Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced the launch of its composite manufacturing facility, SAMI Composites, to produce composite parts for structural aerospace sub-assemblies, contributing to enhancing the Kingdom’s industrial capabilities in the air and defence industries.

SAMI will partner with a leading international Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for the project, thereby facilitating the transfer of technology and knowledge to enhance the local capabilities of the Saudi military industries sector.

The new composites unit will enhance the Saudi aerospace supply chain by using composite raw materials, production consumables, and manufacturing tooling. In addition, it will create 28 new high-skill jobs in 2022, with the number expected to rise to 90 in subsequent years.

On the announcement, Chairman Ahmed Al-Khateeb said: “In line with our commitment to supporting the achievement of Vision 2030 goals, we at SAMI have a strong focus on developing Saudi Arabia’s capabilities in the aerospace and defense industry.”

“The new composite manufacturing facility represents a significant step forward in this mission as it will play an instrumental role in driving the localisation of our competencies through partnerships with globally renowned OEMs besides boosting our aerospace exports and developing the technical skills of Saudi nationals in the defense industries sector,” he stated.

CEO Walid Abukhaled said: “We are pleased to have reached a new milestone in our efforts to boost the development of indigenous, leading-edge products and solutions.”

“With its massive manufacturing facility equipped with state-of-the-art systems and technologies, SAMI Composites will enable Saudi Arabia to become a leading supplier and exporter of composite aerospace components, serving the defense and other sectors in Saudi Arabia and globally, affirming that the facility will add tremendous value to the national economy by creating around 100 high-quality jobs and increasing non-oil exports over the next few years,” he stated.