Saudi chemical manufacturer Middle East Chemicals Company (Midchem) has awarded India-based Nuberg EPC a $53m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract on a lump sum turnkey basis.

The scope of work for Nuberg covers provision of EPC services for a chlor alkali plant and a calcium chloride plant to be built in Riyadh for the Saudi Factory for Chlorine and Alkalies (Sachlo), Midchem's group company.

The production capacity of the existing chlor alkali plant will double to 120 tonnes a day (t/d), while the calcium chloride plant’s output will rise to 150 t/d, following the expansion of the plants.

Nuberg's scope of services for this project includes providing process operation, technology know-how, basic and detailed engineering, design, procurement, manufacture and supply of plant equipment including complete erection, construction, project management, commissioning and start-up of the plant, it said in a statement.

Nuberg previously executed EPC works for Sachlo’s greenfield 60 t/d chlor alkali plant in 2012, making this new contract award the firm’s second from Midchem.

Sachlo is a key private manufacturer of chlor alkali and chlorine derivatives in Saudi Arabia.

Chemicals produced in the facility will serve the upstream and downstream sectors of the kingdom, as well as the wider Middle East and Africa region.