Alfa Laval PHE Assembly Center receives its Industrial Production License

~ Localizing the PHE assembly process will actively contribute to both operational excellence and Alfa Laval’s eco-conscious industry practices~


Alfa Laval Arabia for Maintenance is delighted to announce that it has successfully obtained the industrial production license for PHE local assembly. Located in Al Jubail Industrial Area, PHE assembly center embodies the ongoing commitment to customer excellence and sets a new standard for innovation and environmental stewardship. This significant achievement marks a crucial step forward in Alfa Laval’s aim in providing high-quality heat transfer & sustainability solutions to the Saudi Arabian and neighboring market.

The accomplishment also marks a significant uplift in Alfa Laval’s operational efficiency, enabling customers and partners - both in the Kingdom and the wider region - to purchase Alfa Laval PHE products assembled within Saudi Arabia and have them delivered faster. Proximity will help better meet customer needs – including customers’ internal sustainability objectives.

With the new license in place, Alfa Laval is now equipped to locally assemble its PHE products and support the local demand in line with Alfa Laval’s localization initiatives in employment and material sourcing. This strategic move will not only enhance its ability to serve their customers more efficiently but also contribute to the growth and development of the local industrial sector.

Previously, assembled units were transported to Saudi Arabia from overseas, which came with an associated carbon footprint. Localizing the PHE assembly process will actively contribute to the reduction of this environmental impact. Components produced locally and pre-shipped by sea then assembled in Saudi will avoid the need for airfreight of finished units with its higher associated CO₂ emissions. This strategic step thus also aligns with the sustainability objectives of Saudi government, including becoming net zero by 2060, as well as Alfa Laval’s commitment to reaching net zero on scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

“The inauguration of our new PHE assembly center marks a significant achievement, combining operational excellence with eco conscious practices. This milestone reflects Alfa Laval’s unwavering commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in customer excellence and sustainability advancement. While we remain committed to continuously enhance our services, our long-standing focus on shaping and contributing to a more sustainable future remains a core priority”, said, AbdulRahman AlShehri, General Manager Saudi Arabia, Alfa Laval Middle East Ltd.

The revolutionary move further aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify and grow the Kingdom’s economy, providing new manufacturing jobs and supporting market growth and infrastructure development, thanks to quicker availability of products that have previously had a longer manufacturing lead time. The new assembly center will also provide the security of increased plant uptime and boosted productivity for Alfa Laval’s customers across the energy and HVAC sectors.

About Alfa Laval

Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of first-rate products in the areas of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling. With these as its base, Alfa Laval aims to help enhance the productivity and competitiveness of its customers in various industries throughout the world. We define their challenges

and deliver sustainable products and solutions that meet their requirements – mainly in energy, the environment, food and the marine industry.

Alfa Laval has been established in the Kingdom since 1995, and currently has a presence in Jeddah, Yanbu and Jubail. Historically, the company’s focus was on servicing equipment sold elsewhere but installed in Saudi Arabia, but its strategic goal over the coming period is to expand its operations in Saudi Arabia, and begin manufacturing products in-country, for local use and export.

FAQs

Origin and Availability:

Q. Will Al Jubail assembled models be available from other origins? What is the advantage to buy locally

Ans. Yes, it will be available. Advantages – quick delivery

Annual Production Capacity:

Q. What is your assembly center's annual production capacity for plate heat exchangers?

Ans. 500 Units (Current market requirement is 200). Capacity built out for increased demand linked to Saudi 2030 vision. Supply to the region.

Output Breakdown:

Q. Can you provide a breakdown of your production output per standard model, series, and industry application?

Ans. Connection sizes 100mm – 150 units

150mm – 125 units

200mm -100 units

250mm-125 units

Industries Catered To:

Q. Which industries does your assembly center primarily cater to with your plate heat exchangers?

Ans. HVAC Industry to start with and then expanding to process industry. Demand is higher on the HVAC industry and is the basis for our business plan to build up this assembly facility.

Customization Options:

Q. What customization options do you offer for plate heat exchangers? Are there limitations on customization, and if so, what are they?

Ans. The facility currently is built up to support HVAC industry specifications and requirements. We will be able to comply to customizations linked to this industry.

Production Lead Time:

Q. What is the typical lead time to produce standard plate heat exchanger models? How does the lead time vary for customized or specialized designs?

Ans. For Assembling the 4 models in SC would 4-6 days depending on the no plates. If you get into an annual order intake agreement, we will be able to forecast better and have all required items in stock to get you a unit within 3-4 weeks’ time. If there is no forecast, then delivery could be 9-12 weeks.

Material Options:

Q. What material options are available for plate heat exchangers? Are there specific materials recommended for certain applications or industries?

Ans. SST and Titanium plates. HVAC Sea cool – Titanium and standard applications is Stainless steel (SST)

Facility Quality Standards:

Q. What quality standards does your assembly center adhere to? Are you certified with any industry-specific quality management systems?

Ans. All Locations (Service Centers / Sales Offices) in Saudi are certified with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Integrated Management System.

Industry specific- AHRI and PED 4.3

Testing and QC:

Q. Can you describe your testing procedures and quality control measures during the production process? How do you ensure that each plate heat exchanger meets specified standards?

Ans. We follow the same quality standards that any Alfa laval factory would follow and we have the same SOP’s here and quality checks.

Examples

Hydrostatic test – 30min at test pressure (Hydrostatic test is done on test pressure on one circuit with the other side being empty, normal heat exchangers don’t exceed design pressure in operation and the pressure on circuits is reduced due to the pressure on the secondary circuit also, hence the test is conducted on almost twice the differential pressure of a heat exchanger)

360- visual inspection

Ordering Method:

Q. What is the preferred method for customers to place orders? Online, through representatives, etc.?

Ans. There won’t be any change to the current way of ordering either direct or through partners, but we are driving to go online and make it easy for you to place orders online in the future.

Delivery Method:

Q. How are finished plate heat exchangers typically delivered to customers? Do you offer different shipping options?

Ans. Within Country mostly by road and Rail. For other parts of the world, we will use Sea or for emergency air. (We don’t prefer air because of the CO₂ emissions and one main reason why we have this assembly center locally also is to be as close to customer as possible and reduce Scope 3.

Supply Chain:

Q. Can you provide insights into your supply chain for materials used in manufacturing? How do you manage local, regional, and export logistics?

Ans. When we start it will be from our global supply sources, but we are already moving to find Saudi supply chain. This is one place we are working with SABIC on through Sunand to localize supply chain.

Sustainability Position and Environmental Impact:

Q. What is your assembly center's sustainability position? How do you address environmental impact in your manufacturing processes? Are there specific initiatives or certifications related to sustainability?

Ans. Sustainability-we do consume a lot of water during hydrotesting, so we do have water recycling system, as the water is treated with 5 stages before we reuse the water in our New Assembly units