RIYADH: Chinese home appliance and consumer electronics company Hisense has signed a partnership agreement with Saudi Arabia’s United Matbouli Group to expand its operations in the Kingdom. UMG will now be an officially appointed distributor of Hisense products and will support the brand with warehousing, after-sales services and develop retail space for sales, according to a press release. The partnership agreement was signed by Jason Ou, Hisense president of the Middle East and Africa, and Adnan Matbouli, chairman of UMG. “Our partnership with UMG underlines our dedication to expand in the regional markets, increase our availability and provide the best brand experience to our customers as well as business partners,” said Ou. He added: “We look forward to working together with UMG, driving on each other’s strengths and expertise with an intention of growth and sustainability in the market.” Matbouli said that this partnership is a part of their strategy to bring top-quality electronic products to Saudi Arabia. “As an official distributor of Hisense’s home appliance and entertainment segment in the country, we provide assurance in supporting with unparalleled accessibility to expand in the market, better service in after-sales, provision to spare parts, and warehousing to meet the business as well as consumer needs,” said Matbouli. Established in the early 1990s, UMG has become one of the known names in the Kingdom’s consumer electronics market, with a network of 11 branches, warehousing facilities, 11 service centers, a fleet of vehicles and 23 brand shops in the Kingdom. UMG became the sole distributor for Samsung Consumer Electronics in 1991, followed by the Italian home appliance brand, Tecnogas, with which it signed an agency agreement in 2013. Headquartered in Qingdao, China. Hisense exports products to over 160 countries, with three listed companies - Hisense Visual Technology, Hisense Home Appliances and SANDEN listed in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Tokyo stock exchanges. Hisense, in the course of time, has also acquired many known brands including Gorenje, Kelon, Ronshen and ASKO. The company also acquired a 95 percent stake in Toshiba Visual Solutions for $113.6 million in November 2017.