As part of a programme to strengthen its position, operations and services in the Gulf, X-Tec is poised to open an office in Dubai later this year and will be returning to the Big 5 show with a line-up of its new sawing and marking devices as well as its existing systems.

The Finland-based company specialises in the manufacture, supply, erection, commissioning of machines and complete factories for pre-stressed hollowcore slabs production.
“We are participating at the Big 5 show for the third time this year, enthused by the fact that the response to our stand has been excellent and we concluded remarkable business deals each time we participated at the event. The show offers us an incredible opportunity to get a feel of current market trends and requirements and to cash in on the potential of the busy and demanding market in the Gulf,” says Raimo Juhantalo, customer service director of the company.
“At the event this year, we will be introducing our range of automatic sawing stations and robotic marking devices for hollowcore slab to the Gulf market while also putting the spotlight on our hollowcore factories and related machinery and services,” says Juhantalo.
“In addition, we will also promote our QCD-strategy (Quiet, Clean, Dry) hollow slab production system that has been developed to improve the quality, productivity, working and environmental conditions and waste handling in hollowcore factories.”
These saws are made to cut hollowcore slabs on 30-m to 50-m-long cutting beds in a variety of cuttings patterns from straight cut to step-less angle cutting. The cutting patterns to saws are fed on a remote computer and transferred wirelessly to the saw control system.
These saws offer the benefits of improved productivity, reduced noise, dust and water mist, reduced labour requirements, independence of other factory operations, with the production management system having full control of the saws, he says.
Flexibility of production can be further enhanced by using two automatic saws.
“In line with X-Tec’s policy of ensuring easy maintenance, the covering of the saw is designed in such a way that the saw core can be driven out from it and everything that requires maintenance is easily accessible, thus keeping total operating costs at the lowest possible level. At the core is the well known X-Tec 110 multi-angle saw which is one of the most reliable saws on the market,” he says.
“We have been successful in delivering to some challenging projects in the Middle East over the past few years including Gulf Precast Concrete Company’s new Dubai factory commissioned this year and a complete new factory currently under delivery for Tameer Precast Concrete Company in Abu Dhabi,” he adds.
X-Tec has plans to continue on its path of expansion and business growth, especially in the Middle East and other countries. Although the level of investments in precast concrete production facilities is low in its domestic market, it has concluded some important deals there.
While the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain remain the main markets, the company believes that its prospects in the construction industry in Kuwait and Qatar are also improving with mega projects lined up both in the private and the public sector.
Established in 1994 in Valkeakoski, Finland, with two other offices in Helsinki and Stockholm, the company is currently staffed by around 28 employees and has a turnover of around 15 million Euros ($18 million) this year.
X-Tec will be present at stand 8 B 364 at the Big 5 show this year.