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Saudi Arabia Introduces Self-Service Gas Sales, Involving Private Sector

Self-service vending machine (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Self-service vending machine (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Introduces Self-Service Gas Sales, Involving Private Sector

Self-service vending machine (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Self-service vending machine (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ministry of Energy announced that it has issued the first license in the Kingdom for selling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG-cooking gas) cylinders through vending machines.

Last May, the Saudi Cabinet approved amendments to the system governing the distribution of natural gas and LPG for residential and commercial purposes.

Vending machines for LPG cylinders will be available at gas stations and large retail markets. The machines will provide consumers with all LPG-related services around the clock, and these include purchasing new gas cylinders, replacing empty cylinders with new ones, and purchasing cylinder accessories such as regulators and others.

These machines are designed to be linked with smart phone applications, to serve consumers in a better and easier way. This is part of the ministry’s efforts to realize the goals of its dry gas and LPG distribution system for residential and commercial purposes.

According to the ministry, the move to license smart pick-up stations for gas cylinders comes as an important part of the ministry’s endeavors towards opening up competition and abolishing monopoly in the LPG sales sector. It also coincides with the ministry’s endeavor to encourage investment in LPG sales activities.

The ministry started receiving qualification requests from companies that wish to invest in the activities of transporting LPG from its sources to filling and storage facilities, as well as in the establishment and operation of filling stations and storage facilities, in addition to the wholesale distribution of LPG.

This is aimed to enhance the role of the Ministry of Energy in supporting opportunities for growth and economic development in the Kingdom in pursuit of the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030.

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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
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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.