Adel Al Hashim, vice president of Saudi Pump Factory (SPF), says that his company is widening its technical support and services, providing greater capabilities in servicing various makes of pumps for different market sectors.

SPF, a manufacturer of precision pumps and valves for the petroleum, petrochemical process and industrial sectors in Saudi Arabia aims to continue expanding its' manufacturing capabilities.

Its aim is to meet the demand for leading edge pump applications in the process industries where maximum wear and life cycle durability are required across the region.

''For more than five years, SPF has been manufacturing parts for David Brown API 610 Pumps for process and oil application at our state-of-the-art facilities in Riyadh's Second Industrial City,'' he says.

''Our expanding facilities already include two and four-axis CNC machining centres, and computerised pump test rig with NPSH measuring capabilities.

''The intention is to maximise the local content in the API 610 range with significant investment over the next two years in upgrading the facilities,'' he explains.

''Already our test beds are underpinned by state-of-the-art engineering and machining, quality control, and stringent paint specifications creating a unique manufacturing facility for the benefit of clients in Saudi Arabia and throughout the region,'' adds Al Hashim.

''Our expectation is that within two years, we will take on significant inwards investment and appropriate technology transfer.''

''At the same time, through our existing technical cooperation agreements with principals abroad, engineering support to our clients will be enhanced by the ability of SPF to take a pump to its Riyadh facilities, service and maintain it, and be able to provide high-end diagnostic and technical support,'' he adds.

''The approach by our clients procuring pumps is moving to life cycle costs.

Thus, it is not simply the capital cost of a pump but other elements such as energy, maintenance, operating and lost production costs that are brought to the equation.

"The bottom line is that it is unacceptable to have downtime,'' he says.

SPF's life cycle approach involves close cooperation between the client and SPF to reduce capital expenditures.

This involves consultation on pump selection, reviewing process data to ensure that the optimum pump is selected for the task.

This approach can reduce capital costs while energy costs are addressed through an evaluation of how best to optimise efficiencies.

It may include retrofitting impellers, reducing clearances and improving ring materials.

A full range of ANSI process and chemical pumps has also been developed at SPF for tough applications, featuring heavy duty power frames, casing designs, maximum wear life to minimise downtime, high shaft and bearing strength, maximum bearing protection and stringent safety aspects.

This range of ANSI Pumps is pioneering by SPF into providing high quality products in a self-sufficient manner and completely independent of outside factors.