Saudi Arabia has paved the way for development through its ambitious Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy, advance non-oil sectors, and increase the contribution of the private sector to the GDP. This goal cannot be achieved without the growth of industry and mining, as they serve as fundamental pillars of major economies. The Kingdom is committed to increasing their contribution to its GDP by approximately 15%.
When discussing the industrial sector in Saudi Arabia, it is essential to acknowledge that it is not a recent development but has deep roots dating back to the discovery of oil in the late 1930s. Over the decades, the Kingdom has spared no effort in advancing its industries. This commitment led to the establishment of the Industrial Development Fund (1974), the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (1975), and later, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) in 1976. The contributions of these institutions and the programs they have implemented have played a crucial role in the growth and modernization of the industrial sector.
As a result of years of dedicated efforts, the number of factories in Saudi Arabia has now exceeded 10,000.
At Mashroo3k, we firmly believe in the importance of the industrial sector and its role in driving economic progress. Below, we present key industry indicators to provide potential investors with a clear and informed perspective.
- The total number of factories in Saudi Arabia now reaches 10,138, including both operating factories and those under construction.
- The building materials industry holds the largest share of factories in the Kingdom, with 2,016 factories, followed by the metal industry with 1,705 factories.
- The number of food factories in the Kingdom reaches 1,445 factories.
- The plastic and rubber industry has 1,317 factories.
- The number of operating factories, according to the latest statistics, reaches 8,258 factories.
- The number of licensed workers in these operating factories reaches 967,119 workers.
- The capital of these operating factories reaches 1,214,762,000,000 SAR.
- The Riyadh region holds 39.4% of the total operating factories, with 3,255 factories.
- The Eastern Province holds 41.4% of the total capital of operating factories, amounting to 503,448,000,000 SAR
- The percentage of medium-sized factories is estimated at 46.9% of the total number of operating factories.
- The number of factories under construction is estimated at 1,880 factories.
- According to the latest available statistics, the number of licensed workers in factories under construction is 84,342 workers. The capital of these factories is estimated at 67,264,000,000 SAR.
- Food products hold the largest share of factories under construction, with 249 factories (13.4%), followed by rubber and plastic products with 222 factories (11.9%).
- Small enterprises account for 72.4% of the total number of factories under construction.
- The largest number of factories under construction is located within the Riyadh region, which alone accounts for 43.9% of the total. It is followed by the Eastern Province with over 19.2%, and then the Makkah region with 9.6%.
