Located south of Riyadh International Airport, the new plant has an area of 27,000m2 with 10,000m2 of production and support buildings. It incorporates a 2,268 m2 cleanroom, a 13m x 6.9 m autoclave – reportedly the biggest in Saudi Arabia – 5-axis CNC (computer numerical control) equipment, a non-destructive inspection (NDI) gantry robot, and automated tape laying (ATL) and automated fiber placement (AFP) machines. The facility will produce composite structural components and assemblies, including fuselage and wing parts, skin panels, and moveable surfaces. According to the company, it could also make parts for transportation, construction, agriculture, and healthcare.
“We at SAMI have a strong focus on developing Saudi Arabia’s capabilities in the aerospace and defense industry,’ said HE Ahmed Al-Khateeb, chairman of SAMI.
“SAMI Composites LLC will enable Saudi Arabia to become a leading supplier and exporter of composite aerospace components, serving the defense and other sectors in Saudi Arabia and globally. I am confident that the facility will add tremendous value to the national economy by creating around 100 high-quality jobs and increasing non-oil exports over the next few years,” added Walid Abukhaled, CEO of SAMI.
