DHAHRAN — Alfanar and Aramco have agreed to build sustainable cooperation by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which covers various initiatives‏ ‏that are aimed to augment localization, innovation, digitization, and sustainability in Saudi Arabia. The initiatives are in line with the In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) flagship program that Aramco launched to support economic development through local content increment. The MoU was signed by Ahmad Al Saadi, senior vice president of technical services, Aramco, and Abdul Salam Al Mutlaq, the chairman of Alfanar Group. Commenting on the MoU, Al Mutlaq said: “Innovation, digitalization and localization have always been Alfanar’s pillars of commitment toward the development of a sustainable business. This is a historic moment for us at Alfanar to partner with Aramco and to work together in further developing the local content”. Meanwhile, Al Saadi said: “Through a collaborative and inclusive model, we are committed to working with private companies to ensure that the local content objectives of Saudi Arabia are achieved”. Currently, the initiatives that were signed under the MoU cover the following sectors: Manufacturing, EPC, modularization, commercialization of intellectual properties (IP), energy efficiency, and environmental protection. The MoU was signed during a visit by Aramco"s senior management to Alfanar Industrial City in Riyadh, the largest privately developed manufacturing facility in the Middle East which is spread across 720,000 square meters. The guests toured Alfanar’s various factories and visited the ladies section which employs more than 700 Saudi women for the production of electrical circuit breakers. The number of female workers in this section has surged in recent years as proof of Alfanar’s commitment to Vision 2030’s goal of empowering professional women. Aramco recognized Alfanar Industrial City as a successful example of the private sector’s important role in localizing industry and enhancing national capacity with professionalism and high efficiency.