RIYADH: In recognition of Saudi Arabia’s growing digital economy, global technology giant Siemens has signed automation and sustainability agreements with institutions in the Kingdom across multiple sectors. The deals were inked during the Digital Industries Technology Day held in Riyadh, with Saudi Coffee Co. signing a memorandum of understanding with the firm to construct a smart factory in Jazan. The partnership aims to construct a high-tech facility, leveraging Siemens’ electrification, automation and digitalization technologies. Designed to meet the highest sustainability and efficiency standards, the factory will benefit farmers by providing complete visibility and control over their systems over one integrated platform. The construction of this smart factory in Jazan aligns with ongoing development initiatives in the region, particularly in modern technology, water management solutions and advanced equipment. “This partnership marks a defining moment for Saudi Coffee Co. in the coffee industry, as we are proud to be shedding light on the Kingdom’s coffee heritage and helping elevate local coffee production,” said Karim Chabara, CEO of Saudi Coffee Co., in a press statement. He added: “We are delighted to join efforts with the private sector, leveraging their expertise to fully optimize our local resources and showcase our coffee heritage to the world.” The statement further said factory operations would align with global sustainability standards, incorporating carbon capture, renewable energy, responsible waste management and eco-friendly packaging. Additionally, Siemens partnered with stc’s Giza Systems to supply 5,000 flow meters to agricultural farms managed by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. These will enhance the ministry’s understanding of water usage, enabling more efficient allocation, waste reduction and farm sustainability. Moreover, Mutlaq Al Ghowairi Co. and Siemens have secured two projects for NEOM’s water and energy subsidiary ENOWA to construct and automate water transmission pipelines. The pipelines will run from Gayal to Al Bada’a reservoir and Magna and from Al Bada’a to Lower Mountain and Visitor Center reservoirs. These projects align with ENOWA’s goals of establishing a sustainable and economically competitive water supply infrastructure. Siemens also announced a collaboration with IT Belt Co., an infrastructure and security solutions firm, to upgrade the national grid networking infrastructure with more secure solutions. “Saudi Arabia is poised for a digital revolution with its national industrial strategy,” said Ahmad Hawsawi, the CEO of Siemens in Saudi Arabia. He added: “Siemens is committed to supporting the Kingdom’s industries by combining the real and digital worlds to collect, understand and use data meaningfully to empower our customers to increase productivity, sustainability and flexibility.” Hawsawi further emphasized Siemens’ commitments to transforming manufacturing facilities into intelligent and connected ecosystems, improving productivity and reducing costs while maintaining product quality.