Al Mutlaq: "We are Targeting Projects for World Cup 2022"

To Announce First Win Soon

Riyadh:20 May, 2013 - Alessa Industries Group, one of the leading integrated industrial conglomeratesin Saudi Arabia, has announced its plan to expand into the Qatari market leveraging the huge potential offered by diverse sectors of the economy.

Engineer Yousef Al Mutlaq, Chief Executive Officer, Alessa Industries Group, said: "The decision to boost our presence in the Qatari market is based on the country's promising potential. Qatar has registered one of the highest growth rates in the region across various industry segments. The move also reflects our commitment to supporting economic integration between the member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council."

It is worth mentioning that the government of Qatarhas pumped in nearly US$250 billion in less than 10 years for the development of projects that have attracted investments from several international majors.

The Alessa Industries Group laid the ground work towards strengthening its presence in Qatar early last year through setting up a dedicated branch office in Doha.

Al Mutlaq added: "We have already established a strong relationship with several leading companies in Qatar. This is driven by our presence and reputation in the market through our partners and portfolio of products. While our partners represent a range of well-known local and international trademarks such as Gibson and Hitachi, we have consistently catered to the country's demand for innovative products, especially eco-friendly offerings that are compatible with Qatar's green buildings standards."

Alessa Industries Group offers solutions that complement the vision of the Qatari leadership to position the nationat the forefront of energy management and green buildings.

He added: "Our multi-pronged presence in Qatar will see us support the economy across various sectors.We are particularly keen to contribute to the World Cup 2022 with our capacity to provide a comprehensive bouquet of products that meet the policy of the construction sector and the holistic needs of infrastructure developments including stadiums and hospitals. We are already in dialogue with members of the technical committees of the World Cup2022, which sets standards and specifications for projects in the state. We are gearing up to announce our first project in Qatar soon."

In view of tailoring their offering, Al Mutlaq confirmed that in 2012 the firm teamed up with several internationally based partners, including a US-based company with expertise in eco-friendly air handling units, and had successfully executed several projects in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

He also stressed that the company is keen on marking a strong participation at the 10th 'Qatar Projects' exhibition, the leading international trade show for materials, equipment and techniques of construction and environmental technology in Qatar and the region that attracts senior buyers seeking the latest technology and equipment.

Al Mutlaq said that the participation in 'Qatar Projects 2013' comes as part of the company's strategy to strengthen its presence in key international forums. He also pointed out that the importance of the exhibition stems from its role in providing architectural, engineering and industrial companies with a valuable platform for the exchange of ideas and for acquiring knowledge about the opportunities available in construction as well as air conditioning and cooling.

Sharing his vision for the industrial sector in the GCC countries, Al Mutlaqsaid:"The regional industrial sector offers large-scale opportunities, and is an important strategic choice in the context of diversifying the national economy and moving away from dependence on oil and gas.Undoubtedly, we have made great strides in this area. However, we believe that the potential is much greater. Alessa Industries Group believes in these opportunities and has, therefore, invested heavily in developing an advanced domestic industrial capability."

Elaborating on this factor, he informed: "We recently built a number of factories, especially air handling units, in an attempt to shift the base of this technology from the US and European countries to our region. Within one year of opening our production plant in Riyadh, our projects have begun demonstrating growth along with the size of our business in the region as a whole."

While the Group's existing plants cover the Gulf region and the Middle East, Al Mutlaq did not exclude their readiness to establish plants in Qatar in the future should the need arise. Such decisions he clarified were driven by feasibility assessments that are aligned with the country's industrial operations. "This is an issue that we take very seriously and that we constantly explore. What matters is that these projects add real value to the Alessa Industries Group as well as the countries that we operate in."

-Ends-

About Alessa Industries
Alessa Industries, with headquarters in Riyadh, operates in the manufacturing, trade, and contracting construction sectors in KSA and abroad. A leading integrated industrial group in Saudi Arabia, the quantum leaps in growth and development it has achieved made it possible for this national company to enjoy high levels of sales of home air conditioners in the Middle East. The company has followed a local and regional diversification strategy and has contributed to the localization of the industry and employment and development of Saudi nationals.

Launched 75 years ago, Alessa Industries has successfully developed a solid industrial base. The group  saw its start in  marketing and distribution of home appliances for several of the world's leading companies. In 1975, there was a shift in focus towards the industrial sector with the successful launch of Alessa's first project for manufacturing air conditioners in alliance with an American company. The change accompanied the launch of a Saudi Arabia plan with a government focus on development of the industrial sector and transfer of modern technologies. Alessa has evolved as a company to provide all of the requirements for modern homes either through its own manufacturing facilities or from leading international companies. The group currently has an extensive network of distributors in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. 2008 marked several  important milestone for Alessa Industries with the group's transition to a closed joint stock company, as well as the launch of several initiatives that increased performance and efficiency.

The group is comprised of four leading and diversified companies covering the trade, manufacturing and contracting construction sectors: Hamad Abdullah Al Essa and Sons, and Alessa for manufacturing of refrigeration and air conditioning, Inc, Alessa Advanced Projects Company for developed projects, and Huntair Arabia Hunt Arab Air.

For more information contact:
Majed Al Badrani
Alessa Industries, Al Riyadh
645-499-504-0096 (direct)
Email:mbadrani@alessa.com.sa

© Press Release 2013