Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabia has witnessed the inauguration of the first Aramco approved glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebar manufacturing facility, IKK Mateenbar announced on Tuesday.

The joint venture (JV) partnership between New Zealand’s Pultron Composites and IKK Group of Companies, IKK Mateenbar, will be supplying Mateenbar products across the MENA region.

The facility spans 10,000 square metres and is expected to reduce steel rebar consumption by approximately 50,000 tonnes on an annual basis, according to Arab News.

GFRP rebar is the latest technology used to manufacture fibreglass rebar in New Zealand and the US. It will be locally produced in Saudi Arabia, with the aim to support economic growth in the Kingdom with better environmental practices.

Experts predicted that fibreglass rebar could replace 10% of Aramco’s steel consumption. The listed firm has approved the use of IKK Mateenbar’s GFRP rebar technology in its infrastructure projects, in a bid that could help meet Saudi Arabia’s carbon neutrality targets.