Rockwell Automation and Saudi-based energy and infrastructure company alfanar have agreed to create a dedicated manufacturing zone for automation systems in Riyadh. The initiative is designed to advance industrial innovation and directly support the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Located in Industrial City in Riyadh, the new zone will assemble advanced automation panels using Rockwell Automation’s latest intelligent devices, software, and control and process automation technologies. These locally built panels will be supplied primarily to critical infrastructure projects, with an initial focus on the Saudi Water Authority (SWA).
Rockwell Automation’s leadership described the collaboration as a major step in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s localization strategy, enabling sophisticated automation solutions to be designed and assembled inside the Kingdom by local talent. SWA’s technical leadership highlighted that the program is intended to deepen local content in the water sector, reduce reliance on external suppliers, and support long-term economic diversification.
SWA also emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader effort to standardize technical and engineering requirements for operational assets, enhance infrastructure security and reliability, and foster both domestic and international partnerships. In this way, the water sector is being positioned as a key pillar of national development and a model for Vision 2030 – aligned transformation.
Within alfanar’s facility, the zone will feature demonstration walls that showcase Rockwell Automation’s portfolio of automation and control solutions. This setup is aligned with alfanar’s strategy to treat automation as a core enabler of its wider solutions offering and to accelerate the adoption of digital, high-performance systems across Saudi industry.
Alfanar’s leadership characterized the partnership as a turning point for both the company and the Kingdom’s industrial landscape, combining Rockwell Automation’s global expertise with alfanar’s manufacturing capabilities to drive innovation, knowledge transfer, and sustainable growth.
Rockwell Automation, Inc., headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is described as a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation, employing about 26,000 people in more than 100 countries, according to PR Newswire. The company focuses on connecting people, technology, and data to create more productive and sustainable industrial operations worldwide.
