Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hossayen yesterday launched the first phase of an SR 1.32 billion Saudi-Japanese joint venture, the Arabian Japanese Membrane Company to manufacture a key material required for desalination plants.
The minister, who laid the foundation for AJMC’s second and third phases, said Saudi Arabia currently produces 18 percent of the world’s desalinated water. He estimated the global market value of desalinated water at $500 billion, adding that it is the second largest industry after oil. Saudi Arabia plans to implement a number of water projects by 2022 at a total cost of SR200 billion.
The Kingdom consumes seven million cubic meters of water daily, and 3.3 million cubic meters of which comes from desalination plants on the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts.
AJMC was established in the Rabigh Techno Park following an agreement with Toyobo, the Japanese technical partner. Toyobo’s president said his company would develop new desalination technology with the support of its Saudi partners.
AJMC will manufacture reverses osmosis membrane elements for seawater desalination for the Kingdom’s increasing desalination needs. The technology will include using hollow fiber membranes which are not only used in desalination but also for other purposes.
SR 1.3 bn desal membrane factory launched
