Saudi Firms Export Advanced Military Parts Abroad

The 2016 Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities. (AFED)
The 2016 Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities. (AFED)
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Saudi Firms Export Advanced Military Parts Abroad

The 2016 Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities. (AFED)
The 2016 Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities. (AFED)

General Department for Local Manufacturing Support General Director Engineer Atiyah al-Maleki affirmed that military factories in Saudi Arabia are manufacturing high-quality advanced military parts and units, which are being exported abroad.

He added that there is an aim to develop current military factories in the kingdom, lauding some firms on their commitment to produce and develop military parts ordered by beneficiaries.

“Project contracts related to military industries impose a 50 percent nationalization ratio. Factories are also obligated to manufacture the items locally, instead of importing them, once the capabilities are acquired,” Maleki told Asharq Al-Awsat.

With the launch of Decisive Storm and Restoring Hope military operations, an emergency team was formed to manufacture the military parts that are needed for these missions, he explained.

The private sector has been eager to present its capabilities in this field in order to market its products and strike partnerships with beneficiaries, he revealed.

In a related matter, the Saudi Ministry of Defense will organize the 2018 Armed Forces Exhibition for Diversity of Requirements and Capabilities at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center from February 25 to March 3.

Through the exhibition, the ministry aims to support the nationalization of the spare parts industries, inform the private sector about the armed forces requirements, establish communication channels to coordinate among beneficiaries, armed forces, factories, local and international companies and research parties and form a long-term strategic relation with the private sector.

Through this event, which is considered the greatest of its kind in the Middle East, the Ministry of Defense will have the opportunity to showcase its capabilities in the manufacturing of parts and units needed by the armed forces.



UAE’s Mubadala Acquires Majority Stakes in Global Medical Supply Chain, Al Ittihad Drug

The acquisition enhances Mubadala's footprint in the healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution sectors. WAM
The acquisition enhances Mubadala's footprint in the healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution sectors. WAM
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UAE’s Mubadala Acquires Majority Stakes in Global Medical Supply Chain, Al Ittihad Drug

The acquisition enhances Mubadala's footprint in the healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution sectors. WAM
The acquisition enhances Mubadala's footprint in the healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution sectors. WAM

Mubadala Investment Company has acquired an 80% stake in Global Medical Supply Chain (GMSC) and Al Ittihad Drug Store (IDS) from GlobalOne Healthcare Holding (GHH), with GHH retaining a 20% stake, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Tuesday.

This strategic acquisition enhances Mubadala's footprint in the healthcare logistics and pharmaceutical distribution sectors, aligning with the UAE's vision to establish a robust life sciences infrastructure, WAM said.

Founded in 2015, GMSC provides comprehensive end-to-end supply chain services for medical products, including demand planning, procurement, logistics, inventory management, warehousing, and maintenance.

GMSC serves over 200 medical facilities, including hospitals and clinics across the UAE. With a dedicated team of medical supply chain specialists, GMSC sources a broad array of products from almost 400 suppliers, ensuring a reliable supply chain for all medical needs.

IDS, established in 1987, stands as one of the leading distributors of pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare products in the UAE. Distributing over 1,000 products from over 40 leading suppliers, IDS services every hospital, and all, or at least most pharmacies and supermarkets within the UAE. It boasts a vast portfolio that spans multiple therapeutic categories including anti-infectives, asthma, diabetes, and oncology.

"The expanding pharmaceutical market drives an increasing demand for specialized and efficient drug logistics solutions. By integrating GMSC and IDS into our portfolio, we are poised to create a vertically integrated life sciences sector in the UAE and enable its potential to encompass the entire value chain from logistics and distribution to specialized manufacturing,” said Executive Director of UAE Clusters at Mubadala's UAE Investments Platform Ismail Ali Abdulla.

As for Low Ping, Group CEO Yas Holding, she said that the transaction “continues Mubadala's strategic growth, following another significant acquisition by its new speciality pharmaceutical business, KELIX bio, which recently acquired a 100% stake in four pharma assets from GlobalOne Healthcare Holding's, the healthcare division of Yas Holding.”

“These concerted efforts underline Mubadala's commitment to strengthening the UAE's healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors as part of broader national ambitions for drug security and economic diversification."

GlobalOne Healthcare Holding LLC serves as the dedicated Healthcare Division of Yas Holding LLC, focusing on enhancing healthcare outcomes by investing in innovative solutions across various healthcare verticals.