Gulf Extrusions, one of the largest aluminium extrusion plants in the region, has increased its production line by 40 per cent.

The move is aimed at catering to the region's growing demand for aluminium profiles, said a company official.

'Gulf Extrusions has already achieved a 30 per cent increase in output capacity from January to May this year, compared to figures for the same period last year,' Gulf Extrusions general manager Modar Al Mekdad noted.

As part of its expansion program, the company has installed two new extrusion press lines to add to its four existing presses, he added.

The first of the new press lines commenced operations in October last year, while the other started production in February 2007.

'Gulf Extrusions has made significant investments in response to the increasing demand for premium aluminium extrusion products. The two new press lines have helped us achieve significant growth in production, which will help us increase our presence in different market segments and improve our competitiveness in the region,' he added.

With its upgraded facilities now fully operational, Gulf Extrusions targets a 25,000 to 30,000-tonne increase in annual output of high quality aluminium products.

Gulf Extrusions' state-of-the-art facilities recently received a stamp of approval from Dr Heinrich Weiss,  CEO of global major SMS GmbH and one of the industry's leading figures, which supplied the two new extrusion press lines.

'It is critical that our facilities are of the highest standards to maintain the quality of our products and the integrity of the company. The region is currently awash with development projects and aluminium profiles constitute an important part of these projects. Consequently, Gulf Extrusions has seen an unprecedented increase in demand and we are fully committed to providing all our clients profiles with the most suitable characteristics and specifications,' Al Mekdad explained.

Gulf Extrusions, which is part of the Al Ghurair Group of Companies, produces over 10,000 profiles ranging from architectural sections to components for household items, AC grills and customised products. TradeArabia News Service