Saudi to export industrial robots by May
Alat-SoftBank venture to redefine manufacturing automation
#SaudiArabia #robotics – Public Investment Fund-owned technology manufacturing group Alat, in partnership with Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp., will begin exporting Saudi-made industrial robots by May 2025. The news was shared by Amit Midha, CEO of Alat during the 2025 PIF Private Sector Forum this week. The $150 million joint venture is establishing a fully automated manufacturing and engineering hub in Riyadh, dedicated to producing next-generation industrial robots. The factory, originally planned for December 2024, will serve both domestic and international markets, contributing an estimated $1 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP.
SO WHAT? – Saudi Arabia aims to establish itself as a key player in the global robotics and automation sector. By manufacturing Softbank-design industrial robots locally, the Kingdom will be both empowering its own manufacturing industry and creating cutting-edge technology to boost exports. Saudi Arabia has a clear goal to digitise and automate its entire manufacturing sector to make it efficient, sustainable and globally competitive.
Here are the key facts about Alat’s robotic manufacturing plans:
Public Investment Fund (PIF)-owned Alat, in partnership with SoftBank Group Corp. will begin exporting Saudi-made industrial robots by May 2025. The robots will be manufactured by the joint-venture formed between Alat and SoftBank.
The new timeframe was shared by Amit Midha, CEO of Alat during the 2025 PIF Private Sector Forum this week.
In 2024, Alat and SoftBank announced an investment of $150 million to build a fully automated robotics manufacturing and engineering hub in Riyadh. The hub is expected to add $1 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP.
The export of Saudi-made industrial robots will be a major milestone for the Kingdom’s technology sector. Alat also has a joint-venture with Lenovo that - according to comments made by the CEO - will manufacture notebook computers, PCs and servers by the end of 2025.
The robots will leverage SoftBank’s intellectual property and AI-driven automation, enabling self-programming capabilities and boosting manufacturing speed by up to five times.
The technologies being implemented at the new Saudi robotics plant promise 45% reduction in downtime, 85% decrease in manufacturing errors, and significant energy savings through AI optimisation.
The industrial robotics facility will be fully powered by renewable energy, aligning with Saudi’s commitment to sustainability and zero-carbon manufacturing.
By 2035, the government expects 32,000 factories in Saudi Arabia to be operating with leading-edge technology, accelerating industrial automation.
ZOOM OUT – Saudi Arabia’s push into industrial robotics is part of a broader effort to become a global leader in advanced manufacturing. With extensive infrastructure investments and a focus on clean energy, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a hub for next-generation, sustainable industrial automation.