Saudi Aramco has inaugurated the region’s first fiberglass rebar facility IKK Mateenbar which will manufacture and supply corrosion-free fiberglass rebar for infrastructure projects in the kingdom, as well as in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The facility was established under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2019 by New Zealand’s Pultron Composites, and its partner, Saudi’s Isam Khairy Kabbani Group (IKK), with Aramco.
The launch was attended by Chargee D’affaires Mr. Louise Searle of the New Zealand Embassy and Mr. Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the National Industrial Committee of the Council of Saudi Chambers.
The opening of this facility is part of the kingdom’s efforts to attract and keep the rebar sector in the country. According to reports, this is also in line with efforts to meet the Saudi Vision 2030 goals of diversifying the national economy, boosting innovation, and enhancing Saudi Arabia’s foreign ties.
Aramco has been developing and using non-metallic solutions within its operations, for more than 20 years. Non-metallic, innovative polymer materials have a lot of potential in a variety of industries. However, innovations like Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) rebar, which reduces corrosion and lowers life cycle costs, have the potential to be game-changers in the building and construction industry.
Recently Aramco mandated the use of GFRP rebar in reinforced concrete structures in severely corrosive conditions, allowing designers to avoid using steel rebar in these high-risk zones. Extreme temperatures and high saline levels make the kingdom one of the most corrosive environments for steel rebar, resulting in early structural degradation and significant expenses to rebuild and maintain unstable concrete infrastructure for the nation’s economy.
It’s worth noting that Aramco was the first to use IKK Mateenbar’s unique technology in the construction of the 23 kilometers long and 80 meters wide Jizan Flood Mitigation Channel, which is the world’s largest GFRP rebar project.
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