VETERAN precast concrete specialist Qanbar Dywidag Precast Concrete Company (QDC) has created a niche for itself in the Saudi market with its services being called upon for projects that demand a high level of expertise.

Among such projects is a unique development in Thuwal (Northern Province), which the company is poised to complete in a record time, according to Mohammed Abdullah, QDC’s sales manager.

“The project is the Aramco National Guard Family Compound, which consists of 500 villas being carried out by M/s Azmeel Contracting Company,” he says.

QDC has, for more than 30 years, been providing quality precast concrete products at a competitive price and backed by outstanding service to customers in Saudi Arabia. Hence, it counts among its clients some of the most reputed names in the kingdom including Saudi Aramco, the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu, Sabic, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Ma’aden and various military and civil governmental authorities as well as the private sector.

QDC designs, manufactures, delivers and installs architectural and structural precast, pre-stressed concrete products for commercial, residential, industrial and government projects throughout Saudi Arabia.

Its products are manufactured in modern two factories, located in Jubail and Rabigh, which have a combined production capacity of more than 350,000 cu m per year. These facilities are regularly upgraded and expanded to ensure they are able to meet the growing demand as well as add value to the company’s products.

For instance, QDC was already installed a highly-automated state-of-the-art concrete batching plant at its main factory in Jubail, and four additional hollowcore lines at its Rabigh factory. Also at the Rabigh factory, it is set to launch the construction of a new administration building, mess hall and mosque.

While the global financial downturn had very little effect on its performance, Abdullah says business steadily improved in 2013 at both its factories.

Looking ahead, he says: “Prospects look very good, especially since there is a huge demand in housing projects in both the Eastern, Western and Northern provinces. The volume of work has increased significantly from last year, and we are looking forward to a very good year.”

To cater to the increased demand in the market, the company recently opened a new sales office in Jeddah and will be expanding its sales staff in Jeddah, Riyadh and Jubail.

QDC is currently involved in a large number of developments in Saudi Arabia.These include two housing projects in Jubail for the Royal Commission, involving the supply of the total precast frames and cladding for the family apartments (C14), Nama Housing, Advanced Apartments, Sahara Housing and RC Family Apartments, where Khonaini International is the contractor, and full frame precast components for housing units (C-12) with Al Osais Contracting as contractor. It is also supplying full precast frames for Sabic’s mega housing project in Jubail (with Beijing Construction).

The company is also engaged in supplying precast components to a number of contractors working on Sadara Chemical Company’s integrated chemical facilities in Jubail, which calls for providing Pipe Racks by Sinopec Company, precast cladding to Fluor Arabia; full frame precast for the Chem III project to Gulf Co-operation Symbols Contracting.

Other projects it is involved in entail the supply of a full precast frame car-park building in Jubail for Al Mouwasat Hospital; precast cladding for Madinah Hotel (International Building Systems); precast cladding for Saudia facilities in Jeddah (Specialised Contracting Company); precast cladding for Aramco in Rabigh (Saudi Arabian Baytur Construction Company). Marafiq Boundary Wall in Yanbu with Azmeel Contracting Co, Hollow Core Slabs for Car Park in Jeddah Islamic Port with Project Build Co, Al Haramain Railway Project in Western Area with Inabensa Company; SWCC Project (Water Transmission) in Western Area with Sinopec, Jizan Refinery Blast Resistant Substations with Daewoo Company; Ali Reza Cneter Proejct in Jeddah with Jawdat Company; Makkah Al Mukarama Complex (Muzdalifa Area) phase 3 which we completed Phase -1 & Phase -2 in a record time with Al Fawzan Trading & Contracting Co. Also it is expecting to get good share of projects in Waad Al Shammal Development.

QDC was established in 1981 as a partnership between Al Ansari Holding Company (Abdul Razzaq Mohammed Qanbar Al Ansari and Sons), one of the leading business conglomerates in the Eastern Province, and Dycherhoff and Widmann (Dywidag), one of the largest German general contractors and precast concrete manufacturers. In January 2002, Al Ansari Holding became the sole owner of QDC with Dywidag remaining as a technical partner.

QDC is also a joint venture partner in Qatar International Precast (QIP) in Doha, Qatar, producing a full line of precast and pre-stressed concrete products for the country’s rapidly expanding building construction and infrastructure market in anticipation of the 2022 Fifa World Cup.