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(Fourth and sixth paragraphs modified to rectify inaccuracy in the timeline)
US-based global water solutions company Xylem is planning to establish a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, a top company official said.
Naji Skaf, Xylem’s Managing Director for Middle East and Turkey told Zawya Projects that the company is finalising plans for a manufacturing facility in the Gulf kingdom.
“In Saudi Arabia, we see exponential growth as new cities are being built, new areas are being developed, which means there will be a need to deliver water to these communities. We would like to show our commitment to growing in Saudi Arabia with a production facility in the Kingdom to supply Made in Saudi Arabia products and by hiring local, buying local and delivering local.”
He added that the company expects to make an announcement about its plans in the Kingdom but didn’t disclose additional details.
Xylem currently has manufacturing facilities in Turkey and the UAE. In March 2022, Zawya Projects had reported that the company is carrying out a feasibility study to assess the cost and location for a plant in Egypt.
Skaf said Xylem’s plans for Saudi Arabia are based on the growth in infrastructure investments in the kingdom.
He said: “These investments are not only about pipelines, but also about all the moving parts that take the water from Point A to B, which is where we come in. There is going to be exponential growth in Saudi Arabia, and we need to be there contributing to those projects.”
Earlier this month, National Water Company (NWC), the state-owned provider of water and wastewater treatment services announced that intends to roll out 1,429 projects for tender worth more than 108 billion Saudi riyals ($29 billion), marking the water distribution sector's largest package of projects ever.
Xylem, which operates in over 150 countries, delivered revenues of $5.2 billion in 2021.
(Reporting by Anoop Menon; Editing by Bhaskar Raj)
