- Saudi minister Alkhorayef met US officials and companies to boost cooperation in mining, tech, and industry.
- Discussions covered lithium, EVs, aerospace, smart cities, AI, and advanced manufacturing under Vision 2030.
- The visit included Albemarle’s lithium mine tour and Honeywell talks on automation, IoT, and Future Factories.
Saudi Arabia and the US discussed collaboration in areas such as lithium, aerospace, and supply chain resilience during a significant visit headed by the Kingdom's minister of industry and mineral resources.
Bandar Alkhorayef wrapped up a four-day visit focused on enhancing economic and industrial relations, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
The conversations included energy innovation, mining, essential minerals, advanced manufacturing, specialty chemicals, food processing, medical devices, smart city technologies, electric vehicle manufacturing.
Discussions between the government and private sector emphasized the promotion of strategic partnerships in alignment with Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Strategy, Comprehensive Mining and Metals Industries Strategy, and the goals of Vision 2030.
“I concluded my visit to the US, which included meetings with government officials, leaders of major companies, and heads of academic and research institutions to strengthen cooperation in industry, mining, and technology, facilitate knowledge transfer, and build strategic partnerships supporting our national objectives,” Alkhorayef said in a post on his X account.
During the visit, Alkhorayef spoke with high-ranking US government officials, such as Energy Secretary Chris Wright and North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley.
The minister emphasized Saudi investment prospects in technology, artificial intelligence, and innovative sectors during discussions with investors in North Carolina, organized in collaboration with the US Chamber of Commerce.
Alkhorayef interacted with leaders from prominent American companies, including General Mills, Lilac Solutions, and RTX. He additionally encountered delegates from International Flavors and Fragrances, Guardian Industries, Abbott, Skytower Global Investments, MP Materials, and Albemarle.
Discussions centered around collaborative investment, mining partnerships, technology exchange, and establishing advanced industries domestically in the Kingdom.
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Alkhorayef additionally toured Albemarle Corp.’s Kings Mountain lithium mine in North Carolina, which is a vital location in North America’s critical minerals strategy, with projected production capable of fueling 1.2 million electric vehicles each year by 2030. He talked about technology transfer, joint ventures, and knowledge sharing in lithium extraction and processing with Albemarle Chairman and CEO Kent Masters.
On Aug. 29, the minister met with Vimal Kapur, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell, to talk about increasing collaboration in advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, and smart city initiatives. The discussions highlighted the importance of implementing international best practices in digital industrial infrastructure and the significance of smart technologies in advancing the Saudi industry.
The meeting also explored collaborative investment in intelligent industrial solutions, sophisticated automation systems, and IoT networks. It offered insights into Saudi Arabia's Future Factories Program, which seeks to upgrade 4,000 facilities via automation and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to enhance efficiency and lower costs.