SAMI Composites Partners with Lockheed Martin to Launch World-Class Composites Manufacturing Hub in Riyadh
SAMI Composites LLC, a fully owned division of SAMI, the national champion in Saudi defense, proclaimed that it has finalized a partnership with Lockheed Martin, a prominent global defense and aerospace enterprise, to establish a Composites Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Riyadh. This initiative is backed by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), aimed at enhancing Saudi Arabia’s aerospace production capabilities.
The partnership was formalized during the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) in the UK by Eng. Walid Abukhaled, CEO of SAMI Group, and Ray Piselli, Vice President of International Business at Lockheed Martin, with the esteemed presence of H.E. Ahmad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI.
The Composites Manufacturing Center of Excellence is an integral part of SAMI’s mission to cultivate a resilient and self-reliant defense industrial sector in Saudi Arabia. This aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030 ambition of localizing over 50% of the Kingdom’s expenditure on defense equipment and services by 2030. The new composites manufacturing facility will empower Saudi Arabia to enhance its aerospace manufacturing skills, paving the way for innovative solutions in the future. SAMI Composites LLC and Lockheed Martin will evaluate and advance the center in various stages, focusing on nurturing local talent.
“GAMI endorses strategic collaborations like this between domestic manufacturers and global industry Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)”
H.E. Ahmad Al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI
Expressing his thoughts on the partnership, H.E. Ahmad Al-Ohali, Governor of GAMI, stated: “GAMI endorses strategic collaborations like this between domestic manufacturers and global industry Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). We anticipate that the Composites Manufacturing Center of Excellence will further strengthen Saudi Arabia’s strategic independence in the air sector and more extensively within the defense industry.”
Eng. Walid Abukhaled, CEO of SAMI, remarked: “Our collaboration with Lockheed Martin has proven to be invaluable throughout the years, and this day signifies another landmark for our organizations and for Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning aerospace industry.”
“Our collaboration with Lockheed Martin has proven to be invaluable throughout the years, and this day signifies another landmark for our organizations and for Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning aerospace industry.”
Eng. Walid Abukhaled, CEO of SAMI
Ray Piselli, Vice President for International Business at Lockheed Martin, shared: “Lockheed Martin is dedicated to collaborating with SAMI to realize Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Through industrial partnerships, expert knowledge transfer initiatives, and workforce development programs, we will persist in our commitment to evolving the Saudi industry.”
John Flavin, CEO of SAMI Composites LLC, added: “SAMI Composites LLC will emerge as Saudi Arabia’s composites manufacturing center, equipped with cutting-edge technology and materials. The Composites Manufacturing Center of Excellence will create a proficient Saudi workforce capable of producing sought-after composite parts and assemblies for both defense and commercial aerospace applications.”
