Saudi Ceramic Company (SCC), a major producer of ceramic tile and sanitary ware in Saudi Arabia and in the region, has recently embarked on a growth strategy aimed at placing it in the league of top global producers in its category.

The company, which has a total of 11 factories, produced a total of 52 million sq m of tiles and 36,000 tonnes of sanitary ware last year.

As part of its investment plan initiated last year for tile production, two old tile firing lines are being upgraded and refurbished with modern machinery that operates a single firing system, to produce 12 million sq m of tiles.

“This new expansion, which is expected to be completed this year, will raise the company’s total tile production capacity to around 64 million sq m,” says a spokesman for SCC.

The company produces a variety of ceramic tiles in different sizes including wall, floor and decorative tiles in addition to skirting tiles and accessories of different sizes and designs.

SCC is also expanding its sanitary ware production capacity and has signed contracts for the supply of machinery for its second sanitary ware factory. The new facility is expected to commence production in 2014 producing 1,500 tonnes per month.

“The company will continue to increase production and improve the quality of its sanitary ware products by employing the latest modern technologies,” says the spokesman.

SCC’s new toilet ... efficient flushing.

SCC produces a wide collection of sanitary ware made of vitreous china in distinctive brand names, which are available in different attractive designs and colours. In addition, it also produces a range of bathroom accessories to complement its brands.

Recently, SCC has designed and produced a new toilet that uses less than three litres of water for efficient flushing. The company is now intensifying its efforts to produce additional water-saving toilets by modifying the design of its products to match Saso (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation) standards.

In line with its efforts to explore further investment opportunities, the company has also approved the construction of a plastic factory for producing plastic seat covers to complement its sanitary ware products.

In addition, the firm has concluded contracts with a European company to supply machinery for a red bricks factory, which is expected to be completed in two years’ time and will produce 1,000 tonnes per month.

SCC supplies its products to hundreds of distributors and project owners in Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries. At present, the company’s products are supplied to more than 50 countries across all continents, with exports that represented around 15 per cent of its total sales in 2011, expected to rise further due to the growing demand in the region and across new markets.

“Saudi Ceramic Company is well on the road to becoming a global producer of ceramic products by using modern production facilities, employing the latest technologies and selecting the best raw materials to ensure sustainability,” the spokesman concludes.

Established in 1977, Saudi Ceramic Company produces high-quality ceramic and porcelain tiles, sanitary ware and electric water heaters at its 11 factories located in Riyadh Second industrial City. It continues to expand its network of showrooms in all major cities of the kingdom, having opened new showrooms in Riyadh, Dammam and Al Rass at the end of last year, increasing the total number of showrooms to 30.