HAVING newly signed a partnership agreement with China’s Fujian Snowman Company, Saudi-based Al-Kifah Construction Equipment (KICE) is poised to showcase some of the Chinese firm’s high-performance Snowkey ice plants at the Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition (SBIE) next month.

At the show, KICE will also promote the latest advanced batching plant with capacities exceeding 180 cu m per hour from its sister concern Al Kifah Batching Plant Factory as well as transit mixers, among a range of other construction equipment.
KICE, the marketing arm of Al-Kifah Batching Plant Factory, signed the new partnership agreement with Fujian Snowman Company last month to market, sell and support its Snowkey concrete cooling systems in Saudi Arabia.
Commenting on what prompted the company to tie up with Snowman, KICE sales director Rashad Kreidieh says: “We have been observing Snowkey products for some time in the Middle East and getting positive feedback from end-users in the UAE and Saudi Arabia as well.

Al-Kifah’s stand at last year’s event.

“We basically decided on acquiring the agency for Snowkey products because we anticipate high demand for these high-quality products in Saudi Arabia.”
“We are satisfied with the quality and performance of Snowkey products, having used them before. In fact, two new plants will be arriving very soon for our Jubail and Al Hasa sites,” he adds.
In the past two years, Snowman has supplied 15 plants to major Saudi companies.
“We expect this number to double next year in the Saudi market,” Kreidieh says.
Snowman’s product portfolio for the construction industry includes a range of flake ice systems, which are used to keep batching and mixing concrete at the optimum temperature, as well as thermal ice storage systems.
“The distinctive feature of our flake ice systems is that they produce ice that is dry, of a low temperature and solid. We have developed our own technology – which is patented – to produce our machines which are of very high quality,” says Dennis Wen of Snowman.
As Gulf region sales manager, Wen – who is based in Saudi Arabia – is responsible for the markets in the kingdom as well as the UAE, Iraq and Egypt.
Snowman has a branch office in Dubai, UAE, which has been operational for the past six years, and one in Saudi Arabia, which was opened two years ago. In addition, it has a partnership arrangement in Oman.
Commenting on Snowman’s choice of Al- Kifah as its partner, Wen says: “Al-Kifah is the only manufacturer of batching plant in the region and hence its activities complement our line of business. In addition, it is very professional in its approach and has an elite team of salesmen. We have been negotiating with Al-Kifah for a while and the fact that they have been using our products at their batching plant convinced them of the quality of our products and the after-sales support that we offer.”
As part of its aggressive marketing drive in the region, the company’s Snowkey products will be promoted at Al-Kifah’s stand at SBIE.
“We will have one of our Snowkey models on display at the exhibition,” says Wen, who indicates that Snowman has been a regular exhibitor at The Big 5 show in Dubai.
Fujian Snowman Company, founded in 2000 to produce concrete cooling systems, has an annual production of 5,000 units. It has grown into a professional manufacturing base that researches, produces, and distributes ice machines to global clients. The company’s major products include industrial chillers, flake ice machines, tube ice machines, block ice machines, plate ice machines, and concrete cooling systems. Its ice machines are designed for a daily output ranging from 0.5 tonnes to 80 tonnes. For large ice making systems, such as the concrete cooling system, Snowman can also provide a comprehensive design, according to the client’s specific needs.
Snowman aims to provide the highest-quality cooling solutions at the lowest cost which has helped it to secure markets around the world, says Wen. “Since 2002, we have been implementing ISO9000 standards, and Snowman was also awarded the ISO14001 certificate for its environmental management system in 2006.
“Snowman thrives on attention to detail. Each component of our cooling systems is strictly monitored, to be in conformity with ISO9000 standards. In addition, 80 per cent of Snowkey ice-making system accessories are imported. This is how we are able to offer the best cooling systems.
“All of our accessories are provided with at least a one-year warranty for free replacement or repairs. Snowman, staffed with a trained after-sales team, provides customer service to our clients,” he says.
Wen points out that the Chinese government uses its flake ice machines on their major infrastructure projects, such as dams.
Hundreds of Snowkey systems are currently in use in the US, Canada, South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Brazil, Cuba, France, Russia, Singapore, and other countries, according to Wen.
While Snowman estimates that it has captured around five to 10 per cent share of the regional market, with the UAE accounting for its largest market, the company expects its latest partnership deal to increase its penetration in the Gulf.
About 60 Snowkey ice plants are in operation in the UAE and a further 15 in Saudi Arabia, says Wen. Apart from Al Kifah, key customers have included Saudi Binladin Group, Al Haddad, the Khonaini Group, MQC, Mudaifir, and Ma’aden from Saudi Arabia, and Unimix and Unibeton in the UAE.
“We have been working with Al Kifah for the past four years and with our new tie-up, we hope to increase our market penetration by 20 to 40 per cent year on year. This is because we have confidence in the quality of our products and our patent-protected technology. We will be supporting our customers in the region with efficient after-sales support provided by our group of technicians as well as those from Al-Kifah. In addition, we will be stocking spare parts in Saudi Arabia to cut the lead times in obtaining these in the kingdom,” says Wen.
KICE was launched five years ago to market construction equipment in Saudi Arabia. The company has seen its sales increase by 25 per cent last year, despite the global recession and expects a 10 per cent increase in sales this year.
Apart from Snowman, KICE also has the exclusive dealership to market and distribute all kinds of Junjin pumps – mobile or static in lengths from 25 to 63 m – in the Gulf. It also represents the Truemax Company of China, which provides tower cranes, placing booms and stationery pumps.
“Two placing booms from Truemax have already been supplied to Nesma Company and are being installed on the Gosi 180-m twin towers project in Riyadh. Another unit has been supplied to Mudafir (Omraniya Readymix) in Riyadh,” Kreidieh says.
Its efforts to market batching plant produced by Al-Kifah Batching Plant Factory have paid off, he says, adding that some 50 of these units of various capacities and designs have been supplied to a number of clients over the past year.