Having recorded its best ever physical and financial performance last year, through a continued emphasis on higher quality production, Dammam-based pre-engineered steel building (PEBs) specialist Zamil Steel is optimistic of an even brighter year ahead with a healthy order book that includes a number of landmark projects in Saudi Arabia.

“Our consolidated production last year reached 250,000 tonnes, which is an increase of 19 per cent over 2006. Our exports have increased by around 20 per cent over the previous year. With business looking up, we are well positioned for a repeat performance this year,” says Hatem Turki, marketing manager of the company.
Established in 1977, Zamil Steel currently holds a global leadership position in the design, manufacture and supply of PEBs. Over the past 30 years, it has grown from a local single-division company into a leader in the growing field of steel fabrication in Asia, Africa and Europe. The company’s sphere of activity has also expanded to include design, manufacture and supply of conventional steel structures and process equipment, transmission and telecommunication towers and open web steel joists and decking.
Zamil Steel continues to reinforce its position in the market through expanding its manufacturing network to extend its area of operations.
“As part of our expansion strategy, we have decided to increase our PEB manufacturing capacity in the Gulf region by setting up a factory in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE in April last year. A new sandwich panel line has also been established in the Second Industrial City in Dammam, which has recently started production. We have also invested in India with a PEB factory in Pune in Maharashtra that started production in December last year,” he adds. “We are always appraising opportunities for entering into new markets through a direct presence or through certified builders and agents and are currently studying the potential for setting up manufacturing facilities for other areas.”
Innovation is also another area that Zamil Steel focuses on to ensure that it keeps abreast with market demands. In line with this approach, the company introduced a number of new products over the course of last year which include curved roof buildings with built-up rafters, large span over 100 m trusses, perforated panels and new colours for its panels.
The firm, which has around 40,000 buildings to its credit around the world, has seen its buildings house a number of facilities including factories, warehouses, workshops, aircraft hangars, commercial centres, hypermarkets, showrooms, exhibition centres, multi-purpose halls and low-rise non-residential steel buildings. Its client roster includes numerous local and international customers including some of the largest manufacturers and contractors. These include Toyota, Honda, Nestle, Coca Cola, Proctor and Gamble, Fuji, Fijutsu, BP, Chevron, Saudi Aramco, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Al Hokair, JGC, IHI, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Daewoo, Hyundai, LG, Bechtel, Chiyoda Corporation, Toyo Engineering, Technip, Techint, Snamprogetti, ABB, SEC, STC, Etihad, Etisalat and Emirates Electrical.
Zamil Steel is currently engaged on a number of interesting projects, which include:
• The hypermarket at the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, which involves 1,650 tonnes of steel;
• The hypermarket at Hofuf Mall (5,500 tonnes);
• Hypermarket in Yarmouk Mall in Riyadh (10,330 tonnes);
• Hypermarket in the new extension of Mall of Dhahran (4,150 tonnes);
• Rabigh refining and petrochemical factory (1,500 tonnes);
• Sabic storage building in Jubail (1,200 tonnes);
• School buildings in Riyadh (1,600 tonnes); and
• Universal Cold Stores in Riyadh (610 tonnes).
This apart, the company has also recently completed several striking projects such as the Flamingo Mall in Riyadh (2,200 tonnes); shopping mall at Jarir Plaza in Al Khobar (2,210 tonnes); the hypermarket at Oneiza Mall in Al Qassim (2,770 tonnes); Al Abiniah Factory in Dammam (1,660 tonnes); Future Ceramics Factory in Dammam (2,220 tonnes); Hadeed’s Logistic Improvement Factory in Jubail (1,100 tonnes); Toshiba warehouse in Jeddah (1,055 tonnes); Al Zaeyd Conference Hall in Tabuk (400 tonnes).
Commenting on the construction market in Saudi Arabia, Turki says: “We foresee the construction market to continue to grow in the immediate future in Saudi Arabia, Mega projects in the oil and gas-related sectors and petrochemical industry will continue to give impetus to the construction scene in general. This is due to the sustained construction boom stimulated by the increase in oil prices, inward capital investment, deepening of financial markets and economic reform in the region.”
Zamil Steel’s 42,000 sq m factory is located over a 78,000 sq m site in Dammam and is staffed with around 800 employees. Additional factories are located in Egypt, Vietnam, the UAE and India.
As an industry leader, Zamil Steel excels in engineering, manufacturing, sales and project management and offers clients a diverse range of products from which to compile a total building solution. The company utilises state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing software and machinery in the design, estimating, shop detailing and manufacturing of each of its products.
Its commitment to service at the local level is evidenced by a network of 54 area offices located in 40 countries, with more than 600 engineers employed in its engineering departments in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Vietnam and India.These offices are fully staffed and equipped to provide a quick, comprehensive response to customer inquiries, as well as extensive after-sales service.
Zamil Steel export products to about 82 countries worldwide, and the staff is remarkably equipped to provide clients with detailed quotations and proposal drawings in response to building inquiries, as well as on site support for ongoing projects. Zamil Steel also engages the services of a wide network of certified builders around the globe.