After 24 years in the manufacturing business, Ferrofab, a family-run company and one of the Middle East’s leading oil and gas manufacturers, is now setting out to enter the renewable energy sector.

Founded in 1998, Ferrofab is a family-run business that offers a diverse range of modular and static process equipment, including pressure vessels, skid packages, heat exchangers, and both offshore and onshore equipment. The company is strategically headquartered in Jebel Ali, a port town south of Dubai which offers logistical ease to clients and suppliers.

Over the years, Ferrofab has earned a trustworthy and esteemed reputation, thanks to their state-of-the-art facilities, consistent development, and unwavering commitment to achieving engineering excellence. Today, the company has several accreditations under its belt by ASME, API, and NB, and has also been approved by ADNOC Group of Companies, PDO, KOC amongst many others.

The Dubai-based manufacturer boasts a total of 800,000 square feet of modern facilities and runs various companies across the UAE. That said, their customer base has extended well beyond the Middle East and past the oil and gas industry. Their next stop – the renewable energy sector.

Humble Beginnings

Ferrofab started out as a one-man project over two decades ago. What began as founder Walter Moraes’s passion for engineering turned into a dynamic company. Business Focus had the pleasure of interviewing Johan Moraes, Ferrofab’s newly appointed Executive Director, who is spearheading Ferrofab’s growth along with his father Walter Moraes.

“My father began this venture in the same year I was born, starting with just a handful of people but with a vision for something greater,” says Johan, who grew up around the company and watched it grow into the powerhouse it is today. “It was that fire and drive that made the company expand its capabilities and seek out opportunities for continuous development. This is my inspiration to see how to really unlock more of this company’s potential and elevate it even further.”

Joining the business was always an ambition for Johan, and it was not long after he earned his degree in mechanical engineering before he joined forces with his father. “I try to deeply involve myself with all the departments to best understand the company’s pulse as a whole” says Johan. “Maneuvering through these roles can be challenging at times but is always rewarding when you see the prospect of advancing.” When asked to outline some of the major milestones Ferrofab has achieved, Johan remarks that the company’s continuous endeavor towards growth and expansion is their proudest achievement.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Covering the whole manufacturing process in-house is a big differentiator for Ferrofab. It enables the company to maintain quality and consistency while serving clients as a trusted partner through and through and eliminates the need to rely on subcontractors or external machinery to finish projects. It is also a testament to the company’s customer-centric approach, which has resulted in building strong client and supplier relations.

“Our suppliers and clients are our true partners. We look at our relationships with them as less transactional and more partnership-based,” affirms Johan. “Our attitude is best described by my father’s philosophy: ‘If you want to run fast, run alone. If you want to run far, run together.’ This quote really resonates with us – we pursue symbiotic partnerships in which both parties support each other and grow together.”

This culture of reciprocity and respect does not only apply to Ferrofab’s clients and suppliers but is also a key component of the company’s internal culture. Ferrofab prides itself on having built a culture where employees are empowered to be leaders in their own right. Across the board, employees share the same values: quality, integrity, teamwork, continuous learning, and measurable achievement.

These values are also what keeps Ferrofab competitive – the company is constantly on the lookout for ways to do and be better, from identifying improvements in their current processes to expanding into new markets.

One example is the company’s prioritisation of sustainable practices, which is not only exhibited by their entrance into the renewables industry, but also through the structural changes being made internally. Ferrofab is dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint and is actively working towards this commitment through the adoption of solar panels, increasing recycling policies, catalyzing digitization, and reducing the use of superfluous materials.

Wind of Change

Since stepping into his new role, Johan has been committed to taking Ferrofab to new heights by focusing on expanding the company’s capabilities and entering new markets. The latest fruit of these efforts has been their collaboration with offshore wind platform developer Gazelle Wind Power, which marks the beginning of Ferrofab’s expansion into the renewable energy sector.

Leveraging Gazelle’s scalable proprietary technology, Ferrofab can manufacture hybrid modular offshore wind platforms which aims to support any make and model of wind turbines. Ultimately, these platforms and turbines will be supplied to clients across the globe.

“Gazelle’s unique floating platform technology is the much-needed next step in the evolution of the offshore wind industry,” remarks Johan. “With its innovative design and modular components, the deployment of this solution will be a revolutionary step in the production of renewable energy.”

Future Prospects

Ferrofab’s growth has been on a steady upward trajectory since its inception. The company has recently constructed a new plot on the port of Jebel Ali, which serves to improve ease of logistics for clients and suppliers as well as support the company’s rapid growth.

Speaking about the investment, Johan says: “For any investment we make, the first point of consideration is always to identify how we can drive value to our clients. This new facility will give our clients logistical ease, which drives down handling and transportation cost substantially.”

This investment is one of many more to come in Ferrofab’s plans for expansion. The company is eager to unearth other areas of expansion and is all set to dive head-first into the opportunities that lie ahead, areas of green hydrogen energy and cryogenics.