KAEC to have 2m people, projects worth $100bn on completion: CEO

[Pangu]

Very impressive urban projects! You guys know how to take care of your people, all the best KSA.

 

[al-Hasani]

Ha, I'd bet the GCC could build a floating fortress with a population of 500,000 living off solar power/advanced desalination if they felt like it

Being ambitious and constantly progressing is necessary. Last year GCC spent 67.6 billion dollars on construction.

GCC sees $67.6bn construction projects completed in 2014

China is a shinning example of this. You guys are on a whole different level though thanks to your huge population of almost 1.3 billion Chinese souls.

Very impressive urban projects! You guys know how to take care of your people, all the best KSA.

Thank you. Let us hope that the ancient Sino-Arab relations will continue to grow and develop on all fronts. KSA's and GCC's biggest trading partner is our Chinese friends.

The 4th issue of Huna Magazine is out. Includes progress updates about KAEC.

Can be downloaded from this link below;

http://goo.gl/xQDFH8

To see more about KAEC;

#KAEC (@kaec_saudi) | Twitter

 

[TheTruth]

@al-Hasani well I am from Taiwan so the CCP gets all the credit for what it's achieved in China (and of course the mainland citizens)

I wonder what Saudi and the rest of GCC could do with large investments in desalination though, much of the Arabian peninsula could turn green

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani well I am from Taiwan so the CCP gets all the credit for what it's achieved in China (and of course the mainland citizens)

I wonder what Saudi and the rest of GCC could do with large investments in desalination though, much of the Arabian peninsula could turn green

Well, I consider China and Taiwan as one country. Maybe I am wrong here. I am going to visit China for the first time this spring and I am looking forward to it a lot. I would like to visit Taiwan too but this might be for another occasion.

Actually KSA and the GCC have tropical areas and many mountainous areas aside from the mainly long tropical coastlines. The problem is that there is not sufficient rainfall to transform the Arabian Peninsula into a tropical/semi-tropical/savanna like climate area again.

Also all of the ancient rivers have dried out. The last one a few thousand years ago. Some have even been described in the Bible so maybe less than 2500 years ago. Few lakes are left too. I don't count all the thousands of valleys in the mountains and highlands etc. where water is present for certain periods of the year.

Arabian Peninsula 5000 years ago;

Notice the huge lake which if it still existed today would be the biggest in the world;



To this day there are huge underwater reservoirs in the Rub' al-Khali desert and lakes too.

Animals like the Arabian Oryx use those lakes.



The weather is becoming more and more extreme though. For instance in recent years snowfall has occurred several times a year in KSA. Previously it happened more rarely. It snowed in Northern KSA 1-2 days ago for instance. Whenever it rains floods often occur. If it gets hot it gets really hot etc. Must be the global warming.

This article below will no doubt interest you.

Cooling a planet with Revegetation

Also if you or @xudeen want to see how the Arabian Peninsula looks like or the Arab world then I can recommend you to visit this thread below that I once created;

The Arabian Peninsula and Arab world in photos

 

[TheTruth]

@al-Hasani Haha ever since Taiwan became a "democracy" everything has gone south, more or less. Its economy is declining, the people prefer whining and identity politics over real progress, and no one takes Taiwan seriously anymore.

But that's pretty awesome - I'll look into the link. I had heard much of ancient MidEast + North Africa was originally a heavily forested, fertile place.

 

[Pangu]

Thank you my friend. KSA always facsinates me. Birth place of Islam, a region bestowed with black gold, a land of beauty. I like how you guys are moving towards renewable energy resources, instead of relying on just oil for all your needs. Certainly desalination will only become more important as time goes by as water becomes more scarces. I believe the late King Abdullah did a very wise thing to promote education abroad for young Saudis, to prepare you guys for moving away on reliance on oil & for a challenging future ahead.

I'm sure your trip to China will be a facsinating one for you, just as KSA is for us. Take care.

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani Haha ever since Taiwan became a "democracy" everything has gone south, more or less. Its economy is declining, the people prefer whining and identity politics over real progress, and no one takes Taiwan seriously anymore.

But that's pretty awesome - I'll look into the link. I had heard much of ancient MidEast + North Africa was originally a heavily forested, fertile place.

I was not aware of this. Time for China and Taiwan to unite then.

The link, "Cooling a planet with Revegetation" is entirely about the Arabian Peninsula. A very detailed article by an environmental expert.

Actually large areas of the ME and North Africa (MENA region) are still fertile and can grow almost every fruit and vegetable but indeed the region has been prone to desertification in recent millenniums. The Arabian Peninsula being no exception.

May I recommend this link below to see how the Arabian Peninsula and Arab world looks like. It will surprise many people.

The Arabian Peninsula and Arab world in photos

Thank you my friend. KSA always facsinates me. Birth place of Islam, a region bestowed with black gold, a land of beauty. I like how you guys are moving towards renewable energy resources, instead of relying on just oil for all your needs. Certainly desalination will only become more important as time goes by as water becomes more scarces. I believe the late King Abdullah did a very wise thing to promote education abroad for young Saudis, to prepare you guys for moving away on reliance on oil & for a challenging future ahead.

I'm sure your trip to China will be a facsinating one for you, just as KSA is for us. Take care.

Thank you for your very kind words which are words of wisdom my friend. I too, like most other Arabs, respect China a lot and we look toward China as a former giant (a bit like how the Arab/ME once was) and as a proudly independent country that survived the troubles of last century and became much stronger. With all the unrest in the Arab world we hope for the same to happen. Unfortunately we neighbor the Western world so they will probably cause trouble if we try to become too independent.

We Arab people hope to see the ancient Sino-Arab ties flourish and become even closer in the future.

This thread might interest both of you gentlemen.

GCC and China sign deal to boost cooperation

As preparation for my trip to China I have read about ancient Chinese history, modern Chinese history but also confucianism and also Confucius and his family. Very interesting.

 

[Pangu]

I was not aware of this. Time for China and Taiwan to unite then.

The link, "Cooling a planet with Revegetation" is entirely about the Arabian Peninsula. A very detailed article by an environmental expert.

Actually large areas of the ME and North Africa (MENA region) are still fertile and can grow almost every fruit and vegetable but indeed the region has been prone to desertification in recent millenniums. The Arabian Peninsula being no exception.

May I recommend this link below to see how the Arabian Peninsula and Arab world looks like. It will surprise many people.

The Arabian Peninsula and Arab world in photos



Thank you for your very kind words which are words of wisdom my friend. I too, like most other Arabs, respect China a lot and we look toward China as a former giant (a bit like how the Arab/ME once was) and as a proudly independent country that survived the troubles of last century and became much stronger. With all the unrest in the Arab world we hope for the same to happen. Unfortunately we neighbor the Western world so they will probably cause trouble if we try to become too independent.

We Arab people hope to see the ancient Sino-Arab ties flourish and become even closer in the future.

This thread might interest both of you gentlemen.

GCC and China sign deal to boost cooperation

As preparation for my trip to China I have read about ancient Chinese history, modern Chinese history but also confucianism and also Confucius and his family. Very interesting.

The oil is a blessing & at the same time a curse because they will want to control it. The only thing to do is to educate our people & rebuild our nations to be self sustainable in as many ways we can, to lessen their grip in time to come. It's a long road my friend.

I'm surprise you read Confucious hehe, don't be too shock to see that many people in China when you're there.

 

[al-Hasani]

The oil is a blessing & at the same time a curse because they will want to control it. The only thing to do is to educate our people & rebuild our nations to be self sustainable in as many ways we can, to lessen their grip in time to come. It's a long road my friend.

I'm surprise you read Confucious hehe, don't be too shock to see that many people in China when you're there.

Yes being blessed with oil and gas and numerous other natural resources as KSA has been is not always a benefit. One just have to read about the Dutch disease for instance.

Actually the largest gold mine in the ME and one of the oldest in the world is located in Hijaz, KSA. It's called Mahd adh Dhahab and has been working continuously for 5000 years.

Mahd adh Dhahab - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If the Arab world works hard and improves on the necessary fields, like China has for the past 3 decades, we can become equals with our European neighbors and a more balanced relationship would also be created this way. The potential is huge at least.

Well, I always study countries relatively closely that I am about to visit for the first time. Especially a very important country like China that always has interested me.

Well, the Arab world might be huge geographically speaking (not that China is not a big country) but in the areas that are populated the concentration of people is usually very big. So that' won't scare me.

 

[Banu Hashim]

ASJS lays the foundation stone for industrial plant that brings to the kingdom tomorrow's technology today. #KAEC

Awesome.​

 

[Saif al-Arab]

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[Saif al-Arab]

R120m MAMEE TGU snack food plant to be built in KAEC

Company executives at the laying of the foundation stone for their instant noodles and snack foods factory at the Industrial Valley in King Abdullah Economic City​

KAEC — Supporting its role as a hub for international investments and facilitating local production of the Kingdom’s food needs, the MAMEE TGU Factory Co., which is a joint venture between Mamee-Double Decker Sendirian Berhad and Top Golden Universe (TGU), has laid the foundation stone for their instant noodles and snack foods factory at the Industrial Valley in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior executives from KAEC, the Economic Cities Authority (ECA), Chairman of MAMEE Pang Chin Hin, CEO Pang Tee Chew and COO Pang Tee Nam, and other businessmen. The manufacturing facility, to be built on 30,000 square meters in the Industrial Valley-phase 1, will begin its first developmental phase immediately and become fully operational by 2017.

The new double story factory is expected to cover the instant noodles and snack food needs of the Saudi market as well as exporting its products to more than 120 countries. MAMEE TGU also has plans to venture into the manufacturing of beverages in year 3.

Fahd Al-Rasheed, Group CEO and Managing Director of KAEC, said: “We are happy to have MAMEE TGU at KAEC’s Industrial Valley a key location in their strategic expansion plans.” He added: “We continue to be very successful in attracting leading national and international companies to invest in KAEC and the Industrial Valley, where they are creating clusters of manufacturing and other business operations that are contributing to the diversification of the Kingdom’s economy."

Pang Tee Chew, Group CEO of MAMEE, said: “We are very proud to be part of this visionary project. We have identified the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a strategic market for us not only due to the size of the noodle and snack market at SR650 million and SR300 million respectively but also as a hub to penetrate into the Middle East and North Africa market with a combined noodle and snack market size which is in excess of SR14 billion by 2018.”

Rayan Qutub, CEO of the Industrial Valley in KAEC, said: “MAMEE TGU’s new factory is a great addition to the list of KAEC’s national and international investors looking to establish a foothold in the Industrial Valley.” He added:” Saudi Arabia accounts 60% of the food consumption and 75% of food processing in the Gulf region, and therefore we have developed the Industrial Valley as the new value-added logistics and manufacturing hub with all the advantages of an unrivaled strategic location. The immense investment opportunities available at IV being directly connected to King Abdullah Port, position it as the new manufacturing & logistics hub, and set it as the gateway to Saudi Arabia and the region, enabling investors to reach 250 million consumers in the Arab world and East Africa”.

He added: “To date we have attracted a wide range of national and international companies of which 8 are already in operation and 25 others are under construction, focusing on the six industrial clusters: FMCG/foods, pharmaceuticals, logistics, plastics, building materials and the automotive sector.”

Qutub furher said: “IV continues to endure the rapidly increasing demand on lease and freehold industrial lands in its second and third phase of development at a speed beyond expectations where currently infrastructure is being developed for an area that exceeds 25 million sqm to cope with the increased demand.”

Fayez Al-Sharif, CEO of Al Sharif Group and representative of the Saudi partners in the project, praised KAEC for the well-deserved status it has achieved globally, thanks to its work to become a major hub for global investment. He expressed optimism about the promising opportunities available in the Kingdom, which puts the company on solid ground in Malaysia and the entire Southeast Asia by helping it significantly boost its market share amid the dramatically rising buying power of local consumers. He added: “We will take advantage of the many benefits that KAEC provides, such as the speed and ease with which permits and licenses can be issued, and the ready availability of government services. Naturally, in return, our manufacturing enterprise will multiply job opportunities for young Saudis in various operational and administrative sectors.”

Al-Sharif pointed out that with the new factory, MAMEE TGU aims to fulfill the needs of Saudi consumers and to introduce major brand names to the Kingdom. With an initial cost of SR80 million, investment in the manufacturing facility will be increased to SR120 million as production builds up to full capacity within three years. The factory will provide more than 600 jobs and serve the entire Middle East, North Africa and Europe, due to the IV’s strategic location and direct link to King Abdullah Port. — SG

SR120m MAMEE TGU snack food plant to be built in KAEC | Economy | Saudi Gazette​

Mammoth machines for Rabigh 2 power project pass at KAP

The 10 giant equipment units, part of the total 94 units, each at approximately 30 meters length, to be used by Samsung Engineering in its Rabigh 2 power plant project. The received units at King Abdullah Port weigh 20,000 tons

JEDDAH — King Abdullah Port (KAP), owned and developed by Ports Development Co., recently received large equipment constructed by Samsung Engineering, which are 10 giant units as part of the first shipment of a total of 94 units, each at approximately 30 meters length. The received units weigh at an astonishing 20,000 tons, and this handling is considered as a unique leap in the works of freight and handling services at the port.

Samsung Engineering came to select King Abdullah Port to import the equipment due to its unique transport network, speed and world-class standards that allow the entry and exist of such large and heavy machinery, with large capabilities, making King Abdullah Port one of the most vital large ports in the region that can handle these types of equipment. These imported equipment are heading to be installed at Rabigh 2 power plant, a JV project between Samsung Engineering and Saudi Electricity Company to generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity in the western region, enhancing the overall development roadmap in Makkah Province.

Eng. Abdullah Hameedaddin, Managing Director of Ports Development Company, said: “We express our pride in the successful execution of handling these large equipment for Samsung Engineering, a solid ground of King Abdullah Port’s ultimate capabilities, professionalism and expertise in handling such delicate commodities and general cargo, especially those that are part of the vast developmental projects for the good of the national economy.”

Hameedaddin added: “King Abdullah Port has placed a dedicated team to develop logistical solutions for this extraordinary and exclusive general cargo project that will proceed for the next few months until all units are received. The magnificent cranes to handle containers can reach up to 25 rows of containers in addition to the latest technologies within with greater storage capability, making it able to receive and handle these types of equipment in additional to the largest vessels in the world, as very recently King Abdullah Port received the largest vessel to dock on the Kingdom’s shores, being 399 meters long and 54 meters wide.”

Mammoth machines for Rabigh 2 power project pass at KAP | Economy | Saudi Gazette​

 

[Saif al-Arab]

​

Great video made by an American.

Webpage.

King Abdullah Economic City

 

[Saif al-Arab]

$100bn city to be ready by 2035

Fahd Al-Rasheed … upbeat​

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published — Saturday 23 May 2015

Last update 23 May 2015 2:39 am

SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan: A $100 billion city-from-scratch in Saudi Arabia is to be completed by 2035 and will serve as the main logistics and manufacturing hub for countries on the Red Sea, the world’s “largest new emerging market,” said the CEO of the company in charge of the mega-project.
The business model of an entire city being built by the private sector was so unusual that it required adjustments in the beginning, said Fahd Al-Rasheed, the Group CEO of Emaar Economic City (EEC), which is building the King Abdullah Economic City.
“Putting that first phase together is the most difficult point,” he told The Associated Press in an interview on the sidelines of a regional conference of the World Economic Forum hosted by Jordan. “Once you figure it out, the sky is the limit, so we are in that phase now.”
EEC’s mother company, the Dubai-based Emaar Properties, built Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
The new city, located about 100 km north of Jeddah, is envisioned for 2 million residents, with industrial parks, hospitals, schools, golf courses and a port capable of handling 2.7 million containers per year.

$100bn city to be ready by 2035 | Arab News

First 2035? That's disappointing. Expected it to be earlier. Enormous project though.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

اليوم : بدء تنفيذ المرحلة الثالثة من الوادي الصناعي