Al Watania for Industries (WFI), one of Saudi Arabia's major industrial organisations, and China's Donghexin Group (DHX) have signed a partnership agreement to establish the country's first integrated tin plate production facility.
The agreement was announced at the fourth session of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF2025) held in Riyadh under the patronage of the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef.
The plant, which will be located in Ras Al-Khair Industrial City and will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, is expected to meet Saudi Arabia's domestic market demand and turn the country into a regional export centre with an annual production capacity of 400,000 metric tons. The plant, which will be the first tin plate plant in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, will also respond to the growing demand of the tin plate industry in the MENA region.
Mosaed Al Ohali, Chairman of the WFI Board of Directors, said that this initiative demonstrates how international co-operation contributes to the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. He added that the plant will position Saudi Arabia as a strong player in the global tin plate market.
It was announced that the project will provide significant benefits such as knowledge transfer and development of local labour force and will directly create more than 500 new jobs. In addition, the initiative, which will strengthen the industrial supply chain, will increase exports while reducing import dependency.
DHX Chairman Dr Li Dong stated that this facility will not only be equipped with advanced technology, but will also operate with a production model with a low carbon footprint. Stating that the factory aims to be one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly production facilities in the world with the use of green energy, Li Dong emphasised that this will set a standard for the global plate industry.
The project is scheduled to start production in early 2027. Abdulrahman Al-Juaid, CEO of WFI, said that this strategic initiative will position Saudi Arabia as an exporter of tin plate and increase industrial self-confidence while supporting key sectors such as food and beverages.
This new facility is considered as an important step in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, while increasing Saudi Arabia's economic diversification and international competitiveness in the field of industry.
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