Saudi environmentalist recognized at Green World Awards

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s development and adoption of modern technology was creating significant opportunities for foreign investment and economic growth, experts in the industrial and logistics sectors told Arab News on Thursday at the Riyadh International Industry Week 2025.

The RIIW25, which ends today, featured four industrial trade shows: Saudi Plastics and Petrochemicals, Saudi Printing and Packaging, Smart Manufacturing, and Saudi Smart Logistics.

Kevin Lang, general manager at China Bentae Industry Group, praised Saudi Arabia’s government for attracting and establishing factories within the Kingdom, emphasizing that such steps provide strong incentives for foreign investment in the industrial sector.

Participating in the event for the second time, Lang noted a surge in the presence of Chinese and international companies in the Saudi market, which he said was a sign of growing investor confidence in the Kingdom.

“We aim to leverage Saudi Arabia’s push for economic openness and its efforts to attract foreign investment. We see significant growth potential, particularly in sectors that align with Vision 2030, such as industry and sustainability,” Lang said.

Lafi Al-Dhafiri, commercial director at Alkharj Steel Co., said the show was an exceptional platform for bringing together global expertise, forming partnerships and shaping the future of the sector.

“The event highlighted the promising opportunities within the Saudi industrial sector, especially in light of the unprecedented government support that aligns with the goals of Vision 2030,” Al-Dhafiri added.

Ahmed Sobhi Badran, sales manager at Derbn Trading Co., noted the emergence of Saudi brands that are increasingly positioning themselves on the global stage.

“The exhibitions feature a strong presence of international companies seeking to strengthen their foothold in the Saudi market, creating a healthy competitive environment driven by quality standards and marketing excellence.”

Ratheesh NS, deputy manager at Windsor Machines Ltd., said the company was eager to explore business opportunities in the Kingdom.

“We are looking forward to the vast opportunities in Saudi Arabia, driven by its vibrant transformation under Saudi Vision 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034,” he said.

“We are confident that this market boom will help us explore and engage with this ambitious region.”

Fahad Al-Thenayan, a logistics advisor, said the event was “a great opportunity for visitors to explore a wide range of innovative solutions.”

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s key occupational safety and health body is partnering with a Singaporean research center to develop tools and strategies to protect workers from increasing heat risks in the region.

Workplace safety and health risks are rising worldwide as heatwaves become more frequent and intense due to global warming and climate change.

Addressing these threats is part of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to modernizing labor standards and fostering a safer, more productive workforce under the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 reforms.

To strengthen the capability of managing workplace risks associated with high temperatures, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health has teamed up with the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.

“Heat stress is not only a health risk — it is also linked to increased workplace accidents and injuries ... Effective management of heat stress contributes to safer work environments, reduces incident rates, and improves productivity, benefitting both employees and employers,” NCOSH Secretary-General Majed Alfuwaiz told Arab News.

“The Heat Resilience and Performance Centre in Singapore is recognized as a regional center of excellence ... with a distinguished record of integrating technology, science, and policy. Their comprehensive model — including physiological monitoring, digital tools, and workforce training — provides a strong foundation that can be adapted to meet the Kingdom’s specific needs.”

The cooperation agreement with the Singaporean center was signed during the Global Occupational Safety and Health Conference hosted in Riyadh last week.

“Given the Kingdom’s diverse climate — from high heat and humidity in coastal and desert areas to cooler summer temperatures in southern highlands such as Abha and Al-Baha — adaptive, evidence-based approaches are essential to designing effective interventions that reflect the environmental and geographic characteristics of each region,” Alfuwaiz said.

“As the Kingdom progresses with its giga-projects under Vision 2030, safeguarding worker health and performance is a national priority.”

Saudi Arabia’s labor market has been expanding rapidly, with the construction sector fueled by Vision 2030 giga-projects such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project. About 2 million people are employed in the industry, and many more are likely to find jobs in the coming years as the Kingdom prepares to host several major international events: the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, Asian Winter Games in 2029, World Expo in 2030, and FIFA World Cup in 2034.

The World Cup alone will involve the renovation and construction of 15 stadiums in five cities, along with transport networks and hotel infrastructure.

The Saudi-Singaporean collaboration in heat resilience will focus on policy and regulatory frameworks related to occupational heat exposure and developing standards and interventions.

Dr. Jason Lee, associate professor at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine who leads the HRPC, said that while the Saudi regulator will tap into Singaporean expertise in heat resilience, researchers will be able to “gain insights on how NCOSH supports mega-infrastructure projects with many workers under heat stress, potentially paving opportunities to develop and scale solutions to better safeguard lives and livelihoods.”

In the long term, the cooperation plan includes establishing a regional center of excellence in heat resilience for the Middle East and North Africa.

“The Heat Resilience and Performance Centre will first determine specific research and educational activities related to heat resilience with our partners from the Kingdom, sharing, learning, and tapping into each other’s strengths towards a common goal that is to heat-proof our people in this warming world,” Lee said.

“Extreme heat is beyond morbidity and mortality. In many parts of the world, chronic heat exposure significantly suppresses human health and potential ... Becoming heat resilient is ever so important if you want to thrive prospectively.”