A Midland construction firm which makes buildings from L-shaped blocks has won a contract to build affordable housing in Saudi Arabia.
Elcon International, which is based in Halesowen, has clinched a deal which could be worth up to £1.5 million over the next three years.
The Elcon Building System comprises a load bearing concrete wall and floor structure of 'L' shaped wall panels, manufactured at an on-site 'factory'.
The panels are then interlocked together to form the building structures on which precast concrete floors are placed to form ceilings, roofs and additional storeys.
Construction of the Riyadh factory is currently under way and the Elcon specialized casting equipment has recently arrived in Riyadh after shipment from Bulgaria.
It is anticipated that commissioning trials will take place in October and the factory will be in full production by the end or the year.
Edward Whitfield, managing director at Elcon, said: "The demand for accommodation in Saudi Arabia is now reaching new levels but cost and the slow rate of construction is causing problems for young people about to step onto the first rung of the house buying ladder.
"The Saudi government is making an unprecedented level of funding available for the purchase of new housing and, with Elcon's local track record, it was a logical step for us to be involved. The flexibility of the system means customers have the option of different apartment or villa designs offering options which bring a variety not available with other systems".
Gulf Elcon, a subsidiary of a Saudi Arabian construction company, has licensed the technology from Elcon Systems Holdings.
The Elcon Building System was evolved by engineers and concrete technologists with a mission to enable fast construction times and provide value for money.
It can, in its standard form withstand a Scale 3 earthquake and is probably the only system that can be engineered to withstand Scale 8.
