Saudi Readymix, a leading ready-mixed concrete producer in Saudi Arabia, has begun supplying concrete to the Jabal Omar project, a residential and commercial property development adjacent to the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

The company started supplying the project with concrete in Ramadan, and estimates that the project will require an average requirement of nearly 40,000 cubic meters of concrete per month over the span of 24 months.

Jabal Omar has an estimated project cost of SR12 billion ($3.19 billion) and covers an area of 230,000 sq m.

Saudi Readymix had signed an exclusive agreement with Saudi Oger to supply the quantities required, estimated at around 900,000 cubic meters.

The company set up a new factory near the project site which contains two batching plants with a production capacity of 480 cubic meters per hour, or 115,000 cubic meters per month as per regular working hours.

“The Jabal Omar project is multi-faceted due to its mixed use nature, and therefore is a massive undertaking for any provider, requiring a large and continuous flow of concrete to meet its 2010 deadline of completion,” said Bader Hussain, general manager of Saudi Readymix’s Western Region operations.

In addition to the new factory, a fully-dedicated and comprehensive fleet of concrete equipment and a project supervisor have been assigned to the project.

The company will also set up its first quarry in the Western Province, its fourth overall, to service the Mecca region and nearby city of Jeddah.

In preparation for the project, a team from Saudi Readymix worked closely with Saudi Oger over the course of several months prior to its start to determine the most effective solutions for the concrete supply to overcome the logistical and technical challenges such a project presents.

'Jabal Omar is unique because it contains both vertical and horizontal construction due to its high-rise towers and immense prayer areas,' Hussain pointed out.

'However, I believe our experience in high-rise concrete technology, unique mix designs, and expertise in advanced concrete equipment stand us in good stead for Jabal Omar, and we look forward to demonstrating Saudi Readymix’s capabilities to meet the ambitious demands of such a prestigious project” Hussain added.-TradeArabia News Service