Sabo S.A. – a leading company on the Algerian Market
Over this last decade Sabo S.A. has been able to establish itself on the Algerian market, with the construction of many new brick factories as well as the modernization of privatized state-owned factories.
Sabo’s success story in Algeria
In 2005, Sabo was awarded a contract for a second major project: the SARL El Barakate brickworks was one of the few projects in Algeria equipped with a semi-continuous dryer, which was designed to ensure the best possible quality products and to enable the production of bricks in different sizes. The planned production capacity of 350 t per day was easily surpassed by the actual capacity of 450 t per day, around 30% more than the production level agreed in the contract.
At the end of 2005 followed another modernization in the Sobris factory also in the Saida region. This time the challenge was greater: Sabo S.A. had to produce one cutting line to serve two dryers. The project was a great success; by the end of 2006, production had reached 450 t per day – an increase of almost 40% on the contractually agreed capacity of 320 t per day.
The word spread and new customers contacted Sabo. Various new projects were discussed, such as the modernization of Aomar or the construction of plants for the Amouri brothers. In Aomar, Sabo supplied the generators necessary for the modernization of the air supply system in the dryer.
In 2006, Sabo S.A. and Trust Industries of the Trust Bank Group started negotiations on the modernization of the Baraki brick factory and Hadjout roofing tile factory. The first of the two projects is already up and running with a production of 350 t per day. Here the static dryers were replaced with a new rapid dryer. As one of the first projects in Algeria, the factory uses robots in the production line, both for the setting and unloading of the products. In Hadjout project, work only started a few months ago on the foundations, although all the equipment ordered was already delivered by Sabo S.A. in 2010.
Amouri’s project also includes robots. This is seen as a start-up project for follow-on orders all of which foresee the use of robots. This project has been split into two phases: The first phase, which has been up and running for some time now, includes a rapid dryer with a capacity of 840 t bricks per day, which will also be used in the second phase of the project. In this first phase the first kiln was built, which will fire 50% of the production of the dryer, and an unloading machine was installed that can form strapped packs of bricks with holes, which do not need to be set on pallets. At the same time a second unloading machine was installed that allows the client to sell bricks in bulk too. The second phase is now under construction and includes the addition of a second kiln identical to the first and the installation of the equipment necessary for automatic transport of the kiln cars.
Sabo’s client in Saida has also given it a contract for a second roofing tile production line in the BMSD factory. Here the same kiln is used and the old static dryer no longer used for the production of bricks is being modernized. The machines are already installed. As soon as the final settings have been made, the line can go into production.
The region around Toughourt is one of the most important areas for the production of bricks in Algeria, although the bricks have to travel 800 km to Algiers where the most construction takes place. In this area there are many Sabo projects currently still under construction.
Incorporating state-of-the-art technology including robot systems, the plants of SARL Edhaia, 800 t per day per line, and EURL Briqueterie, (600 t per day per line) are currently under construction. In both cases, the clients have decided to install two parallel production lines with common clay preparation. With two dryers, two kilns, double setting and unloading machines for both lines with shared automatic kiln car transport, the plants are so flexible that the kiln cars can be moved around in order to produce different types of products. SARL Edhaia will probably start up production with the first line in the next few months, and just after that commence with the foundation work, construction of the buildings and installation of the equipment for the second line. EURL Briqueterie, on the other hand, has started the construction of the two lines at the same time and is expected to have them both up and running a few months later than Edhaia.
In the same area Sabo S.A. has already installed a new unloading machine for forming and strapping packs with holes for the factory of Ceramique du Sud. The same machine will shortly be installed for Sabo’s long-standing client SARL Gbo Oasis.
For Sabo S.A. the acquisition of new clients is equally as important as preserving the trust of its established customers. Another example of this is the new factory under construction for SARL El Barakate near Algiers. Here Sabo S.A. is installing a new production line for 200 t per day just next to the old one. This new production line includes a rapid dryer that will also be used for the first line and replace the tunnel dryer used up to now. The scope of supply includes a new kiln, new setting and unloading machines and a new independent automatic transport line for the kiln cars.
Near Algiers, Sabo S.A. undertook another order for a complete plant, which is currently still under construction; this is designed to produce 600 t per day. As in all new projects, at B.O.S. robot technology, a rapid dryer, tunnel kiln and unloading machine for the creation of strapped packs with holes will be installed.
Sabo S.A. undertakes projects all over Algeria, like the project of SARL ETTU in the region of Oum El Bouaghi and the project of SARL Boumerdes in Tiarret. With a daily production capacity of 800 t hollow bricks, the SARL ETTU project differs from those normally installed in Algeria. Here the client has no other choice than to use a tunnel dryer because of the particular properties of the clay. The wet bricks are transported into the dryer on movable racks. This kind of automation will ensure the best possible quality of the final product from the early stages of drying. The tunnel kiln used as well as the automatic transport equipment for the kiln cars are some of the standard equipment supplied by Sabo S.A. The unloading machine, also a standard machine, has been used in many projects. The strapping machines form holes for the easy handling of the finished packs. The SARL Boumerdes factory is a standard project for 600 t per day. The use of a rapid dryer and the tunnel kiln with state-of-the-art robots used for setting and unloading will ensure in combination with the stability and quality of the machines from Sabo S.A. perfect results, maximized productivity and outstanding product properties.
