WITH metros and heavy infrastructural work being very much in the limelight in the regional market, Imeco HandelsgesmbH is returning to Saudi Build this year armed with a large portfolio of products that meet the needs of this market segment.

The Austria-based company indicates that is convinced of the potential offered by the Saudi market and will be seeking new opportunities to meet local and international contractors at the premier show.

It also aims to engage with representatives of various authorities, clients and consultants involved in large infrastructure and civil engineering projects, says the company’s managing director Karl Pacik.

Among the new products Imeco intends to launch on the Middle East market are a complete line of Robbins’ tunnel boring machines (TBMs) with slurry discharge; and Eurodrill’s vibration rotary heads.

Based in Vienna, Imeco exports new and used machines and equipment for infrastructure, civil engineering and marine works, especially for tunnelling, piling, drilling and foundation projects and provides consultancy service for challenging projects.

Its products for tunnelling include auger boring machines, small boring units, tunnelling machines with slurry discharge, earth pressure balance machines (EPBs) and hard rock TBMs, in diameters ranging from 250 to 4,000 mm.

An auger boring machine and foundation rig (below).

For the piling sector, the company offers hydraulic vibrators, hydraulic and diesel impact hammers, piling rigs, conventional piling leaders, and machines and equipment for soil improvement.

Similarly, for drilling, it provides hydraulic rotaries, drifters, double rotaries, anchor drill rigs, grouting and jet-grouting equipment. And for foundation work, it has hydraulic foundation rigs for continuous flight augers (CFA) and bored piles, equipment for diaphragm walls, Bentonite processing equipment, and equipment for soil mixing.

Imeco, which has been a participant at previous Saudi Build exhibitions, hopes to see a larger turnout of local contractors than in earlier events, given the construction boom in the kingdom.

The company is a partner of several reputed European and US manufacturers such as ABI, APE, Delmag, Eurodrill, Robbins, and TWF among others.

A 100 per cent export-orient company, Imeco is considering opening an office in the UAE to reinforce its presence in the region. It is also targeting the construction market in Central Asia where it sees great potential for its products and services.

Business, Pacik says, picked up in 2013 and the trend continues this year.

Imeco recently delivered ABI piling rigs with vibrators for sheet pile and soldier pile works to the UAE and Saudi Arabia; piling rigs with an impact hammer to install precast concrete piles to Iraq and Kazakhstan; an auger boring machine for trenchless installation of steel pipes to Georgia; a piling leader and diesel hammer to install steel pipe piles for a marina in Kuwait; and trench shoring equipment including trench boxes and slide rail systems to the UAE.

Imeco HandelsgesmbH will be exhibiting at Stand 214-4 at Saudi Build.