The use of polycarbonate sheet (PCS) products in Gulf construction projects has more than doubled over the past decade, becoming the most popular alternative to glass, claims the Saudi-based Rowad National Plastics Company.

Designers concur that creating natural light in open spaces is one of the biggest challenges in today’s architectural environment. While meeting this challenge, PCS products afford the advantage of greater design flexibility than glass, according to Rowad National Plastics business development manager Ashraf Shah.
“They free the designer from flat surface restrictions and permit curved or formed contours,” he continues.
The Saudi-based company, which was launched in 1994, is a design leader in PC products. Its two factories in Riyadh and Dammam have a combined annual production capacity of 7,500 tonnes. In addition to PC sheets, Rowad manufactures acrylic sheets, high-impact polystyrene sheets (HIPS) and ABS sheets.
Shah describes Rowad's PC sheet as “a high-performance engineering thermoplastic characterised by high clarity, heat and flame resistance, dimensional stability and high impact strength.”
“Since its inception, it has been used where safety is a priority: space shuttle windows, astronaut visors and industrial eye protection,” he notes. “Today, PC has found a large audience as an architectural sheet product, replacing traditional glazing in skylights, sidelights, greenhouses, transportation shelters, walkway covers and many other applications requiring strength and transparency.
Shah says Rowad’s PC sheet is virtually unbreakable and has 250 times the impact strength of glass and 30 times that of acrylic.
“To give you an idea of its strength, we’ve tested our 8 mm panel to withstand the impact of 16 lbs dropped from 25 ft with no breakage. What’s more, it can maintain its strength over a wide temperature range, from minus 40 deg C to 121.1 deg C,” he says.
“It is about one-eighth the weight of glass and contains protection layers, which make it more durable in maintaining colour, light and strength," Shah adds. "It requires less structural support than either glass or acrylic and its lightweight material also results in easier handling and installation."
Shah says its weight factor is one of the main reasons PC has found a strong niche in the skylight market and in large pool enclosures. The lightness of the polycarbonate also makes it ideal for smaller projects like home greenhouses, patio covers and carports.
Rowad PC sheets come in clear, bronze, green and blue with surfaces that can be plain, textured, prismatic, sand blasted, or as a combination of prismatic and textured.
Shah says Rowad PC sheet provides up to 25 per cent more thermal insulation than single-pane glass. It contains on each side a protection layer, which makes it more durable in maintaining colour and light transparency over long periods in the harsh Middle East climate.
“Because it is so lightweight and easy to handle, it takes a smaller work crew to install and less heavy equipment on-site,” he points out.
Shah says PC can be fabricated on site as needed and can be drilled and cut without fear of cracking or splitting because it is stiff but not brittle.
“Unlike glass and acrylic, it can be easily cold formed for arched applications, including walkways, barrel vaults, shelters and bus enclosures,” he says. “Large sheets minimise the number of joints in the covering, thus reducing the number of potential air and water leaks. PC panels work equally well as a roofing material or wall/window component.”
Just as insulated glass has air pockets to reduce heat transfer, Shah points out that PC sheets can be manufactured with a variety of walls and air space configurations. The thermal resistance (R value) can be as much as 60 per cent better than traditional glazing.
“Perhaps more importantly, we need to look at ultraviolet barriers, which are an integral part of Rowad sheet production process,” he remarks. “During manufacture, a layer of 50 to 70 micron UV absorber is co-extruded onto the surface on both sides of the sheet, forming an effective barrier against radiation. This barrier protects carpets, drapes and furniture from damaging rays as well as saving tender nursery plants. It also provides the sheet with exceptional resistance to aging (non-yellowing) without affecting the mechanical properties and impact strength of the panel.”
Rowad PC sheet is available in thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 13 mm, in standard sizes of 2.05 by 3.0 meters. Special longer can be produced upon request.
Elaborating on Rowad's other products, including acrylic sheets, which are used in decorative sign work and window glazing, bathtubs, light diffusers and skylight, Shah says.“HIPS is used in refrigerator components, house wares and moulds for industrial stones, as well as in general packaging, including jewellery and watch boxes, and food packaging,” he continues.
Shah says ABS sheets are used for automobile components, sanitary ware, refrigerator inner liners, cosmetic packaging, luggage, house wares, business machinery, telecommunications components, toys, appliances and tools.
Rowad has seen a dramatic growth in business levels over the last five years, witnessing a fourfold increase in turnover over the past five years. From a turnover of SR20 million ($5.33 million) in 2000, the company posted a turnover of SR80 million ($21.33 million) last year and expects to achieve SR125 million ($33.32 million) this year
The company recently set up a joint venture to produce HDPE geomembranes. A new SR25 million ($6.66 million) plant in Dammam’s Second Industrial Estate will soon begin production. The new venture, to be known as Rowad Geosynthetics International Company, will produce geomembranes in rolls, which can be used for reinforcement, as gas barriers, as waterproofing and as a liner in the construction of dams, water storage tanks and desalination plants.
Rowad is an affiliate of the National Industrialisation Company, a business conglomerate with 23 manufacturing companies. The ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturer exports products to more than 20 countries, including the European Union.