This manufacturing facility will be an integral part of the Industrial Valley in the city.
Pfizer is looking to provide a number of direct jobs at this facility in addition to other ancillary jobs and industrial opportunities that will arise.
The factory will contain the latest technologies for manufacturing pharmaceutical products in the Kingdom with the same global quality standards maintained by Pfizer plants worldwide.
With this plant, Pfizer joins the elite list of international and local companies that have begun to set up factories in KAEC.
Other companies include Mars, Total, Sanofi-Aventis and Grief.
This facility will give rise to many opportunities to prepare and train young Saudi talent interested in exploring the pharmaceutical industry.
It will also manufacture well-established pharmaceutical brands locally with international expertise.
Pfizer is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City.
It is widely known for breakthrough medicines, including Lipitor, Viagra and Diflucan. Pfizer’s products are widely sold in various developed and emerging markets across the world.
This agreement with Pfizer comes in line with EEC’s plan to attract global pharmaceutical players in order to further develop the local pharmaceutical cluster.
“For KAEC to be chosen by a world leader in pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, as a new base for establishing a world-class facility demonstrates the promising investment opportunities the city offers to leading companies,” said Fahd Al-Rasheed, MD and CEO of KAEC.
“The Industrial Valley has been designed with global planning standards for industrial zones, has become a hub for a large number of local and global industrial companies looking to establish projects either through ownership or long-term lease,” he said.
We treat each client as unique from every other and see to it that we can support requirements of both local and international manufacturers,” he said.
The CEO said there are numerous advantages for local and global major companies which help create an atmosphere of investments.
These include clear and business-encouraging regulations and hassle-free processes, ease of issuing permits and licenses and the possibility of providing qualified manpower through training centers for Saudi talents,
The availability of housing solutions within the vicinity of the Industrial Valley and the direct link with King Abdullah Economic City seaport makes the Industrial Valley a unique location for manufacturing and logistics.
Hussein El-Hakim, country manager, Pfizer Saudi Arabia, said: “We are enthusiastic about this project. Establishing this facility is an important step to expand our foothold in the Kingdom. This will help boost our pharmaceutical activities within international quality standards.”
The country manager said: “With the foundations laid for such prominent partnership ventures, Saudi Arabia is sending a very strong and positive message to the world — that we are well positioned to host world-class industry leaders, suppliers and manufactures.”
Based at KAEC on the west coast of the Red Sea, north of Jeddah, the Pfizer project will benefit from the competitive advantages offered by the Saudi Government, aimed at attracting more investors and promoting KAEC as a business and industry center of excellence that encompasses state-of-the-art infrastructure and amenities.
“At Pfizer, we are committed to supporting our community, and finding innovative ways to share best practices, knowledge and skills, as well as partnering with the Saudi Government, MOH, SFDA and SAGIA to improve access to the medicines that the population of Saudi Arabia need the most,” added El Hakim.
Ahmed Linjawy, president of Industry and City Services in King Abdullah Economic City, expressed his happiness for signing the contract.
“We have seen the completion of occupancy of the first phase of the Industrial Valley and the launch of the second phase. Pfizer being one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world is a confirmation that KAEC has the ability to attract large companies from diverse industries. At the root of KAEC is world-class infrastructure, efficient support services and besides electricity, water, sanitation, and modern telecommunications services.”
Linjawy added: “The importance of this new plant is that it will enhance the pharmaceutical industry in Saudi Arabia and the region, and will provide new horizons for the development of this important industry and significant opportunities for training of Saudis to work in leading pharmaceutical companies.”
The Industrial Valley will be seamlessly linked to the KAEC seaport and thus will give access to over 250 million consumers in Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Asia.
