SAUDI BUILD: Leica to open Makkah branch

Leica intends to grow its market share in KSA

Surveying equipment company Leica is to open two more offices in Saudi Arabia over the next two years, according to business development manager Akram Saad.

The Swiss-based company recently opened in Medina, bringing the total number of branches across the Kingdom to eight. Next year Leica will open another branch in Makkah, followed by a tenth branch in 2011 in a city yet to be decided, said Saad.

Leica was the first international company to bring surveying equipment to the Saudi Arabian market more than 45 years ago. Companies like Topcon and Sokkia were other more recent entrants to the market along with cheaper Chinese brands in the past two years.

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT I need to know the price of leica mini prism & pole in saudi riyal   1 Comments Read more comments »

Saad said the company’s turnover in 2009 was “stable” since the financial crisis had not heavily affected many of the large government or oil and gas projects in Saudi Arabia.

But increasing competition and more cost-conscious customers this year had forced the company into selling its products with low profit margins in order to maintain its commanding 40% market share, he said.

“We do not want to lose ground to our competitors, this was our main priority,” he said.

“We are actually hoping to grow our market share to 50% within the next two years by providing the machines that customers want and strong customer relations support.”
 

---