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Made in Saudi Arabia: Schneider Electric opens Riyadh factory amid $149bn industry push

Schneider Electric expands in Saudi Arabia with new factory creating energy efficiency products

schneider electric in saudi arabia
Schneider Electric expands in Saudi Arabia with new factory creating energy efficiency products

Saudi Arabia is pushing ahead with $149bn industrial targets as a global leader in the digital transformation of energy management opened a new facility in the Kingdom.

Schneider Electric has opened a new production line in Riyadh to manufacture hardware that will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s energy efficiency and sustainability.

The state-of-the-art production line will support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal of positioning the Kingdom as a global manufacturing hub, increasing opportunities to export energy management solutions to regional and global markets.

Schneider Electric in Saudi Arabia

Mohamed Shaheen, Cluster President of Saudi Arabia and Yemen at Schneider Electric, said: “The launch of the new production line is equipped with the latest automation technology and robotics.

“When it comes on stream and reaches full capacity, jobs will be available and offered to the Saudi workforce, with priority to youth and women in technical roles.

“Up to 10 per cent of the workforce on the assembly line will also be allocated to women.

“As a leader in energy management and digital transformation, Schneider Electric’s new manufacturing line will produce intelligent equipment that can empower companies to become more energy efficient, and fulfil their decarbonisation and sustainability journey.

“It underscores our commitment to contribute to the Kingdom’s aims of tripling industrial output and strengthening its position as a global manufacturing base in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”

It will produce Schneider Electric’s intelligent Altivar Process Modular (APM) Drives.

These smart, connected devices will be used in industrial processes, machines or building to improve energy efficiency.

Each unit will carry the “Made in KSA” tag, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a global exporter of intelligent digital products.

The factory was inaugurated during Schneider Electric’s Saudi Arabia Innovation Summit 2023 in Riyadh.

Held under the theme of Innovations for a Sustainable World, Schneider Electric’s first event of its kind in the Kingdom explored the software and technologies making the digital, electric world a reality across homes, buildings, data centres, industry, and infrastructure.

The new assembly line reflects Schneider Electric’s commitment to diversity, digital transformation and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) – a blueprint to transform Saudi Arabia into a global logistics hub.

The advanced production line will also contribute to the Kingdom’s National Industrial Strategy, which aims to triple industrial output and increase the value of Saudi Arabia’s industrial exports to approximately $149bn by 2030.

Schneider Electric established the factory in Riyadh in 1987. It is equipped with Industry 4.0 applications including machine learning, software-guided interlocks, AI-based inspections, robotics for flexible automation and robotic process automation.

Local workers make up 80 per cent of the ISO-certified plant’s workforce, in line with the country’s Saudization goals.

Moreover, 10 per cent of the staff deployed across the production line are women, while 25 per cent are people with disabilities.

It has also been recognised as both a Great Place to Work and a safe work environment, with 1,250 free accident days to its credit.

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