Al Nafie eyeing top spot in Mideast’s steel fabrication sector

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Saudi steel giant Al Nafie Metal Industries (NMI) is aiming for the top spot in the Middle East’s steel fabrication sector, according to its General Manager Majed Suleiman Al Nafie.

“Our vision is to become the leader of the steel fabrication and erection industry in the Middle East and we want to participate actively in realising Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030,” Al Nafie declares in an exclusive interview with Gulf Construction’s Bina Goveas.

“Our aim is to serve the requirements of the numerous planned and ongoing construction projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the regional and international markets. The steel fabrication industry in the Gulf needs a continuous supply of products with the highest quality, and environmental compliance. Al Nafie Metal Industries is ahead of its competitors in adopting industrial practices and serving customers with the highest quality, cost-competitive products,” he emphasises.

NMI, which is working on landmark projects like the Shuaiba III desalination plant, the Riyadh Metro and the Saudi futuristic city Neom, is capitalising on the surge in Saudi Arabia’s construction market, driven by the Vision 2030 programme.

“The demand for steel fabrication has witnessed a dramatic rise in recent years,” Al Nafie remarks, highlighting the crucial role steel structures are playing in realising giga-projects like Neom and others in Riyadh and Jeddah.

“Since Saudi Arabia has won the rights to host the 2034 World Cup, demand for steel structures is going to rise to an all-time high in upcoming years,” he adds.

To solidify this position, NMI is implementing a strategic expansion plan which encompasses increasing capacity and expanding its product portfolio to cater to the high-demand oil and gas and power generation sectors. This includes building capabilities to manufacture large-diameter storage tanks, heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) casings, and ducts for process and power plants.

Located in the Al-Khumrah area of Jeddah, NMI’s current production capacity sits at an impressive 10,000 tonnes per month.

The company has recently boosted the capabilities of its plant by acquiring cut-and-bend and straightening rebar machines, build-up assembly and straightening machines, high-speed drilling and CNC beam line machines, Al Nafie states.

NMI is positioning itself as a one-stop shop for steel fabrication needs across various industries. Its portfolio includes steel structures, storage tanks, pressure vessels, process and power piping and pipe spools, stacks, ducts, diverters, HRSG casings, silos and hoppers, catering to sectors like oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation and desalination.

“We benchmark our processes against the best-in-class companies and practices. We rely on machine automation for mass production. And the latest software for design, nesting, cutting, welding and painting and delivery etc is one of our valuable assets,” he says.

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