Development in the Desert

Saudi Arabia's typical harsh desert conditions are occasionally interrupted by sudden, torrential rainfall that usually results in serious flooding. For the town of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second-largest city, the problem is an outdated sewer and drainage system that cannot handle large water volumes in downpours, according to Caterpillar Industry Sales Manager Maarten de Haas. In 2009 and 2011, the city experienced devastating floods that destroyed businesses, left roads submerged and killed nearly 500 people.

This recurring devastation prompted the Saudi government to develop a permanent solution for the water drainage problem — a $171 million citywide stormwater, flood-control and wastewater infrastructure improvement program. The program calls for the construction of five dams, the expansion of existing stormwater canals in northern, southern and eastern Jeddah, and the construction of a new canal adjacent to a major, international airport. The new system will allow water to be collected in dams and then channeled underneath and around the city to the sea to prevent future flooding in the city.

At the heart of this long-awaited resolution are Cat^® machines. More than 100 Cat machines will support this much-needed project, working around the clock to complete it in less than eight months.

"We are using Cat machines because they have the best up time and best productivity," said Caterpillar customer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Pan Kingdom Company (SAPAC) Shaikh Sulaiman Al-Harbi, one of the major contractors on the project. "Our main challenge for this project is its short time frame, so we wanted to ensure we were dealing with reliable machines, as well as working with a dealer with a good reputation that could support our project needs."

Al-Harbi said the aftersales support provided by Zahid Tractor was a major factor in their decision to use Cat machines. Throughout the project, Zahid has provided unmatched support, parts and service support, as well as weekly operator training and demonstrator visits.

The Jeddah stormwater and drainage program is just one of many projects improving the infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The country has infrastructure development and improvement projects under way at all levels. In 2012 alone, nearly $25 billion was budgeted for infrastructure development.

For instance, the Saudi Railway Organization awarded Caterpillar customer Saad Al Mobty & Partners a $1.7 billion-plus contract for the construction of a bypass to move its existing railway from the city center of Al-Hofuf. The new railway will reduce the amount of traffic in the city significantly, while improving its current railway system.

"We consider Cat^® products to be the best brand with the best value and quality worldwide," said Majed Al Mobty of the Mobty Company, who is using Cat^® equipment exclusively for this job. "The machines offer the best productivity and best product support with the least running cost."

Mobty has more than 100 Cat machines on the job site, in addition to three Cat^® generators. The machines are working in harsh conditions, cutting nearly 10 million cubic meters of limestone and filling 8 million cubic meters of desert sand, while constructing nine bridges and 3,000 meters of pipeline protection. Zahid Tractor has provided two qualified technicians to remain on site to perform warranty repairs and preventive maintenance throughout the duration of the project, as well as a certified demonstrator to train operators on site.

The nearly $200 million USD (SR 750M) project began in April 2011 and is estimated to take three years to complete. To date, more than 35 percent of the project is already complete.