GE To Invest $100m In Saudi Arabia

US conglomerate General Electric (GE) has announced a further investment of $100 million in its research and manufacturing programmes in Saudi Arabia.

This is in addition to the $1 billion investment the company has made in the Saudi market over the last three years, GE said.

With the recent investment, GE will expand its manufacturing capability by producing HA gas turbines in Dammam.

Oil and gas manufacturing capability will also be increased considerably with the company looking to build its first LED manufacturing facility in the region.

Other plans included partnerships with a number of educational institutions including King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals for new research and development programmes to improve energy efficiency.

The US-based conglomerate first opened its Innovation Centre at Dhahran Techno Valley in 2012 to improve local R&D for healthcare and energy solutions.

GE said that the centre had already recorded its first patent and trained around 600 professionals in energy efficiency technologies.

Meanwhile, GE’s manufacturing centre for technology has serviced over 550 gas turbines and exports 80 per cent of its parts. The facility employs over 700 skilled workers, out of which 75 per cent are Saudi professionals.

The additional investment in Saudi Arabia follows GE’s announcement of a new facility in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zonelast year.

The new centre, measuring 22,700 sqm in size, will offer services by GE Oil & Gas’ various business units. It will also offer training programmes and feature a dedicated repair center.