The main activity of the company is to produce sulphuric acid for local and export markets

December 2, 2010 - Qatar Acids Company, a venture promoted by the Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMC), yesterday signed an agreement with the Mumbai-based Furnace Fabrica (India) Limited for expanding its manufacturing capacity.  QIMC CEO Abdurahman al-Ansari said the Indian company was chosen to execute the expansion project because of its excellent track record in carrying out similar jobs, both in the region and outside.  Under the terms of the QR40mn contract, Furnace Fabrica will complete the expansion work in 12 months.   Al-Ansari said Qatar Acids Company has recorded consistent growth since its modest beginning with an investment of QR10mn in 2002. With the expansion, the company’s annual production capacity would grow three-fold from the current levels of 10,000 tonnes to 43,000 tonnes, he said at a press conference.  The expansion is in response to the growing demand for sulfuric acid from a number of Q-Companies, al-Ansari said.  Currently Qatar meets its additional requirements through imports from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.  Al-Ansari said the Indian firm was instrumental in building the Qatar Acids and installing technical equipment when it commenced operations eight years ago.  Later speaking to Gulf Times Furance Fabrica managing director A Basheeruddin said his company is executing the world’s largest sulfuric acid plant to be operated by Sterlite Group in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothudi with a daily capacity of 5,900 tonnes. He said the company has executed successful projects in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last few years.  The Indian company will use the technical know-how of Germany’s Ottotech in the expansion work of Qatar’s sole sulfuric acid manufacturing facility based in Mesaieed Industrial City (MIC).  The Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company (QIMC) was established in 1990 to boost the private sector’s participation in the process of economic development through investing in small- and medium-scale industries.  QIMC has equity interest in 13 operational projects in various industrial sectors including chemicals, petrochemicals, construction materials and food processing. It is carrying out the economic feasibility of several other projects in collaboration with local and foreign parties, said al-Ansari.
Furnace Fabrica (India) director Rais Basheeruddin, general managers Shekhar Ray and Purushottam B Savant also attended the briefing.  Besides al-Ansari, QIMC was represented by directors Hazim T el-Kadi and Akthan Y al-Baqal and marketing manager Abdurahman al-Kaabi.