KAEC to have 2m people, projects worth $100bn on completion: CEO

[al-Hasani]

@Bubblegum Crisis @Rakan.SA etc.

KAEC to offer low-cost housing units

JEDDAH: IBRAHIM NAFFEE

Published — Wednesday 10 December 2014

Last update 9 December 2014 11:43 pm

King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) will have high environment standards and will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, a senior official said during Cityquest 2014-KAEC Forum, in Jeddah.
The project will offer low-cost housing units to Saudis and expatriates.
The forum kicked off with a warm welcome by Abdullatif A. Al-Othman, governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), who thanked the sponsoring parties for their support.
Al-Othman said investment plans are underway with a strong focus on economic cities as business hubs across the Kingdom.
“The government has identified this sector as the most promising and significant one in terms of job creation, technology transfer and exports development,” he said.
“The Kingdom is developing economic cities based on a strategic vision,” he said, pointing out that KAEC represents an excellent example of a logistic hub in the Kingdom with the launch of the King Abdullah Port (KAP).
Fahd Al-Rasheed, managing director and chief executive of KAEC Group, said that KAEC represents King Abdullah’s vision to reinforce economic development, attract foreign investment, open jobs for young Saudis, and provide residential solutions for citizens.
“KAEC has become a new platform to exchange knowledge, to attract foreign investments and to introduce global initiatives such as KAEC-Cityquest Forum, which embraced the experiences of 20 new cities around the world with more than 200 participants from 35 countries,” he added.

KAEC to offer low-cost housing units | Arab News

See more about KAEC below;

Overview | Cityquest

Sanofi reinforces local presence with factory opening in KAEC

PROUD MOMENT: Philippe Luscan, executive VP industrial affairs of Sanofi, with Mohannad Hill, general secretary of Economic Cities Authorities; Antoine Ortoli, SVP global operations intercontinental region Sanofi, Salah Mouse, GM of Sanofi Saudi Arabia, and other King Abdullah Economic City and Sanofi executives at the opening of the Sanofi plant at KAEC on Wednesday.
​

RABIGH: ARAB NEWS

Published — Thursday 11 December 2014

Last update 10 December 2014 10:44 pm

Two years after the laying of the first stone, Sanofi announced Wednesday the opening of its production facility in King Abdullah Economic City's (KAEC) Industrial Valley, making it one of the first multinational pharmaceutical groups to produce locally in the Kingdom.
Sanofi has had a strong presence in Saudi Arabia for half a century with offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Over the past five years, the company has increased its investments and contributions in the Kingdom through numerous partnerships designed to improve the health of Saudi patients, particularly in the field of chronic diseases.
The opening of a manufacturing facility was therefore a natural next step and KAEC was chosen as the perfect location due to the pro-business and competitive environment of the region. The new factory is creating jobs for Saudi citizens and transfers Sanofi technology for the benefit of the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Sanofi Executive Vice President Global Industrial Affairs Philippe Luscan said: “We are delighted today to open this facility, together with KAEC and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) as our strategic partners. As a pioneer, we built a plant designed to produce up to 20 million packs of locally made high quality medical treatments which will benefit the needs of the regional community, through an adapted life cycle management. We are proud to share Sanofi’s technology knowledge and industrial culture of quality, customer service, respect for environment and safety with the Kingdom."
“Producing locally is the best way to fulfill local needs for patients, hiring and training local technicians and managers,” he added.
Echoing the sentiment, Antoine Ortoli, Sanofi SVP, intercontinental region, described the move as a milestone in Sanofi’s presence in the Middle East and a prime opportunity to contribute to the local community and economy.
"I am proud to be here to inaugurate our first factory in the Kingdom demonstrating our commitment to meeting the needs of the local population,” he said. “For Saudi Arabia and its citizens, the opening of this facility will mean access to quality, innovative medicines. It will also mean important job creation and training, along with research and development opportunities. For Sanofi, it also provides us a chance to consolidate our presence in the region and grow our presence and business in the increasingly important market of Saudi Arabia.”
Speaking about Sanofi’s decision to invest in Saudi Arabia, Mohanud Helal, secretary general of the Economic Cities Authority, stated: "We are very delighted to inaugurate Sanofi’s production plant in King Abdullah Economic City, which is a testament to the long-term partnership between KAEC and anchor investors in the pharmaceutical industry. This inauguration also positions KAEC as a hub for pharmaceuticals and life sciences industries in the region.”
Fahd Al-Rasheed, group CEO and MD of KAEC, said: "I have the greatest pleasure in congratulating Sanofi on the inauguration of their new production facility. KAEC's Industrial Valley is leading the way in addressing the Kingdom's future pharmaceutical needs. To date, more than half a billion Saudi riyals is being invested in constructing manufacturing facilities by world renowned companies such as Sanofi and we are particularly glad that this leading company chose KAEC for its first manufacturing facility in the GCC since it will contribute to the development of the fast-growing pharmaceutical industry in Saudi Arabia."
Rayan Qutub, CEO, Industrial Valley, said: “It brings pride to have Sanofi’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility built here, a reflection of their commitment to Saudi and their trust in the Industrial Valley. Sanofi is one of biggest pharmaceutical companies in Europe and in the world; Sanofi is a key anchor tenant in achieving our vision as the new pharmaceutical hub in the region. We are committed to providing all the required support to drive the accelerated growth of Sanofi in the region.”

Sanofi reinforces local presence with factory opening in KAEC | Arab News

 

[Gufi]

Beautiful, and new cities take time i mean how many times have cities of this scale been built. Yes it will cost more then expected and there will be delays but the important question is will there be Al Baik there or not

 

[al-Hasani]

Beautiful, and new cities take time i mean how many times have cities of this scale been built. Yes it will cost more then expected and there will be delays but the important question is will there be Al Baik there or not

Numerous very impressive industrial cities have been planed. See this excellent link my friend for most of the information.

http://www.oecd.org/mena/investment/38906206.pdf

Yes, of course.

​

 

[Gufi]

Numerous very impressive industrial cities have been planed. See this excellent link my friend for most of the information.

http://www.oecd.org/mena/investment/38906206.pdf

Yes, of course.

​

inshaAllah i plan to visit soon I was born there it is like my second home. thank you for the link

 

[al-Hasani]

inshaAllah i plan to visit soon I was born there it is like my second home. thank you for the link

Then KSA is your home. You are very welcome to visit anytime.

Saudi Mars mission
Saudization, women’s empowerment focus for global chocolate giant​

Pamela Mars-Wright celebrates the opening of the new Mars chocolate factory in KAEC with business partners and officials. — SG photo by Selma Roth
​

Selma Roth
Saudi Gazette

MARS Inc. is on a mission. Not only is the American company sweetening life with the opening of a chocolate factory in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), it has also indicated it will focus on Saudization and women’s empowerment. If that is not enough, the company’s expansion in the Kingdom will happen in a sustainable manner, with special attention to the environment and preservation of natural resources.

The presence of Mars Inc. is not new in Saudi Arabia. The global chocolate giant – and since 2009 also the largest confectionery company and third largest food manufacturer worldwide – entered the Saudi market over 30 years ago with the Mars, Snickers, Bounty and Twix brands in cooperation with Sheikh Mohamed Yousuf Naghi, its exclusive distributor. Year after year, their products gained popularity in the Kingdom, with Galaxy and M&M’s being the most popular brands. At the end of 2012, Mars Inc.’s sales here reached a record SR2 billion, and it thus comes as no surprise that the company decided to open a factory inside the country – the second in the Gulf region after Dubai.

However, the possibility to produce chocolate bars in a factory located in the Kingdom – and attract Saudi men and women to work in it – was not a given since the idea was conveyed back in 2007.

“I remember coming here in 2007 and we had a conversation about, ‘Could we ever think about having a factory in Saudi?’” said Pamela Mars-Wright, a fourth-generation member of the Mars family, who came to the Kingdom to officially inaugurate the factory earlier this month.

She and her Saudi counterparts then went on to discuss what it would take for Mars Inc. to open a factory in Saudi Arabia, keeping in mind that Mars Inc. is a family company that likes to run the business its own way and according to its five principles of quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency and freedom.

“The freedom to run our company the way that we wish is extremely important to us and still, obviously, you’ll need to be mindful of the culture and the environment and the country and the places where you work,” Mars-Wright said.

Fast-forward seven years and Mars Inc. has not only successfully opened a chocolate factory, it is actually run 60 percent by Saudi nationals, something Mars-Wright calls “an amazing achievement”.

It is proof of the country’s changing labor environment, but at the same time it is a result of Mars Inc.’s focus on human capital development and treatment of employees, or “associates”, as they call anyone working for Mars.

Since the facility began producing chocolates in September 2013, no accidents that forced employees to take time off have taken place at the premises. Each production line worker puts in 8-hour shifts at the KAEC factory, which is located 110 kilometers north of Jeddah. They are also involved in quality checks, from tasting chocolate each morning to testing the bars on “snap and shine”.

Talented associates are offered training programs, internships and partnerships with local education establishments. As one associate described it, “This factory set new standards.”

These new standards do not only concern safety and human development. When it comes to environment and natural resource preservation, the chocolate factory has raised the bar as well. The company’s efforts to recycle water and waste, use renewable energy, and build the facility as efficient as possible has resulted in the company being awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification.

It is the first time LEED certification — an international set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings, homes and neighborhoods — has been accredited to a food manufacturer in the Kingdom.

Perhaps one of its secrets is the Mars family’s ability to run the business on their own terms while simultaneously having an eye for the Kingdom’s culture and local environment.

“If you’re going to come to a country and build a factory, how do you make sure that you are a positive influence, that you’re seen as something that is positive as opposed to just an American company coming to tell people how to do things?” is a question Mars-Wright discussed with the KAEC management when they considered the possibility of opening a factory in the Kingdom.

Concessions are part of this. Take women employment, a topic Mars-Wright is passionate about and strongly encourages.

When she first came to the Kingdom and brought up the issue, the response from her Saudi counterparts was, “It’s not going to happen”. Today, Mars Saudi Arabia is determined to hire women on the production line, although so far they have been unable to do so.

“There will be,” is Mars-Wright’s reaction. “I think you have to make concessions to different cultures. So, there are countries where we have female associates (that) can’t work midnight shifts. You know, we adjust.”

According to Sami Darouni, regional president of Mars Inc. for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, having women working on the production line has been one of the key points for Mars Saudi Arabia, and among the conditions with KAEC was “that we can ensure that women will be working on the line.”

The current absence of women, Darouni continued, is purely a result of logistical difficulties.

“Because the city has not yet fully developed, we don’t have people who can stay on the site. We have few. So we still have to commute,” he said.

Once the city expands and Mars Inc. can provide the right living conditions for its female associates, the company will begin hiring women, Darouni assured, though he was unable to give a timeline. “The commitment is to have women working on the line.”

For Mars-Wright, an important part of the entire process has been to generate positive change in the country. “Positive change everywhere in the world is a good thing. We need it [in the US] too.”

It appears Mars Saudi Arabia is well on its way to be part of the country’s transformation into a well-formed society.

Mars-Wright is confident: “I think the future is what we want it to be. So now it becomes a matter of filling the factory up to the point of where we need to make more investments in the factory. Who knows, perhaps at some point we’ll be making gum in the Kingdom as well. There’s always possibilities.”

A Saudi Mars mission | Kingdom | Saudi Gazette

 

[al-Hasani]

حي «الشروق» منتج سكني جديد في مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية

أعلنت مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية عن موعد عرض الشقق السكنية الجديدة بالمرحلة الأولى في حي "الشروق" والتي تستهدف العائلات والأفراد الذين يتطلعون للتمتع بأسلوب حياة عصري وبأسعار في متناول الجميع وكذلك للمستثمرين الراغبين في شراء المباني السكنية بالحي وتأجيرها. وتعتزم المدينة الاقتصادية إجراء جولتي العرض في فندق جدة هيلتون خلال يومي 20 و21 ديسمبر، وفي فندق الفيصلية بالرياض يومي 26 و27 ديسمبر لهذا العام.​

وفي تعليقٍ له على النجاح الذي تحقق لمبيعات المشاريع والأراضي السكنية السابقة في الأحياء الساحلية، صرح فهد الرشيد العضو المنتدب والرئيس التنفيذي لمدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية: "لله الحمد تمضي مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية بخطى سريعة في توفير منتجات سكنية لكافة مستويات الدخل تماشياً مع أهداف المدينة في تعزيز التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية ورفع مستوى المعيشة للمواطنين." مضيفاً: "ولقد صمم حي الشروق ليقدم بيئة سكنية مثالية للعائلات والأفراد الذين يطمحون إلى تملك منازل بأسعار بمتناول الجميع تتميز بسمات عصرية وتحيط بها المرافق المختلفة التي تلبي احتياجاتهم ورغباتهم".

من جهته، قال تشارلز بيلي، الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة التطوير العقاري (RED)، في مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية: "يقع حي الشروق بالقرب من مواقع أعمال الساكنين، ومن جهة أخرى يقدم حي الشروق فرص هامة سواء للأفراد أو المستثمرين لشراء المباني السكنية وتأجيرها للشركات أيضاً". مضيفاً: "من أجل استقطاب أكبر عددٍ من الفئات المستهدفة، سوف يتمتع سكان حي الشروق ببيئة سكنية عصرية ومريحة، تحيط بها المسطحات الخضراء والمماشي، وسيكون بإمكانهم الاستفادة من كافة المرافق الحيوية والاجتماعية المحيطة مثل خدمات الرعاية الصحية ومدرسة "أكاديمية العالم"، والمساجد والمجمع الرياضي وملعب الجولف، والنادي الاجتماعي إلى جانب المحلات التجارية ومركز التسوق وسلسلة متنوعة من المطاعم المطلة على الواجهة البحرية".

حي «الشروق» منتج سكني جديد في مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية - جريدة الرياض

افتتاح مصنع دوائي بمدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية​

جانب من الافتتاح​

تشهد مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية افتتاح مصنع دوائي لإنتاج الأدوية محلياً والتي تعد موقعاً مثالياً بسبب البيئة التنافسية والداعمة لقطاع الأعمال في المملكة، بالإضافة إلى أن المصنع سيخلق فرص عمل للمواطنين السعوديين.

وبهذه المناسبة، قال مهند هلال، الأمين العام لهيئة المدن الاقتصادية: "جذبت البيئة الاستثمارية والمجموعة المتنوعة من الفرص الاستثمارية المحلية والموجهة نحو التصدير في المملكة تدفقاً مستمراً من الاستثمارات الأجنبية المباشرة، كما هو الحال مع سانوفي التي قررت إنشاء مصنع لها في مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية. يتمتع المرفق صناعي الجديد الذي تم افتتاحه بصفة تجارية مستقلة من شأنها أن تؤدي إلى تسهيل عمليات سانوفي في المملكة."

وقال فهد الرشيد، الرئيس التنفيذي للمجموعة والمدير العام لمدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية:"يسرني تهنئة سانوفي بافتتاح مصنعها الإنتاجي، ويعد الوادي الصناعي بمدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية مستقبل المملكة في توفير احتياجاتها من العلاجات الطبية. وحتى الآن، تم استثمار أكثر من نصف مليار ريال سعودي في بناء مرافق التصنيع من قبل الشركات العالمية الشهيرة مثل سانوفي، ونحن سعداء بشكل خاص أن هذه الشركة الرائدة اختارت مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية لمصنعها الأول في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي، لأنه سوف تساهم في تطوير صناعة الأدوية التي تشهد نمواً سريعاً في المملكة."

افتتاح مصنع دوائي بمدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية - جريدة الرياض

The first article deals with a new upcoming residential are called "Sunrise" at the KAEC. It will be centrally located near work places, offer a modern, comfortable residential environment surrounded by nature, schools, hospitals, sports complexes, mosques, golf course, various social clubs, shops, shopping centers, restaurants and the Red Sea.

The last article deals with the opening of a future local pharmaceutical factory (Sanofi) that will produce medicine locally and export abroad. Cooperation with the UK as well.

 

[al-Hasani]

 

[al-Hasani]

Al Murooj
​

Looks absolutely awesome.

 

[A$HU]

Al Murooj
​

Looks absolutely awesome.

What would be the source of water for such a lavish green water intensive project?

 

[al-Hasani]

What would be the source of water for such a lavish green water intensive project?

A mixture of rainfall, local freshwater and desalinated sea water.

The tropical/semi-tropical areas of KSA are found in the mountainous areas. Not that close to the Red Sea coastline although the Red Sea as a whole is a tropical sea.

 

[al-Hasani]

#KAEC - مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية 2015 - YouTube

Simply fantastic.

 

[OTTOMAN]

What would be the source of water for such a lavish green water intensive project?

Saudi Arabia use sewage water for its plantation... of course it is filtered first!

Again... for those, who believe that without oil, Saudi Arabia cannot earn money!
Think again, you see business worth $billions, but no oil is involved!
While there's much more, which you don't see e.g the industry which is working behind the scenes, to execute such development!

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudi Arabia use sewage water for its plantation... of course it is filtered first!

Again... for those, who believe that without oil, Saudi Arabia cannot earn money!
Think again, you see business worth $billions, but no oil is involved!
While there's much more, which you don't see e.g the industry which is working behind the scenes, to execute such development!

KSA is a G-20 Major Economies Member State. The 19th biggest economy in the world and all future predictions place KSA in the top 20-15 which is remarkable considering that there are almost 200 countries out there and the fact that KSA's population is "only" the 41st biggest in the world.

KSA's non-oil/gas/natural resources economy is growing rapidly. Steps to diversify the economy have also been taken and will continue to be taken.

Saudi non-oil sector to sustain robust growth in 2015 albeit at a lower rate on weak oil prices | Economy | Saudi Gazette

A lot of work is still needed and KSA does not need to look further away than neighboring UAE for instance for some inspiration on this front.

All this in a worldwide financial crisis that is felt everywhere. Including in the GCC.

 

[al-Hasani]

This thread might interest you.

@Rakan.SA @Gasoline @JUBA @Bubblegum Crisis @Mosamania @Full Moon @Altamimi @Frosty

 

[TheTruth]

Ha, I'd bet the GCC could build a floating fortress with a population of 500,000 living off solar power/advanced desalination if they felt like it