towers made up of frames and diagonal braces used as formwork support in both building construction and civil engineering.

Ulma-Attieh, the part of Attieh group, offers its services to the entire GCC region. It is a joint venture company between leading Spanish company Ulma, which specialises in high-tech scaffolding systems and formworks, and Attieh Steel Company, considered one of the leading steel stockists in the Middle East.

It has more than 60 branches, four service centres and more than one million sq m of warehousing facilities.
Established in 1961, Ulma has gained a great deal of experience that has enabled it to face all sorts of challenges.

“These sorts of challenges are what keep us on our toes at all times. Studying and developing new materials and new techniques and offering solutions for all customers’ needs and requirements is an ongoing commitment at Ulma,” says Daher.

Ulma-Attieh, which has 80 employees, provides technical support and after-sales service, namely design services, advice and on-site assistance, organising the layout and assembly of all products to ensure high reliability and effectiveness for which they were designed. It has its head office and warehouse in Jeddah, and branch offices in Riyadh and Dammam.

“Building new partnership with our customers is our core aim and objective,” concludes Daher.