Hard work is the secret behind the success of Al Sale Trading and Contracting Co., one of the biggest Scottish companies in the field of weighing scales, says Sheikha Nadia Al-Dosari, its financial partner and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
"I used to work 18 hours a day when I was in the UK and the US," said Al-Dosari, according to whom her schooling at St. Christopher, a British School in Bahrain and later in Switzerland, laid the foundation of her business success.
"The strong work ethic which I developed during that period stood me in good stead when I joined Al Sale Trading and Contracting Company (ASTCC) as a middle manager and financial partner. Now I have become the CEO and still remain a partner," said Nadia, who sees a good market potential in the Kingdom.
"It is a huge market and we are capitalizing on it, as it is expanding with the development of six new economic cities. Our company is not operating in the Kingdom alone. It has extended its reach to the other GCC states as well."
In an interview, she explained that her grandmother and other family members also played a pivotal role during her formative years by encouraging her to do household chores after returning from school. She also did a stint as a scout which reinforced her spirit of enterprise at a time when she was bubbling with energy. "Probably, I have six batteries now, not 12 as in the past," Nadia points out, explaining how her dynamo of energy has flagged a bit over the years.
She said that with her academic background in business management, it was no big deal picking up work in her new station in life that she began at the Al-Khobar-based company. Earlier, she graduated with English literature from King Saud University and subsequently did a diploma course in journalism and professional writing from Cornell University in the US. This is in addition to a string of diploma courses in sales, marketing and management from a previous company that she worked with.
Additional plus points that give her a competitive edge in the market include her knowledge of English and French, besides Arabic, her mother tongue. Her two children are also following in the footsteps of their mother by pursuing higher education. Her daughter Dina, 20, has enrolled for a course in international diplomacy and law, while her son is studying ancient history at Swansea University in Britain.
Providing an overview of her company, Nadia said ASTCC was established in 1994 with its head office in Al-Khobar. Over the years, it made its mark as the most successful weighing company, both in terms of financial and human capital. The CEO attributes this success to its commitment to quality and after-sale service.
According to her, the company made its debut on the market in 1976 as a supplier of steel scrap under the name of "Al Sale Trading & Contracting Company." Later in 1994, the company scaled new heights by manufacturing industrial weighing machines, thus raising its international stature in 1996 after its first export of weighbridge to Bahrain. Now the company is exporting its weighing machines to all countries of the GCC.
Nadia notes that in the wake of its further expansion, the company changed its name to "Al Sale Eastern Company Limited" in 2007. It started with its initial base in the Eastern Province before expanding its network of branches all over the Kingdom. Each branch is equipped with the best sales and service engineers, a factor which enabled the company to post impressive growth in terms of its products and services.
The company has its own production facility in Saudi Arabia in industrial, agricultural and other fields of its applications. Even the previously supplied weighing machines are still in active service today and working in full swing.
PRODUCTS
Asked about their range of products, Nadia explains: "Our company represents a powerful and flexible family of products for industrial weighing applications."
We offer a comprehensive portfolio of industrial weighing scales, equipment and systems, such as counting scales / bench scales / floor scales / crane scales / overhead scales / check weighers / recipe formulation weigher / laboratory scales / rail scales which ensures their suitability for the most arduous of applications.
WEIGHBRIDGES
Nadia points out that her company manufactures a comprehensive range of surface weighbridges & pit weighbridges with capacities up to 100 tons. It offers both conventional fabricated steel and hybrid steel-concrete pour-on-site weighbridges in a range of widths and lengths to suit particular applications. They are complemented by a full range of instrumentation, software packages and peripheral equipment, including ticket printers, tally-roll printers, driver operated terminals, vehicle recognition systems, traffic light and barrier systems.
9020LP/HP STEEL SURFACE MOUNTED WEIGHBRIDGE
According to her, the 9020 surface-mounted weighbridge is the flagship model in the Shering range. It is an exceptionally robust weighbridge with cross members placed at 50cm centers and side beams to enhance the overall strength and provide safety and regulatory features.
As a result of ingenious design and the Shering patented "IDE RESTRAINT POST SYSTEM" the construction of foundations is ultra simple and not subject to damaging impact forces.
The 9020 is a low profile (LP) model with an alternative high profile (HP) option for sites. It is fully approved for trade use.
5020 SURFACE / PIT MOUNTED WEIGHBRIDGE
The 5020 is a highly streamlined weighbridge with a unique design to achieve a low profile dimension of only 34cm; yet it retains exceptional strength and rigidity. It has the dual option of either being surface- mounted or pit-mounted with ultra simple foundations and low cost being its major feature.
Nadia says the 5020 is the answer to many problems, where site restrictions prevent surface mounting and conventional deep pit foundation is impractical. All the features and technical excellence such as the patented "IDE RESTRAINT POST SYSTEM" expected in Shering weighbridge products are all incorporated in this very sleek model. The 5020 is fully approved for trade use.
PLATFORM SCALES
The Shering Platform Scales are made to Shering's usually high standards to easily withstand the stresses of weighing heavy weights and reliably maintain its accuracy.
STALLION HIGH CAPACITY PLATFORM SCALE
A high capacity platform scale has to be able to withstand forces exponentially greater than low or mid capacity platform scale. With a weight capacity of several tons the stress of a single weighing is immense and the strain from poor loading technique with loads of this magnitude can quickly damage delicate load cells and electronics. In weighing such large loads apparently small percentage errors can produce frighteningly large actual discrepancies.
MUSTANG MID CAPACITY PLATFORM SCALE
The CEO notes that innovative design and creative engineering are combined in the Shering Mustang to produce a mid-capacity platform scale with a remarkable strength to weight ratio. A mid-capacity scale has to be tough enough to remain accurate under difficult conditions and the Mustang meets the challenge effortlessly with an exceptionally robust welded mild steel channel mono-frame construction, galvanized throughout. The scale has four high stainless steel shear beam load cells, protected to IP65 and an easily accessible load dell junction box. The Mustang can be surface or pit mounted and incorporates:
- Stainless steel or stainless steel welded load cells
- Pit mounting frame with dirt guard or surface mounting kit
- Forklift truck barrier
- Choice of instrumentation and software
- Stainless steel cover plate
- Extra signal cable (5m standard)
- Services support and calibration available.
COLT LOW CAPACITY PLATFORM SCALE
Nadia says Shering platform scales have a range of extras to allow one to configure the scale precisely to one's needs.
The Shering Colt low capacity platform scale is the big brother of the Colt junior with a powerful stainless steel box chassis, one encapsulated single point load cell and a stainless steel platform with integral corner overload end-stops.
The colt is designed to be floor-mounted and comes in a broad range of target weight capacities. Like all Shering products the colt is built with endurance in mind and designed to weigh accurately over its entire lifetime. In its materials and construction, the Colt represents a robust design commitment more often seen at the heavy weight end of the market and will serve you with complete reliability, easily with standing the roughest of treatment. It is fully approved for applications governed by Trading Standards.
The Colt and Colt Junior have a number of options that allow you to tailor the scale to fit your exact needs, such as: range of target weights; range of platform sizes; selection of encapsulated load cells protected to IP65; choice of instrumentation and software; bench or floor standing; services support and calibration available
COLT JUNIOR BENCH SCALE
The Colt Junior bench scale is an adaptable, high quality and robust piece of equipment designed to take on the widest range of applications. With a cast aluminum X-frame, one encapsulated single point load cell, stainless steel platform and integral corner overload and end stops. The Colt Junior is fully approved for applications governed by Trading Standards. The Colt Junior is built to last and designed to weigh accurately every time, time after time, giving the Colt Junior superb value for money.
SERVICES
Nadia says that at Al Sale Eastern Company Ltd., "we appreciate and understand the importance of a well-established maintenance program. Your particular equipment and installation have their own specific requirements and will only perform as well as the maintenance program you have in place. That's why we offer packages to suit your exact needs."
She points out that one of their core philosophies is that 'prevention is better than cure' and our engineers are fully trained to identify potential problems before they occur, so that appropriate remedial action can be taken. "We know downtime is expensive and inconvenient. Our single aim is to ensure that you and your equipment have the maximum uptime. We can also evaluate the effectiveness of your existing equipment and advise on how best you can meet future weighing requirements.
We can take responsibility for the maintenance and calibration of all your weighing equipment irrespective of make or type. This includes: Tank & Silo Weighing Systems, Overhead Track Scale, Rail Scales, Weighbridges, Check Weighers, Hopper Scales , Counting Scales, Crane Scale, Floor Scales, Forklift Truck Scales, Bench Scales, Pallet Truck Scales, Medical Scales, Laboratory Scales & Weight Instrumentation."
Service visits are arranged to suit your working pattern. She says it can fit in with scheduled shutdowns or plan visits during weekends. If the equipment is used frequently at certain times of the year due to seasonal influences, "we will assess this and provide a plan that is right for your business. Our highly competent engineers undergo a continual training program relating to a wide range of manufacturers' equipment. They are trained in the requirements for specific industry sectors. This means that when our engineers come to site they are ready to address the work at hand without delays."
SPECIAL SERVICE
Nadia suggests that if needed their special application / service such as Upgradation & Relocation on most weighbridge types which they are tailored to suit each valuable customers individual needs on competitive rates
SERVICE CONTRACT
The company offers competitive service contracts on most weighbridge types, they are tailored to suit each customers' individual needs.
BREAKDOWN SUPPORT
The company believes this is the key to complete customer satisfaction: quick response times, on site diagnosis and then repair. They hold a large stock of spares for many weighbridge types. "Our engineer will arrive with the correct spares necessary to ensure down time is cut to a minimum. You can expect to be operational before he leaves the site.
SOFTWARE WEIGHBRIDGE CONTROL SOFTWARE SYSTEM
Designed & developed by Al Sale Eastern Company Limited it is a user friendly, stand alone, cost effective software package.
It can store selected information for recall at a later date with a capability of producing a comprehensive range of reports to meet every weighing applications & customer requirements, such as reports by date, material range, supplier & customer information, vehicle & various other kinds of reports.
Those interested have been asked to contact them by phone, fax or email for further details.
Manufacturers of Quality Weighing Equipment
Contact Details:
Jayantha D. Nandaraj
General Manager
Tel.:00966-3-896-2323 / 2424
Fax.: 00966-3-896 2323 / 2424 Extn. 200
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.alsale.com
As a leading manufacturer the company says that it is ideally placed to source the best products and supply quality and reliability at the right price.
