JEDDAH, 1 March 2005 — A Saudi company has reached a milestone by completing 100 years.
Aujan Industries, largest privately owned independent soft drink and confectionery manufacturer, marketer and distributor in the Middle East, kicked off its centenary celebrations on Sunday, when it unveiled its centenary logo and business strategy that is aimed to take the company forward over the next 100 years.
It is marking its centenary celebration with a range of initiatives that include an Idea Trophy to university students, a centenary trade promotion and training courses, which are aimed to contribute toward the ongoing Saudization process.
“This is a great day for Aujan Industries. It’s not every day that a GCC company can pride itself as operating in the region for 100 years,” its Chairman Adel Aujan told a press conference at Jeddah Hilton on Sunday.
Aujan Industries, one of the top 100 companies in the Kingdom, made a beginning in 1905 with a small trading operation in Bahrain. It launched its business in Dammam in 1970. As the Kingdom flourished, its business expanded and launched Rani Juice in 1976. By 1978, Aujan had branches in very major city across the Kingdom. In 1980, it set up its own manufacturing plant in Dammam.
This was a major step for Aujan as the business progressed from importing and distributing beverages to local manufacturing and distribution. “Today, Aujan Industries is a company with a turnover of over SR900 million and 1,200 employees. Aujan is one of the first companies to mass produce and distribute beverages in the Middle East. We’ve invested significantly in our manufacturing facility in Dammam, which has resulted in a plant that boasts leading edge machinery with the most versatile and flexible technologies as well as the highest capacity in the Middle East,” its Managing Director Bader Aujan said.
Most recently, the company invested in a new SR150 million manufacturing plant in the UAE at the Dubai Investment Park. This plant will supplement the facility in Dammam and boost its manufacturing capacity by more than 50 percent. “Our achievements over the last 100 years have been phenomenal, both in terms of revenue and growth. As we embark on the next 100 year journey, the new strategic direction will capitalize on our company’s strengths and aim to further accelerate our business growth and double our turnover by 2009,” said Tolga Sezer, its head of marketing.
The company plans to consolidate and expand its market share in the Middle East with its own brands like Rani, Barbican, Vimto and Hani. The company is also the main region wide distributor of international brands like Cadbury, Wrigley’s and Unilever’s Lipton Ice Tea.
