Woqod holds plan to set up Shafaf plant

9/23/2015 1:27:13 AM

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)Ibrahim Jaham Al Kuwari CEO Woqod at the opening of the new Woqod service station and Fahes centre in Al Wakrah yesterday. Salim Matramkot

BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB

DOHA: Qatar Fuel (Woqod) has decided to put on hold its proposed plan to establish a transparent cooking gas cylinder manufacturing facility in Qatar.

Ibrahim Jaham Al Kuwari Chief Executive Officer of Woqod yesterday disclosed that the company has no immediate plans to go ahead with the ambitious project.

“We conducted a detailed feasibility study and decided not to go ahead with the project for the time being” he told . “We found that importing Shafaf cylinders would be economically more feasible than manufacturing them domestically.”

According to latest statistics available currently there are about 600000 metal cylinders in the market while the number of Shafaf (transparent) cylinders is only 150000.

In 2010 Woqod launched a campaign to phase out all the metal cylinders with transparent ones as they are considered absolutely safe as no incidents of leakage or explosion have been reported until now.

On Woqod’s proposed engine oil production factory in Mesaieed Industrial City Al Kuwari said the project is going on as per original plan.

“We have selected a local partner and both the parties are reviewing (terms of) the agreement. Once it is finalised we will announce further details about the project” he said.

Woqod supplies a wide range of lubricants under different brand names such as Ghaf the range of gasoline engine oils; and Qorm the range of diesel engine oils. But currently it sources the products from other companies.

Its lubricants comprise high quality fully synthetic semi synthetic and mineral engine oils for all types of cars trucks and off road equipment. In addition to the premium range of engine oils there is a complete range of ancillary products including gear oils coolants brake fluids hydraulic and industrial oils and Greases.

The proposed factory will produce engine oils of its own and the company has already completed a feasibility study for the proposed project.

On the size of the project he said that since two big companies are involved so it will be one of the biggest lubricant producers in the region.

On Woqod’s overseas projects and investments he said: “We have freezed all our activities outside Qatar and currently don’t have any projects overseas especially in the retail business including gas stations.”

Al Kuwari said there is no any specific reason for freezing overseas projects.

“The company is currently focusing in the local market as it requires to be given a lot of attention” he added.

“Once we cover 100 percent area of the country with our services and fully satisfied about it then we can go for outside investments.”

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