Zahid/Volvo

Zahid Tractor (ZT) and Swedish transport solutions company Volvo Trucks Corporation recently celebrated 30 years of their partnership, in Riyadh. The partnership took shape with the shared vision of providing superior quality vehicles and after-sales services to a growing Saudi market. Thirty years later, through sustainable joint efforts and the development of local Saudi workforce, the fruits of that grand vision have become tangible realities. Today, Volvo trucks are assembled in a state-of-the-art assembly plant located at the industrial district of Kilo 14, Jeddah.  The plant boasts a 75 percent Saudization rate across all levels of the business including assembly line workers, mechanics and senior management. The plant is producing the same quality Swedish truck that is proudly assembled by competent Saudis. Amr Khashoggi, VP corporate affairs at Zahid Group, said: “Arabian Vehicles & Trucks Industry (AVI), a joint venture between our flagship subsidiary, Zahid Tractor and Volvo Trucks Corporation, was formed in 1998 to meet the dynamic growth in regional sales of Volvo trucks in the Kingdom. I’m proud to say that it has succeeded in developing a strong international partnership to create a world-class Saudi truck assembly business.” Fahad Y. Zahid, EVP, Zahid Tractor, said: “We look forward to continuously serving the Kingdom’s market through partnering with our customers and providing them with superior quality solutions and global best practices designed to address their requirements.” Lars-Erik Fonsbergh, president, Volvo Trucks MENA, said: “We at Volvo Trucks value our successful partnership with Zahid Tractor.”

STC

Making its “biggest and most generous offer” for Home Broadband Packages, STC is offering new customers a special rate of half-price for half a year covering three of its fastest connections — M Band Jood, Broadband Jood and X Band Jood. The offer enables customers to surf real and safe Internet at home and includes free installation and delivery. Other features are free round-the-clock local and national phone calls across the Kingdom, the use of various Internet services, the ability to run the current and future applications, and receiving group games and others with high quality and efficiency. STC states that the introduction of half-price Home Broadband Packages is in response to customer expectations and their aspirations to receive the best real Internet services at the lowest prices in the Saudi market. Consolidating its pioneering role in spreading Broadband services, STC is enabling home and business customers to enjoy high Internet speeds to browse, transfer data and upload programs. The company emphasizes that Home Broadband Packages are unique by having free telephone and Internet installation for new customers, in addition to current landline customers who want to receive Internet services by subscribing to one of the packages available in the offer. These packages also include free technical support round-the-clock seven days a week. It provides the opportunity to select one of the three available Home Broadband Packages according to their specific needs.

Samsung

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., an award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, has launched a free air conditioner maintenance campaign on its split and free-standing ACs for its 2006 models, with the participation of a team of Korean senior engineers and AC specialists offering technical support. The campaign by the team of engineers consisting of Lim Ansu, Lee Dongwon, Jinhyuk Oh, Jinsyu Park includes visits to customer workplaces and households to inspect the performance of the Samsung air conditioners and inform the owner on the ideal ways to maintain these products. This comes as part of Samsung’s eagerness to please its wide customer segment across the Kingdom. Jaec Park, GM, Samsung Electronics, Saudi Arabia, said: “We are always keen to provide enhanced up-to-date air conditioning technology that fits within the multiple environmental and climate factors. The visits by our dedicated and specialized personnel, gives an important indicator on the importance of the aspirations of Samsung within the Kingdom, in addition to its efforts in increasing sales and service centers seeking the priority of serving the customer first.” Bandar Qattan, one of Samsung’s loyal customers, is quoted as saying: “I sincerely thank Samsung Electronics, that has built within us the confidence and trust in their after sales products and all other services they have to offer. We have gained much insight and valuable information from the team on how to deal and maintain our appliances.”

Siemens

Siemens Energy has received a follow-up order from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for the construction of a turnkey combined cycle power plant. The company will build the Shuweihat S3 plant together with its Korean partner Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. about 260 km west of Abu Dhabi. The purchaser is a consortium comprising the Japanese Sumitomo Corporation, the Korea Electric Power Corporation and the local utility Abu Dhabi Electricity & Water Authority (ADWEA). After the scheduled start of commercial operation in 2014 the new plant will have an installed electrical capacity of 1,600 megawatts. Apart from supporting Abu Dhabi to cope with growing demand it will also deliver power to the nearby Ruwais refinery. For the countries on the Arabian Gulf infrastructure expansion has top priority in order to be able to meet the power demand of the rapidly growing population and expanding industry. Shuweihat S3 will be the sixth power plant erected by Siemens in Abu Dhabi. The company had also completed the Shuweihat S1 power plant as turnkey projects in 2004 and is targeting completion of the Shuweihat S2 power plant in September 2011. “ADWEA is one of our biggest customers. We’re very pleased that we’ve also secured this follow-up order for Shuweihat S3. We regard that as a sign of trust in our technology and our project management know-how,” said Michael Suess, CEO of the Fossil Power Generation Division of Siemens Energy.
 
Palma Village

Mohammad Al-Habib Real Estate Co. of Riyadh has confirmed the upcoming availability of the luxurious Palma Village Qassim compound in Buraidah. Consisting of 326 fully-furnished and well-appointed villas and apartments, expatriate residents of the village will benefit from a variety of modern conveniences and the outstanding service standards that have become synonymous over the years with all projects developed and managed by Mohammad Al-Habib Real Estate Company. Future residents may select from 3 or 4 bedroom villas to accommodate the entire family, or from our spacious 1 and 2 bedroom apartments while those on their own may opt for our studio-type apartments. A bright, modern, functional design and all the amenities of today’s modern worry-free home living will be included with the end product upon its delivery this coming January, 2012. Additionally, features such as 24 hour security and compound-wide CCTV coverage, 1 indoor and 3 outdoor swimming pools, a gymnasium, fitness center, saunas, Jacuzzis, football pitch, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts and a multipurpose room make the village a “truly unique addition to the region.” A supermarket, hair stylist and other retail shops are all on site and easy to reach. The village will be the first residential community of its kind in either Qassim Province or its administrative capital city Buraidah. The company says that the village is one of many more compounds now under development.