In April, the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued a total of 86 new industrial licenses, amounting to a substantial investment of SR2.2 billion ($587 million). This brings the total number of executive industrial licenses issued from the beginning of the year until the end of April to 410. According to a report from the Ministry’s National Center for Industrial and Mining Information, 67 factories began production in April, with investments totaling SR1.5 billion ($400 million).
The report highlighted that food products led with 12 new factories, followed by 11 factories each for chemical products and rubber/plastics products. The majority of the factories that started production were national, with joint ventures accounting for 5.9% and foreign investments for 1.49%. As of April 2024, Saudi Arabia had a total of 11,800 factories either existing or under construction, with investments reaching SR1.4 trillion ($373 billion), up from around 10,800 in April 2023.
The new licenses issued in April were primarily for manufacturing formed metal products, with 17 licenses, followed by rubber/plastics products and chemical products, each with 9 licenses. Small establishments constituted 80.2% of the new industrial licenses issued in April, followed by medium-sized establishments at 13.9%. National factories accounted for 100% of the total licenses issued.
The licenses were distributed across 10 administrative regions, with Riyadh leading with 36 new factories, followed by Makkah with 22 and the Eastern Province with 17. Other regions, including Medina, Al-Qassim, Hail, Najran, Asir, Al-Jawf, and Tabuk, also received new licenses. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, through its National Center for Industrial and Mining Information, regularly publishes key industrial indicators, reflecting the dynamics of industrial activity in Saudi Arabia, including new investments and production launches.
