Saudi Delegation Visits Portugal, Austria to Boost Saudi High-Tech Manufacturing

Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo
Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo
TT

Saudi Delegation Visits Portugal, Austria to Boost Saudi High-Tech Manufacturing

Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo
Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources logo

A Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources delegation recently visited Portugal and Austria to discuss enhancing cooperation in high-technology manufacturing. The delegation met with government and private entities in both countries.

In Portugal, the delegation, led by the Director General of Manufacturing Localization and Increasing Local Content Engineer Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Janini, held discussions with representatives of the Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency and the Arab-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The focus was on supporting and stimulating the high-tech manufacturing environment in Saudi Arabia and exchanging expertise in this field. The delegation also visited leading Portuguese factories in the high-tech manufacturing sector, including the Unicorn Factory incubator, which supports startups and entrepreneurs in the technology sector.

In Austria, the delegation visited the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) headquarters to review the Kingdom's efforts to support and develop the industrial environment. Additionally, the delegation discussed the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources' preparations to host the Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum 2024 (MIPF) in Riyadh this month.

The visits were part of the ministry's efforts to strengthen international partnerships that aim to support the development of the industrial sector, encourage innovation and knowledge transfer, localize advanced technologies, and enhance the Kingdom's position as a leading industrial center in the region.



Bosch to Cut Hours for 10,000 Workers in Germany

The logo of Bosch is seen at an office building in Kyiv, Ukraine July 6, 2020. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo
The logo of Bosch is seen at an office building in Kyiv, Ukraine July 6, 2020. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo
TT

Bosch to Cut Hours for 10,000 Workers in Germany

The logo of Bosch is seen at an office building in Kyiv, Ukraine July 6, 2020. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo
The logo of Bosch is seen at an office building in Kyiv, Ukraine July 6, 2020. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

Robert Bosch, the world's largest car parts supplier, will reduce the working hours and pay of around 10,000 employees in Germany, going beyond previously announced reductions and in addition to thousands of job cuts announced on Friday.

In the latest sign of the challenges facing Germany's auto sector due to weak demand and competition from cheaper Chinese rivals, Bosch had said on Friday it would cut up to 5,550 jobs, a day after saying it would cut the working hours of 450 staff, Reuters reported.

Staff mostly on 38- or 40-hour contracts at sites around Germany will have their hours reduced to 35 hours, a spokesperson said on Saturday, confirming a report by dpa news agency.

The slowdown in the German car sector has also shaken Volkswagen, which is in an escalating dispute with workers over plans to close plants in Germany, and Mercedes , which has vowed to make tougher cost cuts.