JUBAIL: A dazzling laser show on Tuesday marked the opening of the high-tech Samsung Naffora Techno Valley, a Jubail training complex through which the South Korean engineering company expects to boost its Saudization efforts.
Eastern Province Deputy Gov. Prince Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu Chairman Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thunayan attended the event, which was hosted by Samsung Engineering President and CEO Park Ki-Seok.
The SR375 million ($100 million), 50,000 square-meter engineering center was funded, developed and constructed by Samsung Saudi Arabia, which has completed 24 lump-sum, turnkey construction projects for major Saudi companies including Saudi Aramco, Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) and Maaden with a total value of more than $10 billion.
The new complex will serve as a recruitment, education and training hub for Saudi engineers and includes dormitories, dining facilities and a sports center with various amenities such as basketball courts, a swimming pool and bowling alleys. In addition, a safety training center will teach employees international safety standards required in the construction trades.
Samsung Saudi Arabia currently employs 180 Saudi employees -- 20 percent of the company's work force in the Kingdom.
It has ongoing local recruitment activities including career fairs with engineering universities.
"We are very appreciative of the interest and support of our contributions to the community and hope that with our future programs we can make a lasting impact in this region," Park told guests. "We extend our gratitude to the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu for its continued support."
Park said the complex should enable the company to upgrade regional safety standards, training and education for transfer of high technology and global project managerial skills. Samsung Saudi Arabia employees learned Wednesday that they would receive a bonus equivalent to two-month's salary to mark the opening of the center.
Founded in 1970, Samsung Engineering Co. Ltd. is the first and largest South Korean engineering, procurement and construction contractor for hydrocarbon, industrial and infrastructure plants or facilities. It has 6,000 employees worldwide and entered the Saudi market in 1999.
With $6 billion in current projects in Saudi Arabia, the complex will serve as the global networking link between its head office and overseas branches.
© Arab News 2011
