Saudi Arabia aims for 4,000 factories automation in 5 years

The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources plans to convert 4,000 factories from heavy reliance on expatriate workers to digital automation within five years, Arab News quoted Industry Minister Bandar Al Khorayef, as saying.

This comes amid the ministry’s efforts to build a conducive industrial environment for SMEs, as they account for over 80 per cent of the total industrial new licences since the beginning of 2021, El Khorayef noted in a previous statement.

The minister highlighted the importance of investing in Fourth Industrial Revolution’s applications, due to its role in changing the shape of the industrial sector, in his interview to Alarabiya.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence, blockchain, robots, 3D-printing and the internet of things that is expected to support Saudi’s transformation towards an innovation-based economy.