Emirates Steel Arkan on Tuesday announced its first-quarter results with revenues of Dhs2.04 billion for the first quarter of 2022, compared to Dhs233.5 million in 2021.

The earnings reflect the positive impact of the merger in Q4 of 2021 of Arkan and Emirates Steel. Net profit was Dhs72.6 million compared to Dhs1.2 million for the same period in 2021, boosted by enhanced operational performance and higher sales volumes. The Group expects 90 per cent of full-year revenues in 2022 to derive from Emirates Steel and 10 per cent from the Arkan operations.

Commenting on the results, Hamad Abdulla Mohamed AlShorafa Alhammadi, Chairman of Emirates Steel Arkan, said, “The foresight of the merger of Emirates Steel and Arkan and the impact of the management changes that we have made are clearly evident in the strong financial metrics that the merged entity has delivered in the first quarter.  The Group’s management has made great strides in enhancing efficiency and unlocking the full potential of the combined entity.

“As the largest building materials company in the UAE, Emirates Steel Arkan will play a key role in accelerating the nation’s industrial development, strengthening the ‘Made in the UAE’ brand and supporting the country’s increasingly diversified economy.”

On a stand-alone basis, Emirates Steel reported a net profit of Dhs61.1 million during the first quarter, a 265 per cent increase on the first quarter of 2021, bolstered by higher exports of rebar, sections and sheet piles to regions including Asia and North America.

Rebar sales rose by 8 per cent to 462,000 metric tonnes in the first quarter due to increased demand in Asian markets.

At the same time, sheet pile sales grew by 410 per cent in the quarter due to enhanced export sales to North American markets. Meanwhile, each of Arkan’s business units was profitable in first quarter.

On a standalone basis, Arkan delivered a net profit of Dhs11.5 million, an increase of 942 per cent year-on-year.

In the first quarter, a programme was implemented to enhance the organisational structure of the Group to accelerate the integration, find new synergies and bring about greater efficiencies.  The Group also appointed the global sustainability advisory firm, ENGIE Impact, to assess Emirates Steel Arkan’s footprint and create a detailed road map to accelerate the Group’s Carbon Net Zero programme.

In the coming quarters, Emirates Steel will also begin marketing ES600, its new light-weight ultra-high-strength rebar, designed to allow its construction customers to build more with less raw materials, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of construction projects.

Commenting on the results, Saeed Ghumran Alremeithi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Steel Arkan, said, “In the coming quarters, we will work to meet the needs of our increasingly broad customer base in the construction and manufacturing sectors by diversifying our innovative product range and further enhancing our marketing and sales capabilities.”

“Despite an increase in geopolitical tensions, the outlook for the second quarter is favourable, and the efforts we have made to improve the performance of our business units will continue to provide opportunities for further growth.”

WAM