Alfa Laval, a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation, and fluid handling, has announced the inauguration of its new plate heat exchanger (PHE) assembly centre in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
The groundbreaking move aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify and grow the kingdom’s economy, providing new manufacturing jobs and supporting market growth and infrastructure development, thanks to quicker availability of products that have previously had a longer manufacturing lead time.
The new assembly centre will also provide the security of increased plant uptime and boosted productivity for Alfa Laval’s customers across the energy and HVAC sectors.
Previously, assembled units were transported to Saudi Arabia from overseas, which came with an associated carbon footprint. Localising the PHE assembly process will actively contribute to the reduction of this environmental impact, with components pre-shipped by sea, avoiding the need for airfreight with its higher associated CO2 emissions.
This strategic step thus also aligns with both the sustainability objectives of both the Saudi government, including becoming net zero by 2060, as well as those of Alfa Laval, which has a longstanding focus on reducing its own carbon footprint, and is committed reaching net zero on its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.
It also marks a significant uplift in Alfa Laval’s operational efficiency, enabling customers and partners - both in the Kingdom and wider region - to purchase Alfa Laval products assembled within Saudi Arabia and have them delivered faster. Proximity will help Alfa Laval better meet customer needs – including customers’ internal sustainability objectives.
Sergio Hicke, Cluster President – India, Middle East and SE Africa at Alfa Laval, said: “The new PHE assembly centre is a win-win for both operational excellence and eco-conscious industry practices, reflecting the commitments that guide Alfa Laval – to continuously improve the products and solutions we offer to our customers and partners, and to shape a sustainable future for the industries we work with.”
Alfa Laval has been established in the kingdom since 1995, and currently has a presence in Jeddah, Yanbu and Jubail. Historically, the company’s focus was on servicing equipment sold elsewhere but installed in Saudi Arabia, but its strategic goal over the coming period is to expand its operations in Saudi Arabia, and begin manufacturing products in-country, for local use and export.
