Emirates Steel has been awarded a Quality System Certificate (QSC) as a Material Organization (MO) from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for the manufacture of concrete reinforcing bar (rebar). The Company is the fourth rebar manufacturer worldwide to be awarded this certificate and the first in the GCC.
“The ASME Certificate and the implementation of our Nuclear Quality System (NQS) program will enable us to produce and supply our products to companies involved in nuclear activities,” said Emirates Steel’s Chairman, HE Engineer Suhail Mubarak Musallam Athaeeth Al Ameri. “This is a very significant accomplishment for our Company,” he added. “We expect that the nuclear market is going to be a growing market for the use of rebar. With this issuance of a QSC to our Company, we are now well positioned to service that growing market.” Emirates Steel’s NQS was developed to supply products to nuclear projects and will be activated only for nuclear orders.
Public safety in nuclear power generation is the main goal of ASME’s certification. Through its quality assurance program, ASME has established a framework that aims for nuclear materials that match the technological requirements of its nuclear standards. Certified manufacturers must be in compliance with strict ASME nuclear energy standards concerning production, safety, testing, inspections, control of measurement devices, etc. and pass all ASME examinations.
“ASME’s certificate provides us with a high degree of confidence that our products conform to established safety standards,” pointed out Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Romaithi, Emirates Steel’s Acting Chief Executive Officer. Emirates Steel’s NQS was developed based on ASME NCA 3800 requirements with products complying with ASTM A615 Gr. 60 and ASME CC 2300.
Al Romaithi explained that Emirates Steel plans to expand its business by supplying high-quality, reliable materials demanded by nuclear plant builders, and seeks to contribute to nuclear power safety by bringing its technological and quality levels in general up complying with ASME standards.
According to Al Romaithi, obtaining the ASME certification is an important strategic milestone for the Company, demonstrating the high standards of quality that its facilities adhere to. The Company has earned the ASME certification through proven achievements in maintaining high quality. “Since Emirates Steel began in 2001, we have been committed to being the most knowledgeable, responsive and reliable source of rebar products in order to consistently produce products that exceed customer expectations.
“We have worked hard to establish and maintain the policies, procedures and culture of rigor necessary to meet the high standards of the ASME. This certification demonstrates our continued commitment to providing products and services of the highest caliber to our customers,” Al Romaithi pointed out.
On another note, Engineer Tariq Al Afifi, Vice President – Standards and Audit, said that Emirates Steel is committed to consistently deliver high quality products. “Our finished goods are available for dispatch only after inspection, testing and classification. We operate a well-equipped laboratory and inspection facilities and all testing, inspection and monitoring procedures are carried out based on international standards”.
To assert the quality of its steel, the Company has been awarded the certification to manufacture Grade B500B rebar and coil conforming to BS 4449:2005 by the UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels (CARES). The Company has also been certified as a quality manufacturer and supplier of products conforming to BS 4449:1997 Grade 460B.
The Company operates a quality system which complies with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and the relevant CARES quality and operations assessment schedules. In addition, Emirates Steel’s rebar has been accredited by the Dubai Central Laboratory Department (DCLD) of the Dubai Municipality as conforming to BS 4449:1997 Grade 460B with Amd1 and BS 4449:2005 Grade B500B. In 2011, Emirates Steel also gained the UK CARES Sustainable Reinforcing Steel certification for the production of continuously cast steel billets and carbon steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete, and in 2012 it received the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) quality mark certification, after its success in passing the standards tests, conducted by SASO. Efforts in ensuring product quality and customer satisfaction have also secured the Company the prestigious Emirates Quality Mark (EQM).
Emirates Steel is wholly-owned by the General Holding Corporation (GHC). Strategically located in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD), just 35 kilometers away from the heart of the city, Emirates Steel is the only integrated steel plant in the UAE, utilizing the latest steel manufacturing and rolling technology to produce reinforcing bar, wire rod and heavy sections.
At present, the Company has a finished product capacity of 3 million metric tons per annum. The many strategic alliances that the Company has established with leading technology providers, coupled with its state-of-the-art facilities, will ensure that Emirates Steel maintains its position at the forefront of the industrial sector.