The UAE's Al Huraiz Establishment for Industry, which achieved a record sales target of some 95,000 electric water heaters in 2000, plans to better that mark by another 15,000 units.

Among the markets it is looking at is Saudi Arabia, where it is keen to appoint an agent.

The company says it is offering an unprecedented 10-year warranty for its latest product, Everhot SS, which it claims provides the perfect water-heating solution.

"Everhot SS heaters have inner tanks made of high-grade non-corrosive stainless steel of Japanese origin and high-quality components specially procured from Italy,'' says general manager P S Philip. "All internal parts which come into contact with water are also made of corrosion-resistant components.''

He continues: "The brand also features a corrosion-resistant, long-life incoloy heating element, high-tech thermostat, a twin-function safety valve, an anti-splash mechanism to ensure a continuous supply of hot water, an earthing terminal to eliminate electric shocks and a pre-coated steel outer body for long-lasting protection and superior finish. The heaters are available in 30, 50, 80 and 100-litre capacities both in vertical and horizontal models.''

Al Huraiz is a leading manufacturer and supplier of domestic storage-type electric water heaters (geysers) made of stainless steel or GI (galvanised iron). It has diversified to cover the manufacture of aluminium utensils, while one company in the Al Huraiz group makes LPG and Freon cylinders and another is engaged in bottling LPG.

The company's production facilities for water heaters and aluminium utensils are located in the Ghusais industrial area of Dubai and it has been in business for the past 27 years.

The heaters are supplied to contracting companies, MEP contractors and dealers all over the UAE while exports go to the GCC states, Russia, China and African countries.

The company listed its major customers in the UAE as the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Engineers Office, ETA (Emirates Trading Agency), Arenco (real estate), Al Oroba Contracting, Asteco Contracting and Al Sherawi Electro Mechanical Engineering Company.

Among brands the company deals with are some that are marketed only in Oman, these being approved in accordance with the Omani standard OS83. The brands going to Oman include Sabah SS, Sabah and Sohar.

"Al Huraiz's manufacturing facilities are among the best with sophisticated technology applied and a production capacity of up to 125,000 units per year. An automatic welding system, leak-detecting equipment and other manufacturing facilities make it possible to produce good-quality water heaters faster," says Philip.

Innovation and adherence to quality have helped the company achieve the ISO 9002 certification in 1997. The company says it is also committed to protecting the environment and improving environmental performance for which it has implemented an environment management system in accordance with ISO 14001.

The company has a staff of 200 including marketing executives, quality and production engineers, skilled technicians and welders.

The total manufacturing and storage area for the water heater unit is 57,140 sq ft. The site also houses departments responsible for storage, marketing, quality control, purchasing, imports and administration.

The factory for aluminium utensils, Everbright, which is also certified for ISO 9002 and ISO 14001, is located opposite the Everhot water heater manufacturing plant. The utensils are manufactured using aluminium which has 99.7 per cent purity procured from Dubai and go by the brand name Camel. These are sold in the local market and are also exported to GCC and African states.

LPG and freon cylinders are made in Sharjah by Universal Industrial Gas, a company within the Al Huraiz group. "The LPG cylinders are manufactured in a semi-automatic submerged arc welding system and are fitted with reliable process control equipment such as a continuous annealing furnace, hydrostatic testing equipment, blasting and painting equipment and are tested in pneumatic test jigs as these clyinders undergo stringent quality test by Lloyds Register," says Philip. The unit has the capacity to produce 60,000 to 75,000 cylinders per year.

Another sister concern of Universal Industrial Gas has a semi-automated filling plant equipped with a cylinder washing unit and an electronic gas leak detector. The plant has the capability to fill a minimum 1,500 cylinders per day Provision is also made for storing bulk quantities of LPG (butane and propane).

The bulk LPG is procured from Adnoc-Fod in Abu Dhabi, transported by Al Huraiz's tankers and filled into LPG storage vessels. The in-house transport tanker facility helps to supply bulk LPG to industries, hotels, hypermarkets, hospitals and residential complexes within the UAE.