THE Structural and Mechanical Division (SMD) of Bahrain-based Ahmed Mansoor Al Aali Group (AMA) is leveraging its inherent strengths and core competencies in Bahrain to spearhead further growth in Saudi Arabia, the wider Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and the international markets eyeing prospects as far afield as Angola and the US.

Equipped with one of the region’s largest state-of-the-art fabrication and mechanic facilities of its kind, the division has in the past two decades left a strong imprint on the industrial sector in the region, supplying crucial fabrications to most of the aluminium smelters including Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), Emirates Aluminium (Emal), Abu Dhabi and Dubai Aluminium (Dubal), Dubai, both in the UAE; Qatalum, Doha, Qatar; and Sohar Aluminium, Oman.

It is now progressing well in Saudi Arabia working on Ma’aden’s aluminium smelter built at Ras Al Khair, north of Jubail, where it has supplied more than 700 pot shells (the steel containers where electrolysis takes place in aluminium smelters) as well as aluminium duct work.

SMD’s general manager Paul Taylor comments: “As well as our inherent strengths in general fabrication and structural steel, SMD-AMA is certainly now acknowledged as a world leader in the supply of pot shells to the global aluminium industry outside of China. From our Bahrain facilities, SMD has the capacity to produce up to 1,500 pot shells annually and one of our strategic export markets is North America where we have significant supply contracts in place in Canada. SMD continues to build on its reputation as a cost-effective quality exporter of pot shells in the aluminium smelter business.

Its strong technical credentials and a host of project references for quality assured fabrications and competitive prices are highly valued and have helped to build a formidable international reputation in the region, North America and Africa, says Taylor, who joined the SMD in June 2013 bringing to it more than three decades of senior management experience in the global steel fabrication and process industries business.

SMD is also involved in a wider range of fabrication, structural steel and installation capabilities for industrial facilities, downstream industries and power stations. This involves the fabrication of superstructures, plate work and specialist mechanical services, all drawing from SMD’s proven track record and experience across the Middle East, says Taylor.

In Bahrain, the division has undertaken major projects including the expansion of Lines Four and Five at Alba and extensive fabrication work for Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), Tatweer Petroleum and EWA (Electricity and Water Authority).

SMD is approved by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) and the Saudi Electric Company (SEC) and is set for approvals from Saudi Aramco. It continues to work in partnership with many of the region’s leading engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors including Bechtel, JGC and Sidem.

Taylor emphasises the importance of SMD’s strategic location for the Saudi market and adds that it is able to provide competitively priced total fabrication solutions to an increasing number of regional and international clients using a multi-modal approach to delivering its fabrications by barge.

The company continues to reorganise by streamlining its workforce, investing in new equipment and controlling costs, says Taylor.

SMD is eyeing new investments that will facilitate its competitive bids in different markets. Currently, it is actively looking at world-scale steel fabrication and structural steel projects in Angola and also discussing partnering for a steel mill in the US.

The scale of the SMD fabrication facilities in Bahrain are vast, spreading over 150,000 sq m and acknowledged as one of the best in the Middle East by virtue of its state-of-the-art equipment with more than 40,000 sq m of covered workshop areas including nine separate specialist workshops, fabrication shops and enclosed blasting facility and covered paint shop.

More than 500 people are employed at the division, utilising the latest CNC (computerised numerical control) cutting machines with plasma heads to measuring and testing equipment. Quality assurance and quality management processes are implicit across the organisation based upon a policy of continuous improvement in technical knowledge, investment in technology and training.

“SMD has a successful track record of structural and mechanical fabrication based upon our capacity and expertise. With our proven technical expertise, we have a range of capabilities and the ability to fabricate anything and diversify accordingly.

“Currently, SMD is actively looking at the production of oilfield skids, overhead cranes, and manufacturing truck chassis and truck bodies. With our pre-qualifications in place for key clients and our strong relations with leading EPC contractors, I am optimistic for larger scale projects and can see new opportunities in 2014 for our growth in Saudi Arabia,” says Taylor.

SMD’s competitive edge is built around quality assured production with intensive manufacturing efficiencies and cost controls in place. With the high reputation of SMD in the region and internationally, Taylor is confident that the company can deliver its quality fabrications competitively through its EPC partners and, with the Alba Line Six on the horizon in Bahrain, it is looking for volume business in the years ahead.

Established in 1990, SMD is an integral division of the AMA Group which will celebrate 60 years as one of Bahrain’s leading integrated contracting, trading and manufacturing conglomerates in 2014.

SMD-AMA undertakes general fabrication, installation and equipment erection for larger scale industrial and process industries projects as well as specialist civil works and has a capacity exceeding 40,000 tonnes per year with ISO 9001, 14001, OHSAS 18001, and ASME accreditations.

SMD fabricates process and utility piping; process equipment including heat exchangers, pressure vessels and storage tanks; heavy structural steel; pot shells and super structures; furnaces, stacks, ducts and miscellaneous steel; and metering skids.

AMA, one of the largest and most reputed conglomerates in Bahrain founded in 1954, is engaged in a wide range of businesses from manufacturing, contracting, trading to real estate. The group employs more than 3,000 personnel and has built its reputation for reliability, integrity and performance in the public and private sectors over six decades.