Al Huraiz Establishment for Industry, better known as the manufacturer of Everhot water heaters, is diversifying into the field of air-conditioners.

The company will later this year start manufacturing and marketing window and split air-conditioners under the brand name Evertemp.

The company, which was launched in 1975 to manufacture water heaters, has grown over the years into a large enterprise with a wider range of activities.

"Everhot water heaters have been a perfect solution to contractors and builders looking for a reliable and economical water heater for the past 27 years, says a spokesman for the Dubai-based company.

The company says it constantly strives to create better water heaters with enhanced performance values.

Describing the product, general manager P S Philip, says its latest products - Everhot Deluxe water heaters - are manufactured using high-quality galvanised steel sheets and a special heating element for extra life.

"The various features of these water heaters ensure trouble-free performance. The products have been designed to ensure total safety and are tested using stringent quality procedures on each and every part of the unit," he says. "The Everhot Deluxe is available in a wide range of models. The inner tank is made from high-quality galvanised steel sheet. It has a highly corrosion-resistant, long-life heating element and high-tech Italian thermostat. Other features include PUF (polyurethane foam) insulation for excellent heat retention; twin-function valve for additional safety, magnesium anode protection against corrosion of the inner tank from dissolved salts; anti-splash mechanism which ensures a continuous supply of hot water; and superior earthing to eliminate the risk of electric shock. The material used for the outer body is precoated on the inner and outer surfaces for double protection against corrosion, thereby giving a long-lasting protection and superior finish."

Its various models of water heaters will be on display at Stand 243 at SaudiBuild 2002 Exhibition to be held in Riyadh. Al Huraiz will be also appointing agents to market its products in Saudi Arabia.

Al Huraiz's manufacturing facility is fully equipped with automatic machinery imported from Italy, the US and India. Some of the machines are programmable logic controlled (PLC) and are specially designed for water heater components manufacturing. Automatic slitting shearing systems for cutting blank sheets from sheet metal coils are imported from the US and are among the most sophisticated machinery installed in the plant.

The company also employs high-precision computer-controlled systems for metal cutting, welding and painting. All these installations have helped the company to achieve international quality standards, says Philip.

The company attributes its long-standing popularity in the water heater industry to its quality of selecting the best raw materials, efficient manufacturing process and prompt customer service.

"The quality of water heaters depends to a large extent on the quality of the metal used to make the inner tank. The thicker this metal, the longer it takes to corrode, given that the joints are properly welded. The Everhot range of water heaters are made of uniform thickness," says Philip. There are two other grades of water heaters manufactured by Al Huraiz and marketed under the brand names Excel and Centour.

Philip elaborates: "The essential difference between the two models is the thickness of the galvanised steel sheet used for making the inner tank. The sheet is 1.5 mm thick in Excel and 1.2 mm thick in Centour. Centour is specially made as an economy model to cater to the low-budget sector, however, the quality of these two models have been steadily maintained over the past 27 years."

"We are proud to mention that ours was the first water heater manufacturing company to be certified for the prestigious ISO 9001 for quality and ISO 14001 for environment management system in the whole of the GCC. We decided to acquire these certifications essentially to confirm that our quality is the same as that of our European competitors," he says.

The company manufactures approximately 90,000 water heaters a year and plans to manufacture 1,25,000 units by next year to meet the increasing demand. Currently Everhot water heaters are exported to Africa, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the Far East.

Besides galvanised iron water heaters, the company also imports glass-lined water heaters from France and Spain under the brand names Everhot Super and Everhot Edsea.

Depending on customer requirements, the company is capable of manufacturing copper tank types and also supplies large capacities of water heaters.

In its bid to enhance its export market, the company has been actively participating in international exhibitions such as the SaudiBuild, Big 5 show and East African Trade Expo.

The company also has a dedicated website at www.everhotuae.com, which provides details of its products and services. It is designed to be user-friendly and also enables its customers to place orders/enquiries online.

Al Huraiz says it has always kept abreast with the latest technology. The company is presently computerising at all levels of administration.

Also under the Al Huraiz group are other products such as aluminium cookware - Everbright, LPG cylinders - Universal Gases, and an LPG bottling plant.

The aluminium cookware division is also certified for ISO 9001 quality and ISO 14001 for environment management system, says Philip.

These products are also exported to the GCC and other countries. The LPG cylinders are manufactured as per international standards and currently the company is also adopting the ISO 9000 quality system in these divisions.