Global technology, software and engineering firm Emerson will build a state-of-the-art innovation and manufacturing hub at the King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) in Saudi Arabia, thus expanding Emerson’s local capabilities.
“The facility will be one of the largest investments in the Middle East and Africa region for the company,” Emerson wrote in a statement.
The facility, which is slated to open by December 2024, will provide industrial customers in the region with services for control systems engineering, staging and testing, manufacturing of differential pressure (DP) transmitters and control valves, pressure relief valve assembly and solenoid valve assembly, the statement noted.
As per Emerson, the project shows its continued commitment to its customers and stakeholders in Saudi Arabia as the company prepares for rapid local manufacturing expansion in the region.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Lal Karsanbhai, CEO of Emerson, Vidya Ramnath, president of Emerson Middle East and Africa and Nabil Chaachou, VP strategy & business development of SPARK. Other members of the company’s leadership team and local VIP customers were also in attendance.
“The new facility will be developed in accordance with the environmental sustainability principles to support the company’s net zero emission goals, while also adhering to SPARK’s environmental sustainability standards,” Emerson said in the statement while adding that the Saudi government’s initiatives are designed to reduce the country’s reliance on imports, while supporting the development of domestic capabilities in a range of sectors, including manufacturing, technology and services.
Commenting on the development, Lal Karsanbhai, Emerson’s president and chief executive officer, said, “Our state-of-the-art innovation and manufacturing facility at King Salman Energy Park propels our expansion strategies in the Middle East and Africa region.
“This investment represents a significant milestone in our mission to provide quality and reliable services for our customers in Saudi Arabia.”
Emerson is pursuing value chain localisation as part of the ‘Made in KSA’ initiative and has targeted supply chain localisation opportunities across its various products.
As a result, the company is set to collaborate with local suppliers through extensive qualification processes, knowledge transfer, prototyping, and testing to ensure sustainability and self-sufficiency of its facilities in Saudi Arabia, Emerson said.