SODAMCO-WEBER, the construction  chemicals giant that helped build the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Capital Gate leaning tower and Dubai Mall, has opened a new manufacturing plant in Abu Dhabi.

The plant will expand its capacity from 150,000 tonnes of dry mortar per year to over 200,000 to accommodate ongoing projects including Masdar City, New York University and Saadiyat Beach Villas.

The company’s chemical agents are said to be particularly well suited to projects in hot climates because they allow render to stay wet for longer, which enables engineers on building construction sites to manage the time it takes for render and plaster to set more effectively.

Sodamco-Weber’s GCC regional manager Ziad Khoury said: “This is a significant moment for Sodamco-Weber as we enter our 20th year of production in the UAE.

“We have played an integral role in the development of the UAE, with some of the projects we have supplied mortar materials to now seen as some of the most iconic symbols of the region. We are working as one of the suppliers to Masdar City, and we supply to several projects on Saadiyat including New York University, beach villas and the St Regis resort.

“It’s important that we have the capacity and the technology to keep up with the demand for our products as Abu Dhabi and the region continues to expand.”

The factory will be home to some of the newest and most advanced production equipment in the region and will also allow for more efficient storage of dry mortar material. It will also give the company more than 25,000 sq m of site space at ICAD III (Industrial City of Abu Dhabi), rather than 10,000 sq m across three sites previously. 

“We have a huge amount of confidence in the market and expect demand to continue to grow,” said Khoury.  “This state-of-the-art site will allow us to meet that future demand, while remaining efficient and dynamic.”