Several types of superior quality glass in high demand for Qatar’s booming construction sector will soon be produced in the country with the setting up of a QR43m glass factory. The Zujaj Company, owned by ASAS Company for Industrial Projects is to set up the plant at the Small and Medium size Industrial Area with an initial targeted production capacity of 600,000 square metre of glass. The plant when completed in mid-2010 will produce various types of glass, including 200,000 square metre of laminated glass, 200,000 square metre of flat glass, 100,000 square metre of double glazing glass and 100,000 square metre of a variety of other types of glass. It will be the first time that laminated glass will be produced locally. The demand for this type of glass in the local construction market is very high, especially for high rises, villas, offices, and in interior and exterior decoration. Speaking at the signing ceremony for the construction of the glass factory late last week, Chairman of the Board of ASAS Company for Industrial Projects, Mohammed bin Saleh Al Kuwari said the factory will provide some 100 job opportunities in various fields. Al Kuwari also said the equipment for the plant will be imported from Austria, Finland and Italy, and the installation of the equipment will be undertaken by major technology providers from these countries. “The setting up of the glass project is intended to match the urban development that Qatar is witnessing and meet the increasing demand for glass products that are utilized in the construction industry and also to achieve good revenues for the shareholders’ investments,” Al Kuwari said. Rafat A Al Suwaimal, ASAS Industrial Investment Manager, told reporters that the glass project will be developed entirely by ASAS. He added that Zujaj’s main focus will be the Qatari market. “We are not intending to export glass products. Our targeted market share in Qatar is about seven to 10 percent in the initial stage. There is a huge demand and huge gap. The local market’s demand for glass currently stands at about six to seven million square metres,” said Al Suwaimal. But he said ASAS would be venturing out into other GCC countries, notably Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where the company intends to invest in some small projects, particularly those related to construction that add value to the company’s projects. He added that the Zujaj Company was the first venture to be launched by ASAS for industrial projects and that more were in the pipeline, including one for production of smart cards and another specialising in the import and marketing of raw materials for industrial projects. ASAS, a closed joint shareholding company with a capital base of QR44.750m, is all set to launch a QR30m smart cards project that will produce ATM, credit, mobile, GSM, ID and other cards. The project, which is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2010, will have a targeted annual production capacity of eight million smart cards. The technology and equipment to produce smart cards will be provided by major technology providers from Holland. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=September2009&file=Local_News2009091322716.xml

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