Acting US Consul General John Rath visited Saudi Steel plants at Jeddah Industrial Estate Phase 4 on Sunday. The visit was in response to an invitation extended by Mohamed H. Zakaria, CEO and general manager of Saudi Steel and senior vice president of Ahmed Salem Bugshan Group.
The diplomat acknowledged and appreciated Zakaria's hosting of several US ambassadors and consuls general over the years in Jeddah, including Stephan Buck, Richard Baltimore, Gina Abercrombie, Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Martin Quinn and Thomas Duffy at various plants managed by him.
Rath and his team were given a detailed power point presentation about Ahmed Salem Bugshan Group and Saudi Steel, including comprehensive market data on global and regional steel and soft drinks industry and a plant tour.
The diplomat was informed about growing business relationship between Saudi Steel and US steel companies, and Zakaria's recent approach to Ex-Im Bank (Export & Import Bank of the United States) to finance some of the group's mega projects valued at more than $300 million.
