SHADE Corporation (Shade) is among the astute companies that have proactively taken steps to diversify and partner with other companies in a bid to progress in an increasingly challenging market.

To broaden its prospects, the Saudi-based firm is expanding into other fields such as the railway and sewerage sectors as well as into other markets including Bahrain and Qatar.

This business strategy has already started paying dividends with the company having seen a marked increase in its revenue levels.

“Shade has planned to choose different market segments and join with other international contractors to expand into specialty projects,” says Wees Ibrahim, the company’s business development manager.

Shade is a multi-disciplined general contracting company that carries out many projects in the civil, electrical, mechanical, communication, and land development segments. Its projects range from bridges, underpasses and tunnels to industrial, commercial, and residential buildings. The firm also offers specialist services such as project and construction management, design-build, pre-construction consulting, and value engineering.

The company has served a number of major clients in Saudi Arabia including Saudi Aramco, the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu, the ministries of transportation and public works and rural affairs, Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic).

Among its ongoing projects, Shade is particularly proud of Saudi Aramco’s King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (Kapsarc) in Riyadh, where it has completed its role on the project. The project was designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid. Work on the development was launched in August last year.

A structure at Kapsarc.

“We are proud to be able to work and complete one of its structures. Once the building is complete, many will be amazed by its facades and intricate roof – it is definitely a piece of art. Our scope of work is worth SR50 million ($13.33 million),” he says.

Other projects that it is currently engaged in include a multi-purpose centre for the Royal Commission in Jubail, where work started in October last year and will be completed in August next year; and a sports facility for Saudi Aramco in Dhahran, work on which was launched in September last year and will be completed this October.

Meanwhile, Shade has just completed a SR80-million ($21.33 million) project comprising four bridges and a flyover for Saudi Aramco in Dhahran, and a SR37-million ($9.87 million) underpass at the Princess Nora University (PNU) in Riyadh. 

Commenting on the Saudi market, Wees says: “Business has definitely flourished over the past year but the environment is becoming more and more competitive as a result of the oversaturation in the market. Last year was a great one for us and this year we expect to top last year’s figures by 20 per cent.

“Saudi Arabia has always been a big market offering everyone a share of the pie and hopefully it will continue to do so. The market is very receptive to new technologies such as green building design, along with new materials to be used in construction.”

Shade is now doing the spade work to ensure its longevity in the market. For next year, Wees says the company plans to achieve ISO 9001 certification; grow in size to employ a 2,000-strong workforce; change its ERP (enterprise resource planning) system into a more advanced one that fits into its new needs; and tackle new market sectors such as railways and mining.

The company currently employs about 1,650 employees, including 150 managers, engineers and support staff in addition to a 1,500-strong multi-level, multi-skill workforce. It has camps in various cities in the kingdom and also in Bahrain and Qatar.

Shade continues to be involved in a diverse range of projects.

Shade Corporation was established in May 1992 by Abdulaziz Al Suhaimi, an architect, and Hassan Ibrahim, an engineer, who brought with them two decades of working experience in the consultancy services business. Its main camp covers an area of around 76,000 sq m and has 10,000-plus sq m of storage area and accommodation facilities for upto 1,500 employees.

Its foreign affiliates include Conclinc in Korea for corrosion protection and repair; and Kidde Fire in the US for fire-fighting simulation training system.

Shade is also a certified builder for all the steel and pre-engineered companies, such as IBSF, Zamil Steel, Butler and Kirby, and is designated as a specialised builder for many precast companies (such as Siporex for lightweight precast concrete systems).