A LANDMARK distribution agreement with a leading German formworking, trenching lining and geotechnical solutions provider enabled Saudi Scaffolding Factory (SSF) to clinch a number of prestigious projects last year such as the Jabal Omar development in Makkah and King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

SSF entered into a distribution agreement with Ischebeck Titan last year and has been able to popularise the system rapidly in the kingdom.

Ischebeck Titan manufactures the world-renowned Titan support systems, which are generally manufactured from high-grade aluminium to patented designs. They are designed to reduce labour costs, increase site efficiency, improve safety and meet the demands of today’s construction and civil engineering techniques.

“The system can be used as a ‘flying table’ and is ideal for multistorey applications or as a ‘strike system’ for heavy-duty structures such as bridges or underpasses,” says a spokesman for the company.

The Climbtrac at Jabal Omar in Makkah.

The company also entered into a licensed manufacturing agreement for the robust ‘Climbtrac’ climbing formwork equipment. The product is being used for the first time in Saudi Arabia for the towers at the Jabal Omar Development project.

For the past three decades, SSF has been serving its Saudi customers in the construction industry with a commitment to offering them complete support right from feasibility study to installation advice when they buy its products.

It supplies scaffolding, formwork, rolled forms and powered access products backed by complete technical support, including design calculations, feasibility, supervision, load calculations and installation advice.

Some of its latest contracts entail supply of Titan table forms for suspended slabs and Climbtrac core wall climbing system to IBS Construction for the Jabal Omar Development; and Titan support and decking system for the underpasses and approach bridge structure to El Seif Contracting for the KAFD project.

The spokesman comments that El Seif was pleasantly surprised with the ease of use of SSF Ischebeck Titan system in the KAFD project. “El Seif was able to complete the project earlier than estimated due to easy erection and dismantling possibilities of the system with much saving on labour and associated expenses,” he adds.

Meanwhile, SSF’s powered access division has clinched orders worth more than SR30 million ($8 million) for building maintenance units (BMUs) and access equipment for the KAFD project.

The company is also supplying Titan support and decking system on a rental basis to IBS Construction for the King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) development data centre in Jeddah; and scaffolding and formwork to PP11 power project in Riyadh, Sadara Chemical Company, Wasit gas plant, and Rabigh power plant.

“Work on Sadara, the largest integrated petrochemical complex in the world, has commenced in Jubail,” he says, “while the Wasit gas project is under way with expansions of other refineries and oil and gas facilities on the anvil as well.”

The KAFD Riyadh flyover ... Titan support and decking systems employed.

About business, Ali says 2012 was a good year and hopes to have a similar or better year in 2103 with the increasing number of projects in the pipeline especially with sustained government spending on infrastructure, health and education.

Elaborating on some of the other projects in progress in Saudi Arabia, he says: “The greenfield Jizan Refinery with its associated facilities has also broken ground. Also under way are major power and desalination plants being developed both as government projects and as well as independent water and power projects (IWPPs). Then there is extensive development in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah including expansion of the holy mosques, infrastructure and a number of hotels and high-rise buildings.

“Work on King Abdul Aziz International Airport is in full swing while work is expected to start soon on the expansion of the Riyadh Airport and the new Jizan airport.

“In the transport sector, the Haramain railway line linking Makkah and Madinah through Jeddah is a major project currently under way. Also expected to be awarded soon is the East-West Railway, and the metro projects of Riyadh and Jeddah.

“Similarly, the government-sponsored housing project of 500,000 houses has kicked off with contracts for a few thousand already being awarded.

“Contracts for medical cities costing billions of riyals in Riyadh and Jeddah have already been awarded with a similar project in Dammam being under design.”

Jabal Omar, Makkah ... C Hook in action.

He adds that while the global financial downturn did have some impact on business in 2010, Saudi Arabia made a quick recovery “due to the prudent economic policies of the government especially in increasing spending on infrastructure, power, oil and gas and other sectors that contributed to growth in construction activities which, in turn, helped companies such as SSF recover from the economic downturn”.

As such, Ali remains optimistic about the year ahead as the construction sector is on a growth trajectory.

SSF is now making increased efforts to boost its market share in all the areas it operates in.

Established in 1982, SSF has gained an enviable reputation for quality, reliability and durability. It has a staff of approximately 100 personnel and maintains a kingdom-wide network of offices and stock points through which it is able to provide solutions to meet customer needs.

The company’s factory is located in Dammam’s First Industrial Area with a central warehouse and yard situated close by. Full-fledged sales offices and yards are located in Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh.