The appointment of Zahid Industries as the new dealer of Putzmeister transit mixers in Saudi Arabia in mid-2020 has been instrumental in the sale of over 150 units in less than six months.
Zahid Industries is a manufacturing division of the Zahid Group which produces superstructures such as concrete mixers, tippers, tankers, reefers, bulkers, and trailers, along with the assembly of electrical control panels, sound attenuated units, and niche drilling products for the oil industry.
Alaa Akra, general manager, Zahid Industries, says: “Delivering such a large quantity of mixer trucks in a few months is an achievement for us as well as an indication of the market potential. Zahid Industries and Putzmeister are reputable brands and our association has met with a favourable market response, which was more pronounced considering the COVID-19 crisis and that it was our first offering of Putzmeister transit mixers in Saudi Arabia. Our unique offering is our neutral ability to assemble and mount the mixers on any truck brand operating in the market.”
Paul Bruns, regional director – Middle East and Africa, Putzmeister Middle East, says: “We introduced Putzmeister transit mixers in the Middle East in 2017, launching them in Kuwait, and now they’re available in Saudi Arabia. We approached Zahid Industries looking for a strong partner that had the experience in the localization strategy for Vision 2030 and also had a customer base in Saudi Arabia’s heavy-duty truck market.
Strategically, this is a beneficial association for Putzmeister because of Zahid Group’s market leadership, dedication, and expertise. We’ve received an overwhelming response in Saudi Arabia, and we look forward to a long-term, successful partnership with Zahid Industries.” Putzmeister transit mixers are imported from Germany into Saudi Arabia as semi knocked-down components and then assembled at Zahid Industries’ factory in Jeddah. The 150 transit mixers sold thus far are the P12 heavy reinforced (HR) models.
Basim Elmelegy, product manager, Zahid Industries, says: “The customers investing in heavy reinforced models are ready-mix companies operating in harsh construction
and off-road environments, and they require drum capacities that can help optimize the delivery time from the batching plant to site.”
Basim Elmelegy, product manager, Zahid Industries, and Alaa Akra, general manager, Zahid Industries, with the Putzmeister Dealer Award.
Putzmeister transit mixers trace their lineage to Intermix, the Germany-based concrete equipment manufacturer of concrete mixers that Putzmeister acquired in 2012. Since then, the integration between the two companies has accelerated the production of Putzmeister mixers at a rate of 5 percent, annually. The transit mixers are consistently built as standard with boron/magnesium steel. This heat-treated steel offers high wear protection and ensures a long service life. The Putzmeister P 12 HR version weighs 5,700 kg and is built for rough road conditions.
According to Harald Schmidt, sales director, Intermix, the following technical features make Putzmeister/Intermix mixers superior to their closest competitors – an optimized drum geometry, increased water volume as a safety reserve for liquid concrete, low point of gravity for safe transport, low construction of the mixing device, enlarged platform with ergonomic railing, simple and safe cleaning, grating closed at the bottom as a knee splash guard, and closed mixer frame.
“The mixer capacities supplied in the Middle East and Africa are similar to those in Europe. However, the product design of the mixers has been adapted for the conditions in the MEA region,” says Harald.
Basim says: “In addition to having German technology, Putzmeister transit mixers have features that cater to specific customer needs in Saudi Arabia, such as slump meters to help drivers monitor the concrete inside the mixers without the need for physical inspection and the facility to add water from both sides of the mixer.”
Basim shares his outlook for 2021: “Demand for trucks is certainly increasing from the construction sector, mainly housing projects. However, new orders and deliveries
will depend on the COVID situation and how it affects businesses next year. Having performed exceptionally well this year in the mixer truck category, we expect considerable growth in 2021.”
Trucks mounted with Putzmeister transit mixers at the Zahid Industries’ factory in Jeddah.
