With a practical approach to business, The International Company for Building Materials (Binex), looks forward to improve its market share in the highly competitive Saudi market by introducing new products and opening up new branches in the Gulf.

Referring to the services it offers to the construction market, Binex says that its motto - A complete building package from start to finish - sums it all.
"We are always on the look out for new additions that will complement our existing product lines and lie within the scope of our technical competence to promote and sell," says a spokesman for the company. "There are always manufacturers who wish to promote their product through Binex but we always try to focus on our areas of strength and competence."
Says the official, who is riding high on the success achieved by the company last year: "We have worked hard to increase our share of the market and we are on the look out for new opportunities for our products. We are confident that 2004 and 2005 will be much better."This year also looks very promising with projects mushrooming in all regions, especially drivien by the private sector. The Eastern Province is quite active with ongoing projects such as the Al Subaei Tower, EPCC (Eastern Province Cement Company) headquarters and Al Rajhi Tower," he adds.
The spokesman attributes the success in 2003 to the wide and diverse product line offered by the company.
He continues: "Last year was good in spite of the spiralling costs of metal prices and a shortage experienced in the market. With the strength and reputation of our brands and the enthusiasm of our sales force, we have been successful in achieving good results."Our activities last year have resulted in another record sale of gypsum boards, for curtain walling, partitions and suspended false ceilings. Our turnover of other boards has shown a 30 per cent increase.
"We provide a comprehensive service to our clients every day in the areas of product identification starting from specification narratives in the bill of quantities, to providing suggestion on techniques or outright solutions to installations, guides to quantity estimation and demonstration of product application on site," he says. "We are happy to show our clients the competence we have developed over the years in handling our product line."
Binex - a member of the Bina Group of companies - draws on the resources of its trained sales representatives and technical professionals to provide solutions to the needs of contractors and project owners, right from the bidding stage to budgeting and mobilisation to the actual construction work.
Established in 1978, Binex has its headquarters in Al Khobar and has regional branches in Jeddah, Al Khobar, Dammam, and Riyadh. The company stocks and sells selected lines of building materials grouped as construction chemicals; water services and plumbing products; building finishes and civil works products.
It also meets the demand for epoxy, polymer and cement-based tile and stone fixing.
"We are planning to diversify into hi-tech products to meet the increased demand of special admixtures for concrete," says the spokesman.
The company maintains its stocks at the warehouses of three regional branches in the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar. These regional branches have stocking depots and showrooms strategically located in the city and outlying areas that cater to the requirements of its customers' projects, he says.
Recognising the need to support local industries, Binex works with local manufacturers such as National Gypsum Company, Arabian Fiberglass Company (Afico) and USG Middle East.
Rollform products for Binex are manufactured by its sister company, Saudi Scaffolding Factory. Many of the construction chemical products are manufactured by the International Company for Chemicals - another company in the Bina group that is known for its Binachem brand.
Binex is also the supplier of well-known brands from Europe and the US, such as Jay R Smith for engineering plumbing and drainage products; George Fischer for flame-retardant pipes and fittings; Bradford White for water heaters; Catnic steel lintels; BTS for access panel and suspension accessories; Mueller Brass for copper pipes and fittings; and Laticrete for tile/stone fixing products; among many others.
"Binex, which has a staff strength of 75 employees, plays the role as a working partner of architects, engineers, project managers, contractors and specialised sub-contractors in their kingdomwide projects," he says.
The company has worked with renowed names in the kingdom such as Saudi Aramco, Saudi Electricity Company, J & P, El-Seif Engineering, Al Khodari, Al Mojil, Nasir Al Hajri, Redico and Saad Group, to name a few.
"We have supplied, and continue to supply our products to many prestigious projects in the kingdom including: Prince Sultan bin Mohammed Nofa farm, Wadi Hanifa project, Al Marai Dairy, Air Defence headquarters and Arqa palace (in the Central Province); a research and development laboratory (Phase II), SWCC (Saline Water Conversion Corporation) water pipeline, JUPC, Berri gas plant, Saudi Aramco schools, GOSP (gas oil separating plants) I and II (all in the Eastern Province); steam power plant II, HOP Yanpet, Amana (Municipality) headquarters and technical colleges in Tabuk, Hail and Jizan (all in the Western Province), he says.