Sadara to supply chemicals to SADIG-ILCO facility in Jubail

The new agreements were signed by senior officials from all parties, during a formal ceremony at Sadara’s Business Complex, in Jubail Industrial City.
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Updated 11 April 2021
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Sadara to supply chemicals to SADIG-ILCO facility in Jubail

Sadara Chemical Company, and SADIG Industries and ILCO Chemicals (SADIG-ILCO), a Saudi-German joint venture focused on the manufacture of a wide range of specialty chemicals, have signed long-term agreements, through which Sadara will supply feedstock chemicals to SADIG-ILCO’s future chemical manufacturing facility in Jubail’s PlasChem Park. This 20-year contract follows a successful primarily agreement that was signed previously between the companies. 

The new agreements were signed by Sadara’s CEO Dr. Faisal Al-Faqeer, SADIG Industries’ managing director Ahmed Alubaid and ILCO Chemicals’ technical executive officer Dr. Corvin Volkholz, during a formal ceremony at Sadara’s Business Complex, in Jubail Industrial City, in the presence of Dr. Abdulrahman Alubaid, co-founder of SADIG Industries, and Turki Al-Mady, Dussur’s chief investments officer.

Under the terms of the supply agreements, SADIG-ILCO’s new PlasChem Park facility will offtake ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) from Sadara through the new EO and PO pipelines that are being built by Sadara. Using these products as feedstock, SADIG-ILCO will manufacture a range of specialty chemicals, which will further enable the production of market-ready products in several areas, including cleaners, mining floatation, metal working fluids, industrial lubricants, plastic additives and many other industrial applications.

Sadara CEO Al-Faqeer said: “With Sadara’s differentiated products slate available in local, regional and global markets, along with associated local competitive incentives that are available as well, we are able to demonstrate to investors that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is definitely an attractive destination for exciting downstream manufacturing opportunities that can proudly carry the mark ‘Made in Saudi.’”

Al-Faqeer added: “The specialty chemicals that SADIG-ILCO will produce locally will replace imports and encourage development of new downstream specialty industries.”

SADIG Industries managing director Alubaid said: “SADIG-ILCO is part of SADIG Industries’ growth strategy and will introduce new chemicals that will enable further downstream industries in the Kingdom. It will add value to the local economy and the country’s export portfolio, along with creating quality job opportunities in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The JV will have several different types of batch reactors and flexible reaction capabilities, which enable the JV company to produce a wide range of products that are tailored to the customer requirements and performance needs. The EO-PO project is part of our third generation project lineup with an investment of approximately $70 million.”

Volkholz added: “We are bringing the technical know-how to manufacture specialty chemicals in the Kingdom and SADIG-ILCO will have an important role in diversifying the existing chemical market as well as we are providing tolling services for our customers. By combining our downstream manufacturing experience and technical expertise with Sadara’s specialty chemicals value chain, we will be able to bring many new and exciting products to the Kingdom.”

Al-Mady, chief investments officer of Dussur, said: “Supporting this agreement is in line with our mandate to contribute to Vision 2030 industrial objectives, specifically the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program and National Industrial Development Center priorities.”


EdfaPay obtains license for its financial payment solutions in Tunisia

Updated 02 May 2024
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EdfaPay obtains license for its financial payment solutions in Tunisia

In a strategic step, EdfaPay, a leading technical payments startup, announced that it has obtained a license and approval for its financial payment solutions in the Tunisian market through its arm “WePay” in cooperation with We-Settle. This step strengthens EdfaPay’s plans for expansion in Africa in the field of financial payments, to assist countries in their digital transformation and boost the Saudi company’s position as a leading technical payments provider.

WePay’s superior platform is the result of combining the experience of EdfaPay and the advanced fintech services of Tunisia’s WePay. The expansion aims to provide payments integrated solutions to keep up with global market demands, and to promote advanced technological payments in the region. 

EdfaPay has previously obtained licenses from global payment companies such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, before obtaining the local Tunisian authentication. The startup is ready to launch its service in May along with the signing of contracts with clients from Tunisia and Morocco. 

This step comes as a critical turning point for EdfaPay’s global expansion. Fintech products including checkout and SoftPoS will be introduced and developed by WePay, in addition to WePay International, a cross-border payment service for residents abroad, providing customers with a seamless and secure payment experience.

It also comes as an affirmation of EdfaPay’s commitment to exporting Saudi fintech to the world and enhancing international cooperation in the field.

Commenting on the expansion, Ghormallah Al-Ghamdi, founder and CEO of EdfaPay, stressed the importance of this strategic step and its vital role in achieving the company’s global goals. He said: “I am pleased and proud to announce the future of this regional expansion. As EdfaPay has always been, it aspires to achieve distinguished successes and enhance its global presence, and this expansion is a realization of this goal, thanks to the guidance and efforts of our wonderful team and the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Al-Ghamdi added: “We succeeded in achieving this strategic cooperation, which promises to open new doors to our uttermost goal of worldwide expansion.”

Naima Mawla, general director of WePay, said: “We are proud of this achievement and obtaining the financial payments license in line with our ambitions, which enhances WePay’s local and global goals and objectives, anchored by pioneering and talented Arab and regional competencies.” 

She added: “We are proud of what we have achieved so far as it resulted in this distinguished launch of WePay services, and we confirm that this is the beginning of an ambitious successful journey with innovative financial services that meet local, regional and global requirements.”

The move opens a new chapter for EdfaPay to expand to African and European markets and pushes it to work with more dedication to achieve its ambitious vision of improving the fintech payments experience for consumers around the world.


Amid global media spotlight, Omoda and Jaecoo to launch new energy series at Beijing auto show

Updated 02 May 2024
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Amid global media spotlight, Omoda and Jaecoo to launch new energy series at Beijing auto show

Representatives from major media organizations of Saudi Arabia have traveled with Omoda and Jaecoo to the global A-grade auto show, the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which is currently underway at the China International Exhibition Center. The globally distinct brands Omoda and Jaecoo are poised to make their debut in Beijing with a series of heavyweight new energy products. In addition, Omoda’s first pure electric model — the Omoda E5, and Jaecoo’s new energy masterpieces — the J7 PHEV and the J8 PHEV, will also make their global debut, comprehensively reshaping the product ecosystem and global landscape of the new energy off-road domain.

Omoda and Jaecoo are set to launch in the Saudi market by the start of the third quarter of 2024, by establishing their international subsidiary in the Kingdom — a big step as this business model is new in Saudi Arabia, yet the most awaited one.

With a brand-new stance of “new products + new technology + new ecosystem,” Omoda and Jaecoo are also set to welcome at the Beijing exhibition, the largest group of international guests in history, including senior government officials from various countries, industry trailblazers, and partners. They will collectively witness the brand’s multidimensional breakthroughs in the new energy field, especially the value revolution in the new energy off-road domain.

Local Deep Cultivation, Actively Facilitating the Leap in the Global Off-Road Market

In recent years, with the emergence of new energy technologies, the global off-road market has encountered strategic opportunities for in-depth development. Adhering to the philosophy of “From Classic, Beyond Classic,” Jaecoo has seized the global off-road market opportunities, breaking through traditional value concepts of the off-road market. With comprehensive advancements in new energy off-road technology, it has resolutely positioned itself at the center of this era’s stage.

The appearance of such an elite group of guests at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition precisely illustrates Jaecoo’s global strategic layout, localized system construction, and the technical elevation in the new energy off-road field, resonating with the global new energy automotive industry’s upgrade trends. It can be said that every step Jaecoo takes in the global market is an attempt at mutual benefit and collaborative development. It is under this development mode that Jaecoo’s “international circle of friends” continues to expand.

Since its global debut in April last year, relying on star off-road models J7 and J8, Jaecoo has already established a comprehensive localized sales and service system in multiple global markets.

In February this year, Jaecoo officially entered the Mexican market, quickly establishing a network of over 40 dealerships across all 32 states.

Jaecoo’s practice of localized development strategies, while building its own system capabilities, also assists the local automotive industry’s upgrade to varying degrees. With the release of the new energy off-road product matrix, such as the J7 PHEV and J8 PHEV, Jaecoo will accelerate the global new energy industry layout. With a systematic new energy strength and personalized new ecosystem, it aims to jointly advance the new energy automotive industry’s rapid progression across countries worldwide, contributing its strength to the high-quality development of the global new energy sector.

Increasing Investment in New Energy Off-Road, Empowering Global Sustainable Development with Green Technology

Against the backdrop of deepening global sustainable development, major enterprises worldwide are shifting gears and speeding up in the new energy era, each expressing their views and searching for the key to the next era.

Why, then, have so many international guests chosen Jaecoo? The core reason lies in Jaecoo’s trustworthiness. After 27 years of technological accumulation, Jaecoo’s parent company has built a research and development team of over 20,000 people, established eight major R&D centers globally, and achieved certain technological breakthroughs in the fields of hybrid and pure electric new energy technologies.

Backed by the mature and substantial research and development manufacturing capabilities and strong industrial chain integration abilities of its parent company, Jaecoo has constructed an effective off-road product technology ecosystem. Always driven by technological innovation and focusing on the “new energy off-road + intelligent” direction, it deeply concentrates on global user needs. With global standards and quality, it comprehensively breaks through the traditional value perception of the off-road market.

At the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, Jaecoo will highlight its exhibition theme of “New Energy, New Eco, New Era” by showcasing its off-road new energy capabilities. The introduction of the heavyweight hybrid new vehicles, J7 PHEV and J8 PHEV, is intended to provide global users with a smarter, more efficient, and safer off-road travel experience, marking the prologue of Jaecoo’s journey in off-road new energy.

Notably, the exhibition will also feature a “mysterious guest,” who will take the stage alongside the Jaecoo off-road new energy family, joining the ensemble of international guests to witness the dawn of a new era in off-road travel.


Honor puts customers first with two new service centers in KSA

Updated 01 May 2024
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Honor puts customers first with two new service centers in KSA

Global technology brand Honor has announced the launch of two of its service centers in Riyadh and Jeddah. The Honor Authorized Service Center in Riyadh and Honor Jeddah Service Center opened on April 25, and will help to cater to the needs of customers in the Kingdom. Customers will be able to either send in their products for repairs or visit the service centers for a walk-in appointment. Both centers will provide services and support for all Honor products, including product repair, screen protector application, system upgrades, and any other necessary service activity.

The opening of the two service centers reinforces Honor’s commitment to the MENA region, and its plans to continue providing expert customer service and product support. Saudi Arabia remains one of the main focus markets for the tech company, where it has experienced significant growth year on year. With an expanding userbase in the region, Honor continues to put its customers first by ensuring that all its products are backed by outstanding support and service standards. 

“This is a very exciting time for Honor as we open Honor Authorized Service Center in Riyadh and Honor Jeddah Service Center at the same time to cater to the support needs of our customers in the Kingdom,” said Jerry Liao, country manager of Honor Device KSA. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a tremendously important market for Honor, and our continued interest in this region ensures that our customers will always experience the latest innovations from Honor throughout the year. Our existing Honor Experience Stores in Saudi Arabia help to bring our innovative products and services closer to consumers across the Kingdom, and we have ambitious plans to open more stores across major cities including Al-Qassim, Madinah, and many more. We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to have their Honor products repaired or serviced, and we are thrilled to be able to showcase the level of support that comes when you buy a product from Honor.”

Customers will be able to visit Honor’s support website directly for pricing details on any spare parts before making their visit. Additionally, from the 1st to the 5th of every month, customers can enjoy several benefits such as complimentary phone protector replacement (front film and back film), free system upgrades, and free labor cost for out-of-warranty maintenance in both centers.


Social Development Bank wins award for supporting productive families

Updated 01 May 2024
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Social Development Bank wins award for supporting productive families

Saudi Arabia’s Social Development Bank was recently honored with the Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa Award for Productive Families. SDB’s “Tajsid” initiative won this recognition under the category “Best Project Supporting Productive Families.” The award ceremony took place in Manama, the capital city of Bahrain, and was hosted by Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa. It was attended by numerous dignitaries and organizations from Bahrain and across the Arab world.

The “Tajsid” initiative stands out as a key program of SDB, aimed at empowering Saudi artisanal families by providing them with permanent sales outlets. This initiative not only showcases unique Saudi cultural products, but also enhances the visibility and marketing capabilities of these artisanal items. More than 150 families have benefited from the initiative, achieving sales exceeding SR1 million ($266,630) from over 20,000 products sold through three main branches and an e-commerce platform. Additionally, these families have gained exposure through participation in 25 local and international exhibitions.

Sultan Al-Humaidi, CEO of SDB, expressed his gratitude, saying: “We are immensely proud to receive this accolade from Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, which acknowledges our efforts in fostering the development of small businesses and self-employment into thriving, sustainable enterprises. Our initiatives, such as the ‘Tajsid’ program, are designed with a long-term strategy to empower, innovate, and integrate productive families into the broader economic landscape.”

Al-Humaidi further highlighted the growth of the SDB’s impact, noting: “In the first quarter of this year alone, we have supported 13,000 beneficiaries, with financial assistance amounting to over SR600 million, marking a 61 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Our ongoing commitment aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to enhance the sustainability and economic independence of productive families and entrepreneurs.”

The Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa Award for Productive Families, established in 2009, is one of the main awards for recognizing and supporting the Arab world’s productive families, encouraging high-quality production and comprehensive support from financial and economic institutions.


Marriott graduates sixth batch of ‘Tahseen’ hospitality trainees

Updated 30 April 2024
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Marriott graduates sixth batch of ‘Tahseen’ hospitality trainees

Marriott International has announced the successful graduation of its “Tahseen” leadership program’s 2023 class, welcoming 38 new candidates to embark on its latest chapter. The graduation ceremony, held on Feb. 21, marked a significant milestone in Marriott’s commitment to nurturing local talent in Saudi Arabia and advancing the country’s hospitality industry.

“The Tahseen program, now in its sixth iteration, underscores Marriott International’s dedication to developing the next generation of hospitality leaders in Saudi Arabia,” a statement said.

Developed in partnership with Cornell University, the 12-month program offers a unique and highly individualized curriculum focused on practical application across all departments with an in-depth understanding of leadership skills.

This year’s Tahseen program continues its tradition of empowering aspiring leaders with operational experience and theoretical training. It welcomes a diverse group of new participants, equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to accelerate their careers in the hospitality industry.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the graduation of our 2023 Tahseen class and welcome all new candidates to the program,” said Sandeep Walia, chief operations officer, Middle East at Marriott International. “The Tahseen program embodies our commitment to fostering local talent and supporting Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy and Vision 2030 reforms.”

The graduation ceremony honored 38 graduates, with nearly half of them being women. These graduates have stepped into leadership roles within their respective hotels and departments, further exemplifying the program’s impact on career advancement and gender diversity.

Since its inception in 2017, the Tahseen program has seen more than 200 candidates graduate and transition into roles within Marriott International’s properties in Saudi Arabia. More than 70 percent of the graduates remain employed at Marriott International hotels, showcasing the program’s effectiveness in developing and retaining talent crucial for the growth of Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector. Moreover, women represent more than 40 percent of Tahseen graduates and current participants.

Reflecting on her journey, Basmah Suhail, who is now director of rooms at Marriott Hotel Diplomatic Quarter, said: “Tahseen has opened doors for me and provided me with countless opportunities so far. Since graduating from the first batch of Tahseen, I have developed my career, leading to my current position as director of rooms. Tahseen has provided me with a fantastic network of leaders inside the company, opened my eyes to what is really important and equipped me with the right leadership skills to inspire my teams and nurture the growth of emerging leaders.”

Amjaad Alhasani, training manager at Marriott Jeddah Madinah Road, expressed excitement about joining this year’s program, saying: “I will carry the lessons learned and the connections made during the Tahseen program as we embark on the next chapter of our careers. Our journey continues, and I am confident that we will continue to excel and make a positive impact on our organization. I am thankful to our leaders for the support and trust given during the program and beyond.”

The Tahseen program falls under Marriott International’s sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, which guides how the company makes a positive and sustainable impact wherever it does business. 

The platform is designed to foster business growth while balancing the needs of associates, customers, owners, the environment and communities. One of the priority areas of Serve 360 is “Empower Through Opportunity.” Tahseen is a program that directly supports and brings this vision to life.