Within the past six months, Saudi Arabian Ductile Iron Pipes Company Limited (Sadip), a member of the Amiantit Group, has secured orders for more than 2,000 km of ductile iron pipes to be supplied for water network projects in the Gulf.

The biggest order amounts to more than 1,000 km for new water networks in the Riyadh area, with another 150 km for Jeddah and 150 km for Madinah. Other orders include 150 km for a water network project in Kuwait, 100 km for the UAE and 100 km for Oman.
Amiantit president and CEO Fareed Al Khalawi describes the orders as “substantial” and anticipates that they will boost Amiantit’s status as one of the biggest manufacturers of pipes in the world.
“As a global group of companies with 34 manufacturing facilities in 18 countries around the world, we produce pipes in a variety of different materials according to specific needs,” he continues. “Within the Amiantit Group, Sadip plays an important role in supplying ductile iron pipes manufactured in the kingdom to the highest international standards. I congratulate Amiantit’s general manager Dr Mohammed Al Najjar and his team on their excellent performance in achieving this record number of orders.”
Sadip has recently expanded its manufacturing capabilities with the installation of a technologically-advanced casting machine that adds a new diameter of DN 800 to its range. This has increased production capacity by 25 per cent and 70 km of ductile iron pipes have already been produced using the new machine, with a further 100 km currently in production.
Sadip was established in Dammam in 1988 and its factory has been an ISO-certified manufacturing facility since 1994, the year in which it won the Ideal Factory Award in Metallic Industries.
Sadip produces ductile iron pipes and fittings with diameters ranging from 100 mm to 800 mm in lengths of up to 6 m.
“The advantages of ductile iron pipes are easy and quick installation, easy maintenance with external and internal corrosion resistance, and a minimum effective service life of 50 years,” he explains. “They have high elongation and tensile strengths, are protected against severe environmental conditions, and can withstand earth movement and quakes.” 
The Saudi Arabian Amiantit Company was established in 1968 at Dammam as a limited liability company and was converted into a joint stock company in 1994. It started with a paid-up share capital of SR4 million ($1.06 million), which is currently standing at SR1.155 billion ($308 million). Its shares are traded on the Saudi Stock Exchange.
Al Khalawi says the prime activity of the company is to initiate and manage new industrial projects, and market its technologies and products. The company also monitors and controls the business of all the Amiantit Group subsidiaries through its corporate management office in Dammam.
“The Amiantit Group is a leading industrial organisation with global strength and is comprised of companies in the kingdom and abroad that manufacture various kinds of pipes, joints, fittings, tanks, rubber products and related accessories,” he adds. “Other activities include own and transfer technology, and water project consultancy and management all around the world.”