AL ANDALUS Holding Company, a well-diversified Saudi organisation catering to the construction and industrial sectors in the region, commissioned two new units recently. These include an aluminium extrusion plant in Dammam, which was launched last October, and a new production line for safety and bullet-proof glass, which went on stream last month, as part of its major expansion programme.

The company has also recently completed the relocation and expansion of one of its first manufacturing ventures – the Granada Aluminium Factory – with the addition of new advanced machineries in order to increase its production capacity of doors, windows and aluminium facades.

As part of its expansion plan, Al Andalus has also taken on the agency for the US’3M to distribute its industrial products in Saudi Arabia.

“This is an excellent step forward in our strategy to provide quality services and the best options for our customers,” said Marwan A Albrahim, deputy general manager.

About 50 per cent of the current output of its new aluminium extrusion plant – which is one of the largest of its kind in Saudi Arabia – is being absorbed by the company’s own facilities, according to Albrahim, who expects the facility to attain its full production capacity in the next two months.

Since its inception more than 35 years ago, Al Andalus Holding has steered ahead with a well-devised growth plan that has seen it add the latest and best technologies to its portfolio, which in turn has ensured its continued success in the market.

The company has been supplying the Saudi Arabian market with a diverse range of affordable but quality products acquired from leading global brands as well as its affiliates. Backed by a host of member companies, the company has played a role on many projects initially as a supplier and then as a manufacturer of doors and windows. Today, it meets all requirements of aluminium plants including machinery, equipment and raw materials from leading agencies worldwide.
Besides Granada Aluminium Factory, Al Andalus has several affiliates, including:

• Al Andalus Glass factory, which has launched the new production line for safety and bullet-proof glass. This leading glass factory, which has been awarded Guardian certification (GCHP) for the manufacture of high-performance glass, has two factories, equipped with the latest Finnish machines, for tempering. It also manufactures stained glass and decorative glass;

• Saudi Aluminium Factory (Decoral), which specialises in coating aluminium profiles with wood and marble colours, among others;

• Taliah Trading Industrial Company, a specialist in false ceilings, wall cladding panels, wooden flooring (parquet), vertical and horizontal curtains, and accessories for kitchens. The company has several factories in Riyadh and Jeddah; and

• Al Safa Aluminium Saudi Company, which provides aluminium doors, windows and facades.

Over the years, Al Andalus has adopted a policy that focuses on earning the trust of customers by offering a wide choice and the best global brands to customers.The company has a wide network of distributors throughout Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries and plans to expand further.

The company is the exclusive agent in Saudi Arabia for Fapim (Italy), a leader in door accessories; Phifer (US), which is claimed to be world’s largest producer of aluminium and fibreglass insect screening; Heroal (Germany), a manufacturer of windows, doors and shutters; LuxePerfil (Spain), a supplier of metal curtains and roller shutters; Somfy of France for shutter motors and accessories; Atco (Italy), which produces motors for shutters; Simbac of Italy, a manufacturer of accessories for shutters; Mingardi, a specialist in curtain accessories; Kress (Germany) for drilling machines; and Alcotop (Korea) for cladding panels, among other agencies.

Al Andalus claims to have been a Saudi pioneer in a number of areas – it was the first company to introduce shutters in Saudi Arabia as well as the first to introduce RAL colours in the region, offering bronze and silver colours through anodisation.

With the development of aluminiumcolours, Al Andalus – in cooperation with Decoral of Italy – launched wooden colours under the name Decoral. It also claims to have established the world’s first factory offering aluminium profiles in wooden colour (Decoral), later expanding the choice to include marble colour and other decorative shades.

Among the latest products launched by Al Andalus are high quality and affordable aluminium fittings from Fapim; and automatic doors from KBB, one of Asia’s leading automatic doors manufacturers, which are provided with a two-year warranty. Another recent launch is Domatic, an innovative device that works alongside automatic sliding technology to seal the gap between the door and the ground to prevent the ingress of water, dust and insects. This Italian technology has captured the interest of a number of consultants and has already been utilised in many projects, said Albrahim.

The company regularly holds awareness programmes to educate customers on counterfeit or low quality goods. As part of these campaigns, it organises familiarisation trips with its principals – one such recent trip having been by Fapim. “These visits will benefit businessmen and experts. Another group will be invited this year,” Albrahim said.

Among the most prestigious projects in which Al Andalus and its subsidiaries have been involved are the Kingdom and Faisaliah towers.