VETERAN precast concrete specialist Qanbar Dywidag Precast Concrete Company (QDC) has created a niche for itself in the Saudi market with its services being called upon for projects that demand a high level of expertise.

Among such projects are two unique developments in Yanbu in the Western Province, which the company is poised to complete in record time, according to Mohammed Abdullah, QDC’s sales manager.

“The first project is the Yanbu Export Refinery for Kil Jin Kang and Partners, for which precast concrete components have been supplied to accommodate special blast loads to meet blast resistance and seismic zone design requirements. The second is a major housing project for Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), being carried out by Project Build Company, where QDC has provided value engineering services during the design development process for the precast wall frames of the villas,” Abdullah says.

QDC has, for more than 30 years, been providing quality precast concrete products at a competitive price and backed by outstanding service to customers in Saudi Arabia. Hence, it counts among its clients some of the most reputed names in the kingdom including Saudi Aramco, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Sabic, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Ma’aden and various military and civil governmental authorities.

QDC designs, manufactures, delivers and installs architectural and structural precast, prestressed concrete products for commercial, residential, industrial and government projects throughout Saudi Arabia.

Sabic housing project, Phase Two in Yanbu.

Its products are manufactured in three modern factories – two located in Jubail and one in Rabigh – which have a combined production capacity of more than 350,000 cu m per year. These facilities are regularly upgraded and expanded to ensure they are able to meet the growing demand as well as add value to the company’s products. For instance, QDC is currently installing a highly-automated state-of-the-art concrete batching plant at its main factory in Jubail, and four additional hollowcore lines at its Rabigh factory. Also at the Rabigh factory, it is set to launch the construction of a new administration building, mess hall and mosque.

While the global financial downturn had very little effect on its performance, Abdullah says business steadily improved in 2012 at all of its factories.

Looking ahead, he says: “Prospects for 2013 look very good, especially since there is a huge demand from housing projects in both the Eastern and Western provinces. The volume of work has increased significantly from last year, and we are looking forward to a very good year.”

To cater to the increased demand in the market, the company recently opened a new sales office in Jeddah and will be expanding its sales staff in Jeddah, Riyadh and Jubail.

QDC is currently involved in a large number of developments in Saudi Arabia. These include two housing projects in Jubail for the Royal Commission, involving the supply of total precast frames and cladding for family apartments (C14), where Khonaini International is the contractor, and full frame precast components for housing units (C-12) with Al Osais Contracting as contractor. It is also supplying full precast frames for Sabic’s housing project in Jubail with Beijing Construction.

The company is also engaged in supplying precast components to a number of contractors working on Sadara Chemical Company’s integrated chemical facilities in Jubail, which calls for providing double-tee slabs for the isocyanate project to Nasser Al Hajri Corporation, precast cladding to Fluor Arabia; full frame precast for the Chem III project to Gulf Cooperation Symbols Contracting; and full frame precast building for the Ras Tanura integrated project (RTIP) power distribution substation building to Nesma and Partners Contracting.

Other projects it is involved in entail the supply of a full precast frame car-park building in Jubail for Al Mouwasat Hospital; cladding and double-tee slabs for SEC’s new BSP (bulk supply point) in Al Qatif with Sojitz Corporation; precast cladding for Taibah University in Madinah, which has Abdullah AM Al Khodari Sons as the contractor; precast cladding for Madinah Hotel (International Building Systems); precast cladding for Saudia facilities in Jeddah (Specialized Contracting Company); and precast cladding for Aramco in Rabigh (Saudi Arabian Baytur Construction Company).

QDC was established in 1981 as a partnership between Al Ansari Holding Company (Abdul Razzaq Mohammed Qanbar Al Ansari and Sons), one of the leading business conglomerates in the Eastern Province, and Dycherhoff and Widmann (Dywidag), one of the largest German general contractors and precast concrete manufacturers. In January 2002, Al Ansari Holding became the sole owner of QDC with Dywidag remaining as a technical partner.

QDC is also a joint venture partner in Qatar International Precast (QIP) in Doha, Qatar, producing a full line of precast and prestressed concrete products for the country’s rapidly expanding building construction and infrastructure market in anticipation of the 2022 Fifa World Cup.