Saudi company Saleh and Abdulaziz Abahsain (S & A Abahsain) has commenced construction of a fibreglass-manufacturing factory at the Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP) in Bahrain.

Called Abahsain Fiberglass, the new factory will have a capacity of 40,000 to 60,000 tonnes per year.
“The strong demand for fibreglass, expanding building activities in this region and possibilities for integration into glass-reinforced composites played an important role in our decision to start production of fibreglass,” says S & A Abahsain’s director of sales and marketing Karel Verdegaal. 
Fibreglass is used in the manufacture of various transport, industrial and consumer goods such as boats, car bodies, aircraft assemblies, wind turbine blades, tanks, pipe systems, power poles, transmission towers, building panels, corrosion-resistant goods and sports equipment. 
Industry in the region has traditionally relied on E glass fibre for the manufacture of these goods. However, Abahsain Fiberglass proposes to produce ECR glass fibre, which has certain advantages over traditional E glass fibre. “ECR glass fibre is environmentally friendly being a zero-boron glassfibre,” Verdegaal explains. “It also has superior thermal resistance, higher di-electric strength, better surface resistance and higher tensile strength and modulus than E glass fibre.”
As ECR fibreglass is an intermediate product, part of the total capacity produced will be for captive consumption, part will be used for downstream products and processes like pultrusion and the rest will be supplied to the niche market in the region.
The company is also discussing the possibility of exporting to markets in North America, Europe and the Far East.
Abahsain Fiberglass will employ approximately 200 people at full production, initially utilising 60,000 sq m in the Bahrain International Investment Park.
The factory will be a state-of-the-art production facility operating in a joint venture with Glass Strand, a leading ECR fibreglass technology provider from the US. Glass Strand has deputed some key personnel such as technical director Charlie Coggin to ensure the efficient running of the facility.
The initial design is for two furnaces the first of which will start production at the end of this year.
“Our strategic location, near the port of Bahrain, guarantees reliable and quick delivery. This is a big advantage for our GCC customers, who now receive the product from distant locations, such as China,” says Verdegaal.
The product range will initially consist of conventional items such as direct and assembled rovings and downstream products such as chopped strand mats and woven fabrics.
“Our next step will be to go further downstream, such as the making of pultruded products. This will be done with partners from the GCC,” says S K Maqsood, director, S & A Abahsain.