Complying with stringent global standards

The surge in construction activities along with infrastructural development in the Gulf and Middle East encouraged the expansion of manufacturers of construction and building materials. Tylos Plastics Industries (TPI), a member of Mohammed Yusuf Al Hasan Holding Co. W.L.L, is one of the leading manufacturers of pipes and fittings that saw the need to initiate vast improvements in its production line and product quality in adherence to strict standards. Mr. Mohammed Yousif Al Hassan, Chairman and Managing Director, informs the International Plastics News ?Middle East (IRNE) the company's achievements in these areas. IRNE: What specific developments in the Middle East region encouraged the formation of Tylos Plastic Industries and paved the way for its success in this field? Mohammed: Tylos Plastic Industries (TPI) is a member of the esteemed Mohammed Yousuf Al Hasan Holding Co. W.L.L. and is based in the Kingdom of Bahrain. TPI is capable of producing an extensive product portfolio at an annual capacity of 15,000 metric tonnes. This includes a whole range of pipes and fittings made of PVC/CPVC/PVC-U/HDPE/PPR/MDPE. The company is one of the largest manufacturers of pipes and fittings of all types in various sizes as required by the clients. "TPI was formed in response to rising demand for plastics pipes and fittings as a result of the construction and infrastructure boom in the Middle East and nearby regions" - Mr. Mohammed Yousif Al Hassan, Chairman and Managing Director, Tylos Plastics Industries The company was formed in response to the increasing demand for plastics pipes and fittings as a result of the construction and infrastructure boom in the Middle East and nearby continent in recent years. TPI has been able to supply and serve more clients in both government and private sectors, in projects that require the building and use of pipes and fitting such as for sanitary and sewerage system, ducting facilities, among others. The growing construction industry serves as our major challenge to continue, expand and to fulfil the demands of a rapidly expanding market. The GCC is our biggest market, in particular, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman besides MENA region. We also export to such other countries as Canada, Tunisia, among others. IRNE: What difficulties did TPI encounter in the beginning, and how did you overcome them? Mohammed: The company encountered several challenges in the course of its operations. One is on competitive rates; TPI is very sensible and conservative with respect to the ongoing market pricing. In this aspect, we opt to offer highly competitive prices so that our stocks will move fast. Another challenge is meeting global standards. In this area, we worked hard to ensure that we meet the highest quality for our products and obtain ISO 9000-2008 certification. We also had to ensure that we employ trained and highly experienced professionals. Then, there is the issue of after-sales services and follow up, as well as establishing good relationship with our clients which is one important challenge that we need to meet. IRNE: What characteristics differentiate TPI from its competitors? How do these contribute to the company's success? Mohmmed : We leverage on the fact that we have been successful in the directions we have taken as far as upgrading our production process and standards are concerned. We have advanced equipment in our facility to enable us to meet high volume orders. We have implemented a continuous training and skills development for our staff, while complying with global standards has been a key area that we continuously pursue. The implementation of the Entrepreneur Resource Plan (ERP) System has improved our operations. ERP is a strategic tool that helps us achieve competitive edge by integrAir Max 90 VT QS