Momar Nguer (rightmost), Senior Vice President of Africa/Middle East, Total Marketing & Services, and on his right French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot, Fahad Al Rasheed and Waleed Zahid, during the inaugural of Total's first lubricants manufacturing facility in the Industrial Valley of King Abdullah Economic City. Saleh Fareed Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the region, and remains a strong and stable place for foreign business investment and trade, said Momar Nguer, Senior Vice President of Africa/Middle East, Total Marketing & Services. Speaking to Saudi Gazette during the inauguration of Total's first lubricants manufacturing facility in the Industrial Valley of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), he said “Saudi Arabia, with its stable economy environment, presents tremendous growth opportunities for Total, and together with our partners we are keen to capitalize on these opportunities by expanding the scope of our activities in the coming years.” He also added that the start of direct sales and distribution operations through the new plant is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in Total's history. He noted that the new state-of-the-art fully automated facility is Total's first plant in Saudi Arabia and will be commissioned in two years' time. With an initial annual capacity of 25,000MT of lubricants, the plant will produce automotive, industrial, marine lubricants and specialty products, serving a highly dynamic and demanding Saudi market with plans to export to foreign markets. “This is a major step toward improving the company's efficiency so that we can be the first choice in the Saudi market. With the establishment of this plant, the company aims to enhance its opportunities for growth in Saudi Arabia. The decision to establish this plant was based on a thorough study of the growing lubricants market in KSA, which is propelled by one of the fastest-growing and most stable economies in the world,” he added. He pointed out that KAEC is a unique and strategic location for establishing a plant, which, in addition will meet the local requirements and will also help export the products to Africa and other Middle East countries. He noted that with an initial investment of over $30 million, the facility is expected to create employment opportunities for Saudis. He said “of course, we are committed to creating employment opportunities for the local Saudi workforce and I am really impressed with the skills of those Saudis I have met. This initiative will not only ensure a continuous flow of local talent to the organization, but furthermore will contribute to the development and training of young Saudis by allowing them to benefit from the Total expertise.” Asked if they are contributing to the Saudi society with their well-known CSR initiatives, he said “we believe in philanthropy, and community involvement giving Total a way to contribute in a direct way to the communities in which we work.” He said that Total is committed to strengthening and improving the communities it serves, not only through its products and services, but through philanthropic support of local community agencies, events and initiatives.
