Planning is underway for a new industrial city to be built south of Jeddah city.

Some 25 million sq m of land have been allocated for the industrial city which will be managed by Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon). Adnan Mandoura, secretary general of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), has said the new industrial city will contribute to a 30 per cent increase in the number of industries in the Jeddah area.

City to house 400 industries

According to preliminary estimates there will be about 400 industries in the new city, prominent among them being companies specialising in information technology and communications, he said.

Giving background details, Mandoura said the chamber took the lead in the creation of a new city following demand voiced by businessmen for space to house new industries. The official said the chamber presented an application to Second Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Prince Naif regarding the proposal a year and a half ago.

Job prospects

Mandoura highlighted that the new industrial city would create thousands of job opportunities for Saudis and help in the transfer of technology into local hands across various sectors. 'We expect giant industries will be set up in the future,' he said.

The present industrial city in Jeddah has undergone five phases of development and now houses more than 1,000 industries which produce goods including pharmaceuticals, plastic products, foodstuff and utensils.

A businessman and chamber member Abdul Khaliiq Saeed said he planned to establish industries for perfumes and medicines in the new enclave. He observed that the establishment of factories in Saudi Arabia would reduce imports and stressed the role of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund in promoting the industrial base.