Engineering and construction giant Al Rushaid Petroleum Investment Group of Companies (ARPIC) and its joint venture partner EEI Corporation inaugurated recently a new pipe spool fabrication plant in Jubail City. In line with the strategy of internal growth in high-potential markets, the new pipe spool fabrication plant is equipped with the latest technology and meets the company's most stringent international standards for quality and environmental protection. It will meet strong demand for pipe spool on the Saudi Arabian market and supply the needs of neighboring countries as well. The formal launching ceremony was inaugurated by Sheik Abdullah M. Al Rushaid, chairman of Al Rushaid Petroleum Investment Group of Companies together with the company's President & Vice Chairman Sheik Rasheed A. Al Rushaid. The event was graced by Philippine Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco, EEI Corporation President & Chief Executive Officer Roberto Jose L. Castillo, Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Antonio P. Villamor accompanied by Philippine Embassy Labor Attaché David Des T. Dicang, Dr. Emad Abbas Kamil, vice president for Engineering & Construction of Al Rushaid Petroleum Investment Group, and Alfonso S. Yuchengco Jr., along with other company executives. “We are very pleased to work with a long time business equal EEI Corporation.” Our deeply rooted partnership to open this fabrication facility which is designed to support major customers in Saudi Arabia and the surrounding Arabian Gulf Countries,” Sheikh Al Rushaid said. “Together with EEI Corporation, we will help customers optimize plant uptime and develop ways to control their operating related costs”. “The facility is designed to support customers in various processes and operations in oil and gas, petrochemical, power, water, desalination and chemical industries,” Sheik Al Rushaid added. A plant tour and site viewing was conducted by Simon Elmer D. San Miguel, ARCC Group operations manager and Casimiro T. Pamitan, plant manager. The new fabrication facilities are capable of producing an aggregate of 1500 diameter pipe inches per day. The company invested heavily in the state-of-the-art equipment such as computerized numerically controlled (CNC) thermal cutting, a unique beveling microprocessor and mechanized Aabrasive cutoff machinery that speeds the fabrication process with greater accuracy and quality. It has an integrated fabrication management system resulting in combined pipe fabrication capacity enough to sustain the local requirement and large-scale needs. This unique ability enables the company to respond with multiple production facilities to support demanding project schedules while maintaining a single pipe fabrication point of contact for the customers. Vice President and General Manager Mercado T. Magno said “the new plant will have a significant impact as far as Philippines and Saudi Arabia business and diplomatic relation is concerned. Saudi Arabia has been among the few to have a robust economy, despite global financial crisis. The Saudi gas and oil business has remained highly active throughout the meltdown period. Hence we wish to onward strengthen our presence in this region to create long term dealings with the domestic and Saudi Arabia's neighboring countries needs and with EEI's solid expertise as world class contractor, we have foreseen a bright future ahead of us.” “As a simple interpretation, the fabrication plant will create more jobs and opportunities for both local and foreign workers,” he added. Part of the inaugural celebration is the company's world class safety achievement as awarded by Sharq Stone & Webster for the 3rd Expansion Ethylene Plant Project with 42 million man-hours without lost time incident (LTI) attained - one of the highest safety milestone award received by the company for a single project.
