In a span of over two decades, Unitech for Building and Construction Materials has grown from a 10-member team to a full-fledged manufacturing unit that is ably assisted by a 500-strong team of professionals, engineers, and technicians.

Operating from around 18 locations in Saudi Arabia, the company has over the years built up an enviable network of showrooms that spans across major cities such as Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Makkah, Madinah, Yanbu, Khamis Mushayt, Gizan, Qassim, Jizan, Tabuk, Hofuf and Jubail, within the kingdom and has extended its reach outside by setting up six branches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Doha (Qatar), Beirut (Lebanon), Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt and Damascus (Syria).
“Unitech has been in the Saudi market since 1979, and will continue to serve the construction industry in the kingdom and the surrounding countries,” says Saqib Altaf, national manager for the kingdom.
“Such a wide presence, both within and outside the kingdom, has helped the company to offer better services to its customers,” he adds.
“There have been several factors which have enhanced the company’s image and added value to Unitech’s operations. These include: the range of products, the close relationship it shares with its customers, the company’s line of services and its commitment to develop and enhance the potentials of its staff through multiple programmes,” he adds.
In line with its effort to enhance its portfolio of products, the company has set up a Specialised Factory for Steel Products (SFSP). With supporting plants based in Jeddah, Dubai, and Cairo, SFSP offers a wide range of steel building products including cable trays, ladders, trunkings, and support system, mechanical cladding fixation, expanded metals and plasterers’ beads and others, he adds.
Cable trays
Speaking on the design of cable trays, he says: “When design cable tray runs and support systems, the following factors need to be considered: distributed loads – for example, cables and pipes; point loads; thermal expansion and contraction; wind and external forces; spacing of supports; safety factor; and deflection.
“In practice, it is often difficult to pre-determine where the couplers will be located within a straight run of cable tray. However, it is well worth making some effort to roughly plan their position during the early stages of installation. The worst positions of the couplers are either at mid-span or immediately over a point of support; at these locations they will suffer the greatest stress.
“Both locations should be particularly avoided on the end of an installation. From a practical viewpoint, it is also more difficult to assemble or fix the tray if the couplers are positioned immediately over the supports.
“The best position of joints in a continuous installation is one quarter of the span distance on either side of each point of support.”
Products & services
At its manufacturing facilities in Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo, SFSP manufactures: Mechanical cladding fixation (stainless steel brackets and cramps); cable management systems (cable trays, ladders, trunkings, and support systems); pipe clamps and hangers used in the support of pipes and equipments; plasterers’ beads, expanded metals and block ladder reinforcements; steel lintels and block work accessories; gypsum profiles for dry wall and ceiling constructions; and garbage and linen chutes.
In addition, the company supplies a host of products through a professional team of engineers and architects that include: raised access floorings used to provide access for cable routing; expansion joint covers for pedestrian floors, vehicular floors, interior and exterior walls, ceilings and roofs; handrails and corner guards for the protection of walls against traffic; speed bumps and bumper guards for building service areas, commercial loading docks, parking garage walls/columns; entrance mats and rubber tiles; roadway expansion joints; and bridge bearings required at bridge abutments and piers to accommodate existing movements and rotations.
Through a highly-skilled team of sales executives supported by technicians, the company also markets a wide range of products including: AEG power tools, anchoring systems, cutting and grinding diamond discs from Tyrolit, Irwin industrial hand tools, thermal insulation boards, expansion joints sealants, uPVC electrical conduit, concrete tie rods and accessories, and tile adhesives and grouts.
New launches
Among the new products that Unitech offers are two high-performance hammers from AEG Electric Tools.
“AEG’s two robust, high-performance hammers – PM 10 E demolition hammer and the PN 11 E combination hammer –deliver exactly what they promise: the highest power of impact and the lowest levels of vibration among all competing tools in their class,” says Altaf.
He continues: “These two new hammers were engineered for best-in-class performance, as well as unmatched ergonomics and durability. The PM 10 E demolition hammer and the PN 11 E combination hammer deliver 1,600 and 1,700 watts of power respectively, with up to an amazing 27 joules of blow energy for fast penetration.
“They both feature full-wave digital electronics with variable speed, Softstart, and no-load speed reduction, as well as a lock-on switch function, a service indicator light, a speed preselection switch, the AVS anti-vibration system and Softgrip on all handles – considerably reducing stress on body joints.
“Their in-line design lengthens the tool for working at ground level, allowing the operator to stand in a more upright position, reducing back strain. The additional spade handle, which can be rotated through a full 360 degrees, combines well with the rear fixed handle for many applications. The straight handle can be mounted in three different positions for versatility, comfort and safety.
“Durability is another key area where these two new AEG hammers stand out. They are robust in all aspects for absolute reliability. And, they both feature 6-metre cables for an extended operating range.
“The PM 10 E demolition hammer, with its new, robust SDS-max reception, is the ideal partner on the site for all challenging cutting, breaking, tamping and digging applications. The new PN 11 E combination hammer also features a safety clutch and is ideal for drilling holes with solid bits, TCT cores and tunnel bits,” he points out.
“For the future, the company has chalked out some impressive plans that include the establishing of a fast e-commerce service in the Saudi market, which will be backed by a network of branches and showrooms,” Altaf concludes.