MODON inks three agreements to boost Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector

The announcement came during the Supply Chain and Logistics Services Conference, which took place from Oct. 22-23 in Riyadh. File.
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Updated 23 October 2023
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MODON inks three agreements to boost Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector

RIYADH: Chinese and Japanese firms have inked logistics agreements with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, also known as MODON.

The organization has partnered with AJEX Co. to operate logistic services through a Saudi-Chinese collaborative effort and Kintetsu World Express via a Saudi-Japanese accord.  

These partnerships aim to designate ready-to-use logistic modules in the burgeoning industrial epicenter of Dammam.

MODON has also reached an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s TAD Logistics, focusing on the development of logistic territories in both Riyadh and Dammam. This initiative promises a surge in national investments, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The announcement came during the Supply Chain and Logistics Services Conference, which took place from Oct. 22-23 in Riyadh.

This year’s conference theme was “Towards a Sustainable Supply Chain to Enhance the Circular Economy,” emphasizing the Kingdom’s drive to bolster its position as a pivotal global logistics hub, as outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.

In August, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled the General Plan for Logistics Centers. A feature of this plan is the incorporation of logistics centers spread across 17 pivotal industrial cities under MODON’s banner. A notable 11 are slated to serve as core internal distribution hubs.  

At the exhibition accompanying the conference, MODON showcased its logistic services.

Catering to both public and private sectors, the focus remained on the incentives ripe for exploration within the Kingdom’s industrial cities.  

The initiative is expected to draw significant interest from domestic and international industrial conglomerates, underpinning the national economy and supercharging the logistics sector.

A testament to MODON’s pursuit of excellence was evident in its 2023 milestones. The authority reported a surge in cumulative investments, surpassing SR400 billion ($106 billion).

Furthermore, the authority has been instrumental in increasing the number of operational factories to over 6,000, spread across a sprawling 202 million sq. meters in 36 distinct industrial cities.


Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

Updated 05 March 2026
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Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

RIYADH: Saudi mining and metals company Maaden has reported a 156 percent jump in its net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025, driven by higher commodity prices, record production volumes, and a one-off bargain purchase gain.

The state-backed giant posted a net profit of SR7.35 billion ($1.95 billion) for the full year 2025, an increase from SR2.87 billion in the previous year. The firm’s revenue surged by 19 percent to SR38.58 billion, up from SR32.55 billion in 2024.

This comes as Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to expand its mining sector as a pillar of economic diversification, encouraging international participation and private investment to unlock the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources under Vision 2030.    

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said: “Performance was led by record phosphate production, near record aluminum production, an increase in all three of Maaden’s main output commodity prices.”

The performance was also fueled by a 60 percent increase in gross profit, which reached SR14.79 billion. In its annual results announcement, Maaden attributed the top-line growth to “higher commodity market prices for phosphate, aluminum and gold business units,” as well as increased sales volumes in its phosphate and aluminum segments. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales volume in the gold unit.

Maaden’s CEO, Bob Wilt, hailed 2025 as a transformative year for the company, marked by strategic growth and operational excellence. “This was a great year for Maaden’s strategic growth. We delivered strong financial results and sustained operational excellence across the business,” he said in a statement.

“This was driven by growth in production across all businesses, including record-breaking DAP (di-ammonium phosphatevolumes), disciplined cost control across and a clear commitment to our role as a cornerstone of the Saudi economy,” Wilt added.

Profitability was further bolstered by an increased share of net profit from joint ventures and an associate. This included a one-off bargain purchase gain of SR768 million related to Maaden’s investment in Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. The company also benefited from lower finance costs.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was strong, with Maaden swinging to a net profit of SR1.67 billion, compared to a loss of SR106 million in the same period of the prior year. Quarterly revenue rose 7 percent to SR10.64 billion.

The firm achieved record production of di-ammonium phosphate, reaching 6.72 million tonnes for the year, a 9 percent increase. Aluminum production remained near-record levels, while the company added a net 7.8 million ounces to its reportable gold mineral resources through discovery and resource development.

The phosphate division saw sales jump 17 percent to SR20.77 billion, with the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin expanding to 47 percent. The aluminum business reported a 9 percent increase in sales to SR10.99 billion, with EBITDA more than doubling in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, Wilt emphasized that the pace of growth will accelerate as the company advances key initiatives, including the Phosphate 3 Phase 1 and Ar Rjum projects, which remain on budget and schedule. Maaden has also secured a gas supply for its future Phosphate 4 project.

“This pace of growth will only accelerate. Not only as we advance projects and increase the scale of our exploration program, but as we continue to grow production and implement technology that will further modernize, streamline and unlock value,” Wilt added.

Earnings per share for the year rose sharply to SR1.91, up from SR0.78 in 2024. Total shareholders’ equity increased by 18.7 percent to SR61.59 billion.