Abdul Latif Jameel Company (ALJ), the biggest auto distributor in Saudi Arabia and representative of Toyota and Daihatsu in the Kingdom, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), through which ALJ will transfer all its logistic operations to KAEC. Under the MOU, ALJ will buy a 1.5 million square meters land at the Industrial Zone in KAEC to develop its National Distribution Center, which includes facilities for storage and installation of auto accessories imported and distributed in the Kingdom by ALJ. The MOU states that KAEC'S seaport, the first-of-its-kind developed by the private sector in the Kingdom, will develop and operate the handling dock and station of roll-on-roll-over carriers at international standards to efficiently carry out handling operations of vehicles and equipment. ALJ will also acquire residential lands at KAEC to construct an integrated residential district to provide optional housing solutions for its employees and the employees of its affiliates. ALJ will also consider the possibility of building spare parts assembly line inside KAEC'S seaport for the purposes of serving the local market. Amr Bin Abdullah Al-Dabbagh, Chairman of the Saudi Industrial Property Authority (MODON), said attracting leading Saudi companies, such as ALJ, to King Abdullah Economic City is a success indication of KAEC. Al-Dabagh added that this step proves the wise vision of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to transform KAEC into an attraction for local and foreign investments, and to be a driving force for the Saudi economy for localizing Saudi capitals, creating job opportunities and achieving development in the Kingdom. Engineer Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, President of ALJ, said ALJ's project at KAEC comes in line with ALJ's strategic plan to build a logistics center for its operations to supply the Saudi market with vehicles. Currently, KAEC encompasses 23 factories on five million square meters. The seaport is expected to start its operations in mid 2013. As Toyota largest independent distributor in the world, ALJ is the importer and distributor of Toyota and Daihatsu vehicles in the Kingdom and other countries. The company operates production lines for after-sale services (including spare parts and accessories in several countries throughout the world).
