Power & Industrial target Middle East
markets
Providing an all-inclusive sales,
manufacturing and service support package for the Weir Power &
Industrial divisional operations, the Weir Power & Industrial
Middle East business has grown significantly since its launch in
2006.
Beginning life back in 2005, the Middle East
manufacturing operations developed when Weir Valves & Controls
started manufacturing the Hopkinsons Low Pressure parallel slide
gate valve in conjunction with Weir Engineering Services in
Dubai.
Machine castings were sourced from a local
foundry and other components were supplied from the UAE, the UK and
India. The valves were kitted at Weir Valves & Controls
facility at the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai and assembled, tested
and painted by WESCO’s valve servicing team.
In 2006, WESCO’s valve servicing business was
merged with Weir Valves & Controls. This was an excellent move
as far as the Middle East operation was concerned and since then
the valve manufacturing and service business has gone from strength
to strength.
Last year Weir Valves & Controls Middle
East obtained ISO 9001:2000 quality certification from Lloyds
Register Quality Assurance, covering manufacturing, repair, service
and refurbishment of valve products and sales and marketing.
Earlier this year the facility moved to
Sharjah International Airport Free Zone in the United Arab
Emirates. Ideally located, the zone offers excellent sea,
land and air transport links with
access to over two billion consumers across
the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the Commonwealth of
Independent States, Asian sub-continent and parts of Africa.
Since the move to Sharjah the organisation has
seen rapid growth in product manufacture and on-site servicing.
Capable of working across all markets in the region, the local
knowledge and cost-effective location of the Middle East operation
is proving invaluable. In the first half of the year it
successfully secured a significant service contract with Dugas
involving 30 technicians.
As well as working on Hopkinsons Valves, the
Weir Power & Industrial Middle East operation is currently
developing Weir Specialty Pumps and turbo machinery prospects in
the region.
The Weir Group Key Account Management process
will be a major opportunity for cross divisional and group market
development.
