The launch, at Dammam's 2nd Industrial City, was hosted by GE Vice Chairman John Krenicki, and in attendance were more than 400 high-level government officials and dignitaries, including Labor Minister Adel Fakeih, key GE executives and GE’s joint venture partner Tariq Al-Tamimi of Ali A. Tamimi Co.
"Our global strategy at GE is to be close to our customers," said Krenicki in his opening remarks.
"With its location right here in Dammam, the center will support us in providing quality services to our customers in the Kingdom and across the region. Because of the advanced technology it services, the center will support customers as far as Europe and Africa as well," he said.
More importantly, he announced the center will create over 2,000 jobs.
"This center will provide high technology training and quality jobs to Saudi Arabia's talented youth and support the Kingdom's manufacturing and export ambitions," he said. Fifty percent of the work force will be Saudis.
"GE is proud of its rich heritage with Saudi and its infrastructure, a journey that started 80 years ago with the first GE turbine for oil exploration in the Kingdom ... to over 500 GE turbines today supporting the generation of over 50 percent of Saudi Arabia’s electricity. We are also helping the generation of over 180 million liters of clean water per day in the Kingdom," he pointed out.
He described the new center as a regional hub for the energy industry.
"It will effectively complement and boost current energy service capability, and this facility will provide localized support in all engineering and commercial aspects, which is important for long-term sustainability,” he said.
The new center is being described as one of the largest of its kind by the company worldwide. It consists of three key main components: A manufacturing facility of high-technology equipment for the power, water and oil and gas industries; a service and repair center for advanced turbine equipment; and a training center that will offer the latest technology and managerial courses for college students, field engineers and other power industry professionals throughout the region.
"As Saudi Arabia forges ahead with its ambitious development plans, the opening of the GE Energy Manufacturing Technology Center underscores GE’s commitment to be closer to our customers who trust us to deliver the latest technologies and services across the full spectrum of the energy landscape," said Krenicki.
The new technology center is developed in association with Ali A. Tamimi Co., GE’s long-term joint venture partner. Both companies have been working closely together for almost 60 years.
Tariq Tamimi said: "We see this new center as a regional hub for the energy industry which will effectively complement and boost current energy service capability. The Dammam facility will provide localized support in all engineering and commercial aspects, which is important for long-term sustainability."
The center will have the capability to manufacture high technology equipment supporting the power generation, electrification and oil and gas industries. It is part of GE’s expanded investment in energy equipment manufacturing which includes critical components for GE gas turbines for the generation of electricity, control units for the reliable transmission of electricity, low and medium voltage motors for heavy industries as well as drilling and production equipment for the oil and gas industry.
In line with the Kingdom’s focus on boosting public private partnerships to drive Saudi human resource development, the advanced training center hosted within GE’s new facility will offer the latest technology and managerial courses for college students, field engineers and other power industry professionals throughout the region.
The technical education that will be offered will be key to providing young Saudi and regional talent with the skills and qualifications to contribute to the Kingdom’s growing energy sector. GE training efforts include comprehensive co-op programs with leading Saudi universities, including King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Prince Mohammed bin Fahd University as well technical colleges under the Technical and Vocation Training Corporation (TVTC).
According to Joe Anis, president and chief executive officer of GE Energy in the Middle East, the center comes at a time when the region is undergoing an era of unprecedented growth. "Saudi Arabia experienced 4 percent GDP growth in 2010 and the expected GDP growth for 2011 is to be north of this figure. This growth has led to also a record rise in demand for power and water. The demand for power in Saudi Arabia is expected to double and water to triple by 2020," he said at a press conference before the official inauguration.
It was a proud moment for Hisham Bahkali, country executive, GE Energy in Saudi Arabia. "As a Saudi national, I am proud of the promising career opportunities that the center offers young talented Saudi nationals to support our country’s continued growth," he said. "All this is thanks in good part to the innovative partnerships we have established over the years with the country’s finest universities and technical colleges."
