NEOM, Samsung C&T Commit to World's Largest Deployment of Rebar Construction Automation Technology

The agreement will accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge construction automation technology in Saudi Arabia. SPA
The agreement will accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge construction automation technology in Saudi Arabia. SPA
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NEOM, Samsung C&T Commit to World's Largest Deployment of Rebar Construction Automation Technology

The agreement will accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge construction automation technology in Saudi Arabia. SPA
The agreement will accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge construction automation technology in Saudi Arabia. SPA

NEOM, the sustainable development taking shape in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Samsung C&T Corporation to unlock an initial investment of more than SAR1.3 billion in construction robotics.
According to a statement from NEOM, the agreement will accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge construction automation technology in Saudi Arabia.
The JV aims to automate rebar cage assembly through advanced robotic welding and tying techniques, enabling the assembly of large, pre-manufactured reinforcement cages, said the statement.

Through automation, the adoption of rebar assembly technology can reduce manual workforce hours by up to 80%, based on global average installation metrics for traditional construction methods, improving safety and quality, reducing material waste, and reducing cage assembly costs by up to 40%.
"Sustainability at NEOM is a core principle that drives not only what we build, but how we build it. By automating labor-intensive processes through robotics, we are pushing the boundaries of construction innovation,” CEO of NEOM Investment Fund Majid Mufti said.
The agreement will establish rebar cage assembly factories in NEOM, creating more than 2,000 highly skilled job opportunities locally while meeting the extensive requirements for the construction of THE LINE and other key developments in the region.



Putin Says Recession in Russia 'Must Not Be Allowed to Happen'

Putin wants officials to keep a 'close eye on all indicators of the health of our industries, companies and even individual enterprises'. Olga MALTSEVA / AFP
Putin wants officials to keep a 'close eye on all indicators of the health of our industries, companies and even individual enterprises'. Olga MALTSEVA / AFP
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Putin Says Recession in Russia 'Must Not Be Allowed to Happen'

Putin wants officials to keep a 'close eye on all indicators of the health of our industries, companies and even individual enterprises'. Olga MALTSEVA / AFP
Putin wants officials to keep a 'close eye on all indicators of the health of our industries, companies and even individual enterprises'. Olga MALTSEVA / AFP

President Vladimir Putin on Friday urged officials not to let Russia fall into recession "under any circumstances", as some in his own government warned of a hit to economic growth.

Economists have warned for months of a slowdown in the Russian economy, with the country posting its slowest quarterly expansion in two years for the first quarter of 2025, reported AFP.

The Kremlin has said this was to be expected after two years of rapid growth as it ramped up military expenditure to fund the Ukraine campaign, but officials including the country's economy minister have raised alarm about possible pain ahead.

"Some specialists and experts are pointing to the risks of stagnation and even a recession," Putin told attendees at Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg.

"This must not be allowed to happen under any circumstances," he said.

"We need to pursue a competent, well-thought-out budgetary, tax and monetary policy," he added.

The Russian economy grew in 2023 and 2024 despite the West's sweeping sanctions, with massive state spending on the military powering a robust expansion.

But analysts have long warned that heavy public investment in the defense industry is no longer enough to keep Russia's economy growing and does not reflect a real increase in productivity.

At his address to the forum on Friday, Putin was upbeat about Russia's economic prospects and denied the economy was being driven solely by the defense and energy industries.

"Yes, of course, the defense industry played its part in this regard, but so did the financial and IT industries," he said.

He said the economy needed "balanced growth" and called on officials to keep a "close eye on all indicators of the health of our industries, companies and even individual enterprises."