- Saudi Arabia launches national hub to accelerate 4IR-driven industrial transformation.
- “Factories of the Future” aims to upgrade 4,000 plants with smart technologies.
- Initiative identifies 800 investment opportunities worth SAR 1 trillion by 2030.
The Advanced Manufacturing and Production Center has been established by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources as a national hub aimed at driving the Kingdom’s industrial transformation initiatives and speeding up the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies. The center will act as the main hub managing smart-manufacturing initiatives and enhancing the global competitiveness of factories in Saudi Arabia.
During his address at the Saudi Industrial Transformation Expo 2025, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef stated that the center’s “Factories of the Future” initiative seeks to enhance over 4,000 factories, turning them into intelligent, automated plants that utilize cutting-edge digital and industrial technologies.
The center aims to promote essential goals consistent with Saudi Vision 2030, such as expediting the transition of current factories to smart-manufacturing environments driven by artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things.
It will additionally encourage the implementation of state-of-the-art, sustainable technologies to enhance the efficiency of Saudi factories, assist in the localization of previously imported advanced and deep manufacturing capabilities, mitigate supply-chain risks, create new export opportunities, and reinforce research, development, and innovation. Cultivating domestic talent and drawing in valuable industrial investments are fundamental aspects of the initiative.
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The Kingdom aims for 14 factories to become part of the network by 2030. In its effort to support the transformation initiative, the ministry has designated an extra 50 slots under the 4IR Initiative for factories engaged in the expo.
The program involves evaluations utilizing the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI), the creation of digital-transformation strategies, and the execution of advanced-manufacturing solutions in collaboration with certified technology partners. The plan highlights 118 key industrial product categories and details over 800 investment prospects valued at SAR 1 trillion.