Philips has finished fitting out a multifunctional children's therapy room at the Mother of Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Autism Center in Riyadh. The project is the second for Philips in the Kingdom to help children with special needs. Late last year, the company sponsored the furnishing and decoration of a large children's play area at the Al-Faisaliyah Women's Welfare Society Autism Center in Jeddah. The children's therapy room was fitted with furniture and curtains, as well as training, educational and entertainment equipment, including a TV, VCR and digital DVD player, as well as a computer provided by Philips. Thanking Philips for its continued work to help autistic children, Reem Al-Sohaily, GM at the Mother of Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Autism Center, said the company's charitable contributions to hospitals and other centers working with sick or special needs children across the Kingdom and the rest of the Middle East was a confirmation of its commitment to the positive role that private-sector companies could play in the societies in which it has a presence. "Since its establishment more than 100 years ago, Philips is dedicated to improving the quality of life, both through its products and playing an active role in the communities in which it operates. "We look to continue such active collaborations with charitable organizations in the Kingdom," said Robert A.H. van de Riet, CEO, Philips. The Autism Center is the eight project of its kind undertaken by Philips in the region.
L'Azurde Group
German Ambassador Dr. Gerhard Enver Schrombgens, visited L'azurde Group for Gold and Jewelry in the Second Industrial Area in Riyadh. The ambassador and his staff toured the company headquarters where they were given a presentation on the production processes of gold and jewelry. They were pleasantly surprised by the advanced machinery used in producing chains, in addition to the skill and precision of manual work in all production stages. The ambassador next visited Jewelry House showroom in the factory to see the new collections launched by L'azurde for the Eid Al Adha season. Among these were 21K oriental collections, and 18K collections that were inspired by the latest Italian fashion trends and using semi-precious stones like turquoise, coral and tourmaline. In addition, the visitors saw the recently launched 18K Picasso Collection in which gold wires are shaped in a distinctive way resulting into large but lightweight models. The ambassador had a word of praise for the high level of L'azurde products, in addition to its continuous efforts in bringing new fashion trends to the region. "Your creations are marvelous. Thank you for this wonderful visit," the ambassador said.
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics has introduced its latest range of state-of-the-art mobile phones, SGH-E100 and SGH-P400, in the Middle East. The two mobile phones, which come equipped with a superior MMS-interactive feature, high-resolution color LCD display and polyphonic ringtones, are aimed at consumers looking for the ultimate in connectivity, performance and mobility from their mobile companion. Samsung is the second largest handset manufacturer in the Middle East. "This is largely the result of our commitment to usher revolution in the regional mobile communications industry while giving consumers the best in terms of both technology and quality," said Steve Han, senior manager-telecommunications, Samsung Gulf Electronics (SGE). Incorporating the latest, cutting-edge digital technology that Samsung is globally renowned for, the P400 is its first mobile phone to feature a rotating screen allowing users to take pictures from virtually any direction.
HP
Louay Helaby is HP's production plant operations manager in the Kingdom. In his role at HP's factory in Riyadh, Louay is the single contact for channel partners. He is responsible for supply chain control, new product introductions and product flow management. "As the HP eyes for the factory, I'm in charge of ensuring smooth running of the assembly plant and will keep a close watch on quality control," Helaby said. The plant is producing a diverse line-up of PCs, including the HP Compaq d320. It currently produces over 500 PC units per day with a potential capacity of 600 desktops on a daily basis. Louay started with HP Middle East four years ago as technical consultant based in the Kingdom. After the merger, Louay took over as technical specialist for the personal systems group for Bahrain, Levant and the Kingdom.
Ford
Awards keep rolling in for Ford's best-selling vehicle as the 2004 Ford F-150 was recently proclaimed the "Canadian truck of the year" by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, Ontario. Already crowned the "North American truck of the year" at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Canada's "best-selling" pickup for the last 38 years again demonstrated how successful Ford has been at "Rethinking" the truck. "Receiving this array of titles by these knowledgeable groups is quite an accomplishment, because we haven't just improved on it, but we've redefined it," said Jim Benintende, MD, Ford Middle East.