JEDDAH: Investment linked to new factories in Saudi Arabia doubled in June, with more than $1 billion associated with new industrial licences.

The SR4.46 billion ($1.19 billion) is linked to the 364 new industrial licences approved by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources — a monthly rise of 36 percent.

The latest permits are set to create more than 3,138 jobs across the Kingdom, compared with more than 2,484 jobs expected from projects licensed in May, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Also in June, 164 factories began production, representing a 10.1 percent increase from the previous month.

The expansion is part of Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Strategy, which aims to increase the number of factories in the Kingdom to about 36,000 by 2035.

According to a statement by the ministry, spokesperson Jarrah Mohammed Al-Jarrah said “the value of investments in factories that began production during June reached SR1.88 billion, with an estimated 2,567 new job opportunities.”

Factories entering production attract SR1.88bn

The June figures reflect the continued expansion of the Kingdom’s industrial base and the accelerating pace at which factories are entering actual operation, Al-Jarrah said.

Investments in factories that started production in May reached SR1.43 billion, with an estimated 2,410 new jobs, according to a separate report by the ministry published on Sept. 17.

According to the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program’s 2025 annual report, the number of industrial facilities in Saudi Arabia reached 12,946 last year, putting the Kingdom at about 36 percent of its 2035 target.

The report also highlighted the broader economic contribution of the industrial and related sectors, with activities covered by the program contributing SR1.05 trillion to Saudi Arabia’s non-oil gross domestic product in 2025, accounting for 39 percent of total non-oil GDP, up from SR996 billion in 2024.

Cumulative non-government investments in economic and industrial cities and special economic zones reached SR1.47 trillion, underscoring the scale of investment supporting the Kingdom’s industrial development and economic diversification.

Recent ministry initiatives have also focused on industrial innovation, advanced technologies, investment and workforce development.