OCP plans launch of new products.

(From Gulf Construction)

Oman's pioneer concrete products manufacturer looks towards innovation and launching new products while charting a road to growth

Despite a tough year in a highly competitive market, Oman Concrete Products closed 2004 on a successful note: it sold a record one million concrete blocks in one month during December

"We secured a major order involving the supply of half a million blocks in two months, which has shot our annual sales volumes for 2004 to 9.5 million," says Ashok Borkar, who took charge of OCP as general manager less than a year ago. "Our average annual sales over the past four to five years have been 7 million blocks." Borkar - an engineering consultant by profession - who took on the challenge of enhancing OCP's market standing, is quite pleased with its recent performance and has set a sales target of 10.7 million blocks for this year

He is now looking at introducing innovative products that can give OCP an edge in the market

"Innovation is the key to survival and success in the market as we ultimately have to increase our profitability and market share," he points out

Among the custom-designed products that the company is currently supplying are 8,000 pieces of concrete sleepers for an Omani client. It has also recently produced concrete stools for the Saudi market