Saudi Arabia and global packaging equipment manufacturer Sidel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Paris to explore the establishment of localized packaging operations in the Kingdom. The agreement was formalized during the official visit of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources to France.
Eng. Saleh AlSolami, CEO of the Saudi National Industrial Development Center (NIDC), signed the MoU on behalf of the Kingdom, with Clive Smith, Executive Vice President of Customer Management AOA at Sidel, signing on behalf of the company. The signing was witnessed by His Excellency Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, and Pietro Cassani, CEO of Sidel.
The partnership aims to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by advancing industrial localization, technology transfer, and the development of high-value services in the food and beverage packaging sector.
“Sidel is a global leader in the packaging solutions market and a source of valuable sectoral knowledge,” said Eng. AlSolami. “This partnership supports our ambition to build globally competitive industrial capabilities across strategic sectors.”
As part of the agreement, both parties will jointly assess the feasibility of establishing local services and capacity to meet Saudi Arabia’s increasing demand in the food and beverage packaging industry.
Eng. Yousef Dhahi, Vice President for Industrial Services at the National Industrial Development Program, noted, “Our partnership with Sidel was established after a thorough assessment of market needs and the expectation for significant value-added contributions to manufacturers in Saudi Arabia.”
The MoU aligns with broader efforts during the Minister’s France visit, including discussions with leaders from Airbus, Safran, and Lesaffre to enhance Saudi industrial cooperation with global players.