"This is the first training facility of its kind, which will impart training about the whole range of elevator and escalator models," said Jiro Kurashima, MELSA president.

"This multimillion dollar training center will help Mitsubishi to employ more young Saudis and provide them integrated training solutions," Kurashima said at a news conference.

Saturday's opening ceremony was attended by top officials including Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Endo; Ali bin Nasser Al-Ghafis, governor of Technical and Vocation Training Corporation (TVTC); Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Jeraisy, president of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and Aidroos Alesayi, vice chairman and managing director of Omar K. Alesayi & Co. Ltd.

Other prominent guests who attended the event and also addressed the audience included Mitsuo Muneyuki, Mitsubishi executive vice president; Shinji Sasaki, vice president of Building Systems Group (MELCO of Japan), and Tamotsu Tsuchida from Mitsubishi Electric factory, Japan.

Tamotsu made a presentation about green technology for elevators and escalators during the opening ceremony. The program was conducted by Mushtaq Ahmed, MELSA's marketing chief; who presented the company's profile and counted MELSA's achievements during the last 31 years.

Kurashima said that the facility has an area of 2,728 square meters including a built-up area of 2,500 square meters.

"The center is equipped to run many training programs for various skill levels simultaneously," said MELSA Managing Director Alesayi.

He said the center also hosts special workshops equipped with latest tools, work manuals, and equipment.

Dubbed as "Mitsubishi Electric Saudi Limited Employees Training Center", the facility has several specialized sections like the basic workshop, welding workshop, electrical training zone, door-system workshop; and lecture rooms, said Alesayi.

He also emphasized that MELSA was in the green category within the framework of the Nitaqat Program and the training center will further support the Saudization drive by employing and training more and more Saudis.

He said the training center houses the Mitsubishi Elevator Information Center (MIC) and the  24-hour round-the-clock call center that provides service support to all customers through a toll free number 800 128 28 28. 

MELSA, which can boast to grab 26 percent of the local elevator and escalator market, has supplied more than 15,000 units in over 3000 projects so far.

MELSA's Japanese counterpart — Mitsubishi Electric established in 1921 — has a consolidated net sales exceeding $ 45 billion annually.