BUSINESS IN the Saudi market has bettered expectations so far this year for AVK Saudi Valves Manufacturing Company Ltd (AVK-SVMC), the sales budget for which has already been exceeded, according to a top company official.
Orders for Saudi Aramco, while still relatively small, are increasing rapidly, said AVK-SVMC general manager, Trevor Sculthorpe-Pike, while the company has an ambitious programme of machine and plant purchases, which will allow a faster throughput and a greater range of products to be manufactured, he said.
''We hope to have established ourselves as a major supplier of a number of new product lines by this time next year,'' he explained.
AVK-SVMC offers a complete range of valves and accessories to clients in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Ethiopia and Yemen. The company has this year introduced ASTM-specified OS&Y valves and Post Indicator valves for the fire protection industry, plus several other associated lines, mainly to satisfy Saudi Aramco requirements, explained Sculthorpe-Pike.
''Valves of this type and quality have only been available from the USA in the past, so we are offering a top-quality, locally-produced alternative, and we have the ability to satisfy all documentation and QA requirements - and these are not insignificant!'' he said. In addition, SVMC is now manufacturing a full line of mechanical couplings for the water, fire protection and sewage industries.
The package of products for the fire protection markets has been dependent upon educating clients, who have been used to purchasing essentially steel-bodied valves, normally used for high pressure oil and gas lines, to use resilient seated ductile iron valves for the relatively low pressure water and fire protection lines. This saves money without compromising quality or safety, said Sculthorpe-Pike.
''Aramco has accepted these arguments and is able to get good service from inside the Kingdom, with all its normal QA controls operating as usual,'' he emphasised. The same arguments apply to post indicator valves, underground valves, OS&Y valves, check valves and butterfly valves.
''Our success is mainly due to Aramco's recommendations to contractors that we be approached for a quotation,'' he added.
AVK-SVMC ensures that all of its products meet customer requirements on quality, and an extensive QA management system is in place which is certified to ISO9002.
Recently, the regular three-year ISO 9000 re-audit was completed and, as expected, the company came through with flying colours.
''We now have ISO 9002 approval from Moody's International, for another three years,'' said Sculthorpe-Pike.
State-of-the-art technology, with computerised machining ensuring precision, uniformity and competitive price, is also a key feature.
SVMC is part of an international group of companies which specialises in valve manufacture within certain industries.
The Jeddah-based company has staff with extensive expertise and experience, with an ability to be very flexible in supply without compromising quality.
''We have excellent systems here and a technical back-up which is probably one of the best in the world,'' said Sculthorpe-Pike.
''And we actually make valves from scratch. Our competitors in Saudi Arabia are partial manufacturers, in that they make a small part of their range, assembling other items and trading most of their products, which might be purchased from unreliable sources.
''It is essential that customers can witness the manufacturing process and can send in the most discerning third party inspection companies to ensure that what is offered is what is supplied. Often they find that what sets us apart is the strong team of professionals in AVK-SVMC,'' he added.
AVK-SVMC has supplied many orders from various contractors for Saudi Aramco's Hawiyah project, and the company has also quoted for contracts at Berri and Haradh gas plants.
The company also regularly supplies valves for maintenance purposes on older sites within Saudi Aramco, said Sculthorpe-Pike.
Other prestigious clients in the Kingdom include various WSDs of the large cities and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.
SVMC is a joint venture between Saudi Arabia's Issa Binladen Organisation and the Worldwide AVK Group. For a quarter of a century AVK claims to have developed to be the only manufacturer with the capability to offer gate valves complying with all major national and international standards.
