Saudi Arabia-based water and wastewater treatment specialist Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld – a debutant at the Big 5 – will showcase its range of products and services at the region's leading exhibition, when it opens later this November.

Says business development manager Samer K Mazloum: “The Big 5 is known to be one of the biggest exhibitions in the Middle East and we have planned our participation this year to take advantage of the exposure that the Big 5 gives to exhibitors and also for the large number of attendees the show attracts.”
Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld is a specialised water and wastewater treatment company providing engineering, design, and contracting services in addition to equipment and chemical manufacturing. “Our services include chemical analysis, on-site equipment repair, training, and commissioning,” says Mazloum.
The company will promote its range of products that include:
• Wastewater treatment equipment and accessories, including bridges, scrapers, and sludge thickeners, sluice gates and telescopic valves, manual and mechanical screens. odour control units;
• Water treatment equipment and accessories such as multimedia filters, cartridge filters, and reverse osmosis plants;
• Specialty chemicals, including scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, odour control chemicals and laundry chemicals.
Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld offers a wide range of services, which extends to emgineering and design, manufacturing, PLC (programmable logic control), Scada (supervisory control and data acquisition system) and controls, installation, commissioning, analytical testing in its laboratory and equipment troubleshooting.
Established in 1990 with its head office and a 15,000 sq m manufacturing facility in Riyadh, Weitco/Saudi Berkefeld, is owned by the A Abunayyan Group. The company's other local offices in Jeddah, Al Khobar, and Qassim provide technical know-how and support to clients located in the respective geographical area. Due to the market demand in the region, Weitco/Saudi Berkefeld has expanded its operations to cover the markets of the UAE, Qatar, and Iraq through local offices, Mazloum adds.
The company – which claims to be the first company in the Middle East to execute an industrial wastewater treatment plant treating dairy bi-products using the MBR (biological membrane reactor) technology – is looking to promote its expertise in the markets of Iran, Oman, and Kuwait, in addition to other international markets outside of the Gulf, says Mazloum.
The company is currently expanding its presence in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and has plans to establish new offices in the region and is also planning the introduction of new products next year.
Commenting on the regional and domestic markets and how the company has fared in the recent past, Mazloum explains: “Oil prices have played a major role in financing the region's economic boom. At present, the Gulf region offers some of the world's most promising business opportunities. As the area's largest economic and financial power, Saudi Arabia will always provide the most opportunities and prospects, therefore such a market should not be ignored.
“Saudi Arabia is experiencing an economic boom due to increased resources and as a consequence there have been a large number of new projects being released by the government, which translates to increased opportunities for industries and other sectors.
“Our business has been growing steadily over the years. Our staff count, which three years ago stood at 40 to 50 employees, now stands at a healthy 350. Our annual turnover has been steadily increasing in the range of 10 to 15 per cent per year and now it exceeds $45 million.
With regard to the expansion of the company's existing facilities, he says: “We have recently purchased a centrally located 2,500 sq m property that will be the new home for the Wetico's corporate office in Riyadh. Wetico is also moving its manufacturing activities to a newly-acquired 15,000 sq m facility where a totally new line of products will be manufactured. In addition, a $1 million investment that was made recently, has allowed us to upgrade our analytical laboratory facility to one of the most advanced water testing facilities in the kingdom.
“We have made significant gains in the regional and domestic markets through emphasizing heavily on quality, competitive pricing, and local support. These aspects have also guaranteed the success of our new product lines. We have always understood the importance of keeping our commitment to our clients by providing them with the best and latest through our local know-how,” says Mazloum.
As a leading water and wastewater treatment OEM, Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld has managed to execute some of the largest treatment plants in the region. “Currently, Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld's manufactured process equipment is being sold and installed in many of the plants in the region. More than 1,000 of its installations have been operating successfully since they were commissioned, he adds.
Some of the company's recently-completed installations include:
• The Riyadh wastewater treatment plant expansion – The 200,000 cu m per day oxidation ditch plant was completed in June this year. CWC was the main contractor and the project had an approximate value of SR21 million ($5.6 million) (for Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld's scope);
• Al Marai effluent treatment plant – This 3,200 cu m per day membrane bio reactor (MBR) unit was also completed this June. Wetico/Saudi Berkefeld was the main contractor for the SR15 million turnkey contract;
• Jeddah Industrial City wastewater treatment plant – The 25,000 cu m per day oxidation ditch plant for ICDOC (also the project manager of the plant), was completed this January and Wetico's share in the project was approximately SR25 million; and
• SHAS Water Supply Company – The 11,000 cu m per day reverse osmosis plant for SHAS Water Supply was completed in March last year and the contract was worth SR15 million ($4 million) to Wetico.
Weitco will be present at Marquee A51.