Merseyside manufacturer ANH Refractories Europe has secured a major new deal to supply products to the Middle East petrochemical market.
The American owned firm manufactures materials at its Bromborough plant used in linings for furnaces, kilns and incinerators operating at high temperatures.
ANH Refractories Europe managing director Peter Rooney.
The deal has been signed through ANH's long-term licenced partner BFIM (Binzagr Factory for Insulation Materials), based in Saudi Arabia.
As part of the deal major contracts have been secured with customers including petrochemical giant Sabic. All refractory materials required by BFIM will be imported from the Wirral plant.
ANH Refractories Europe managing director Peter Rooney said export sales are thriving.
"This recent deals highlights the success ANH Refractories Europe is having overseas," he said. "Our export sales are key to driving growth. Through our solid partnership with Binzagr we are able to supply a number of major petrochemical firms operating in the Middle East. Our refractory product sales to the region have doubled in the last year driven by strong demand in Saudi Arabia. Looking forward we are actively targeting markets in Israel, Kuwait and the UAE where we are already expanding our sales."
The Merseyside manufacturer recently announced a record increase in turnover from £4m to circa £7m in 2011.
The firm operates across a broad range of sectors including cement and steel. It is also focussing attention on new energy generation and incineration markets, as well as the higher-value copper and aluminium industrial metals market.
Mr Rooney said ANH sales in the Middle Eastern have also been bolstered by its growth in European markets. "In the last year major deals for our precast products have been signed in France, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Iceland and Holland," said Mr Rooney. "Within the manufacturing market we are having great success in the Czech Rep, Germany, Greece, Slovakia and the Netherlands. Emerging markets in Poland and Italy are also being targeted. Meanwhile, in Scandinavia Norway remains our strongest area for export sales.
"We have one of the largest portfolios of refractory products in the world and we are keen to position our UK site as a 'Centre of Excellence' to the European and Middle East refractories market. The firm's experience and expertise is matched by the versatility and reliability of its products. With every contract we are involved with the central aim remains the same - to provide refractory solutions which enhance the efficiency of manufacturing procedures."
Sabic is one of the world's leading manufacturers of chemicals, fertilizers, plastics and metals. ANH Refractories Europe is part of the ANH family of companies headquartered in Pittsburgh, USA.