ERNE FITTINGS MIDDLE EAST EXPANDS PRODUCTION

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In 2019, Erne Fittings invested around four million euros in its plant in Jubail and expanded its elbow production programme up to an outer diameter of 24″.

By expanding the production line, the company is hoping to respond to the requirements of the Arab market. “The Middle East is one of our core markets,” explains COO Gernot Heigl. “Expanding the production programme was a logical step to develop our business.” 

Previously the Jubail plant produced elbows and reduction pieces with dimensions 1″ to 12″. In addition to larger outer diameters, the expanded programme also includes products with increased wall thicknesses. New equipment had to be procured in order to produce the larger size elbows, including a new bending press which was installed in Jubail in summer 2019. Since the machinery and systems used for the hamburg bending process were developed and constructed in-house at Erne Fittings, a team of technicians travelled to Saudi Arabia to assist staff at Erne Fittings Middle East (EFME) with the installation and commissioning of the new system. A new coping saw and chamfering machine were also added to complete the production line. In addition to the bending line, the heat treatment system was also upgraded so that the whole production programme can now be delivered in WPHY grades. Top quality 24″ elbows have now been rolling off the production line in Jubail since October 2019. 

Erne Fittings Middle East has all the quality approvals required by end customers in GCC member states, including Saudi Aramco. In recent years, the company has established successful relationships with EPC contractors and is currently working on a number of projects in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. “Working with EPC customers is a great opportunity to showcase our project delivery and customer service credentials, as well as the quality of our products,” explains Manfred Havrilla, General Manager at Erne Fittings Middle East.

After founding the Jubail plant as a joint venture with a local partner, Erne Fittings took over the company completely in 2011. Today, Erne Fittings Middle East employs 103 staff from 7 different countries. The team in Jubail works closely with their colleagues in Schlins to ensure they reap maximum benefit from the knowledge and expertise acquired by Erne Fittings over the last 100 years.

_{Erne News 04/2020}