50 years of success is a remarkable achievement. What would you consider some of the milestones of this journey?

ALUPCO’s journey began in 1975 with a clear vision from its shareholders: to industrialise aluminium in Saudi Arabia, where no aluminium industry existed at the time. To achieve this, the company’s founders hired Alu Swiss, the world’s best aluminium consultants.

Alu Swiss studied the market, assessed the needs, and chose two locations – Dammam and Jeddah – to establish the company. These locations were ideal for sourcing materials within Saudi Arabia and for future expansion into international markets. This gave ALUPCO access to critical logistics lines.

ALUPCO’s growth has followed a clear three-phase plan. The first phase was to satisfy Saudi Arabia’s domestic market and help it grow. Next, the company expanded exports to the GCC, North Africa, and Africa. Now, ALUPCO is in its third phase, entering new markets in Europe, North America, and India.

The most recent milestone for the company has been to diversify beyond aluminium. We believe our core business is to meet the needs of our customers and ensure their satisfaction. To do this, you can’t just give him one thing. For example, if a customer is building a construction project, he needs more than just aluminium. This is why we are expanding our offerings – to satisfy more of our customers’ requirements with a range of products. This is the phase we are in now.

ALUPCO headquarters and plant in Dammam ... leading aluminium innovation.

ALUPCO plans to go public next year through an Initial Public Offering (IPO). What do you see are the key benefits and challenges of this IPO, and how will it impact the company’s growth and strategy?

Many companies embark on this journey. It often starts as an idea from the shareholders, and as the company grows, it transitions from being privately held to becoming a public entity. This allows the company to share its success with the broader community. This has been a long-standing consideration for the company and its shareholders.

The Vision 2030 initiative has made the IPO transition more practical and accessible for all companies. The sheer scale and quality of the projects under Vision 2030 has prompted us to accelerate our timeline for an IPO. We are currently preparing ourselves from a governance perspective, ensuring all policies and capital market requirements are met prior to the launch.

We have completed most of the necessary preparations. Our current challenge is related to a series of recent mergers and acquisitions (M&As). We need to successfully integrate these new ventures. Once we have completed this process, we will be able to produce a clean financial statement and then move forward with the IPO.

We are ready and are confident that we will offer the public a diversified portfolio that they will find appealing.

What prompted ALUPCO’s decision to evolve from an extruder to a solution provider?

This is a trend that global companies are following. While a company could choose to stay local and focus on a single market, our shareholders and management decided against it.

Hence, we focused on the broader market and its evolving demands as we saw it as our responsibility to meet those new needs. This led us to redefine our vision and strategy, focusing on customer satisfaction by addressing a broader range of their needs. We aim to provide comprehensive solutions to solve their problems.

In line with Vision 2030, we analysed the market to understand its requirements and challenges, and we committed to bringing global solutions that are locally produced – Made in Saudi – to serve the Saudi market and then expand globally.

High-capacity extrusion presses ... delivering strength, accuracy, and consistency.

PARTNERSHIPS

One of the many noteworthy partnerships that ALUPCO has signed is with ROSHN. Comment on how this benefits both the partners, and is a move that will be trendsetter in Saudi Arabia and the construction sector?

It truly is a trendsetter. PIF, ROSHN, and other PIF subsidiaries were established to meet the demand in the local market, as highlighted in Vision 2030 and to address this demand as quickly as possible. Accelerating execution naturally creates requirements that are far greater than market capacity. As a result, PIF and its subsidiaries, including ROSHN, have been working not only to fulfil these needs but also to develop the market by collaborating with partners and strengthening their capabilities to meet demand.

At ALUPCO, we have closely collaborated with PIF and its national development team, who have provided invaluable support in helping us analyse and understand the future requirements of the aluminium sector, particularly in relation to ROSHN’s initiatives. From this collaboration, we identified the required capacity, and, with ROSHN, we are now working to create a fully automated solution – one that will not only serve the kingdom’s needs but also those of the global markets.

Abdel-Moneim ... ‘we aspire to be the right partner for our customers – not just a product supplier, but a true solutions provider’.

How do you see this partnership strengthening ALUPCO’s market share and product diversification in the coming years?

This partnership will, undoubtedly, have a significant impact on our market share. This initiative is not only for ROSHN and PIF but also extends to the National Housing Company and the global market. As a result, our market share within the aluminium sector will increase, while at the same time, the overall quality of aluminium products in the kingdom will be elevated.

What we are currently developing is a fully automated production system with zero waste – something that has never been implemented before in the aluminium industry, either in Saudi Arabia or globally. In fact, we are introducing a solution that may surpass what is currently available worldwide. This embodies the spirit of Vision 2030: pioneering innovative solutions that have never been realised before, and originating in Saudi Arabia – and we are proud to be leading that transformation.

MARKET GROWTH

ALUPCO is already a regional leader. What new markets do you identify as key growth opportunities for the company?

The majority of our growth is driven by diversification. Today, we are active in sectors such as wood, marble, lighting, airport solutions, solar panels and solar farms, as well as automated parking solutions. This broad diversification allows us to meet the evolving needs of consumers. Importantly, all of these industries ultimately depend on aluminium, which continues to fuel demand for our extrusion capabilities.

Accordingly, we see two main streams of growth in aluminium extrusion: the first comes from our subsidiaries and the new products we develop, while the second comes through the ongoing expansion of existing markets. In terms of geography, we are not yet strongly represented in Europe, largely due to tariff structures. Nevertheless, we continue to expand and secure fair market share by competing on the quality and uniqueness of our products rather than only on aluminium profiles. Similarly, the US and Canadian markets represent significant opportunities for us.

Although tariffs have reshaped market dynamics, we see them as a fair system since they apply equally to all players, creating a level playing field. Beyond this, we anticipate major growth opportunities in the African market, which is a clear target for us moving forward.

ALUPCO’s quality control laboratory ... ensuring excellence.

Are there any new market verticals that ALUPCO is looking at entering?

Yes, in addition to diversification into new industries, we also see opportunities in markets that are now re-emerging. Countries such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Libya were historically strong markets for us, but conflict and instability meant we were not represented there. These markets are now beginning to recover, with the support of Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations, and we expect to play a significant role in their redevelopment. We are hopeful that Sudan will also follow this path in the future.

At the same time, every new project under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 represents a vertical we carefully evaluate and pursue. Together, these re-emerging regional markets and Vision 2030 projects represent strong growth prospects for ALUPCO in the near future.

In view of growing market demand, what are ALUPCO’s plans for expansion of capacity?

We are pursuing a dual approach that combines acquisitions with greenfield developments. Over the past two years, we have completed 16 expansion projects. Half of these were acquisitions; for example, we acquired Prisma, AMG, and most recently Conmarble – and we intend to continue pursuing similar opportunities. The other 50 per cent were greenfield projects, where we established entirely new facilities, factories, and business segments. This balanced strategy will remain central to our growth.

Looking ahead, we are evaluating several acquisition opportunities, including some outside Saudi Arabia in international markets. At the same time, we will continue to invest in building new facilities. For instance, our new venture with ROSHN will be a greenfield project, demonstrating our commitment to advancing both pathways of expansion.

ALUPCO’s die shop ... at the core of custom extrusion.

VISION & PRIORITIES

Looking at the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 and regional development plans, what contributions does ALUPCO envision making to key sectors like construction, renewables, and advanced manufacturing?

All of these sectors are developing very rapidly in Saudi Arabia. As a result, there is neither the time nor the flexibility to spend years developing new solutions from scratch. Our strategy, therefore, has been to identify the best solutions available globally, form strategic partnerships with those leaders, establish joint ventures, and bring those solutions to Saudi Arabia, allowing us to produce locally and deliver quickly.

We have already taken this approach in several cases: for example, we partnered with Array Technologies and Matrix from the US, Aluman from Spain, and Parkolay from Türkiye. Currently, we are also in the process of creating a new joint venture with a partner from China.

In short, our model is to identify world-class technologies, bring partners to Saudi Arabia, establish production facilities here to serve the local market, and then, in a second phase, expand into exports.

What are the group’s strategic priorities for the short term?

In the short term, our strategic priority is to further strengthen and mature the diversification we have undertaken – continuing to meet customer needs with innovative solutions while maintaining the same guiding principles. The second key priority is to advance the company’s journey towards an IPO.

What is your vision for ALUPCO over the next five years?

The slogan of the company is “Where Vision Takes Shape”. This captures how we see the future of ALUPCO. Every customer we work with has a vision, and our commitment is to transform that vision into reality.

Our promise is simple yet powerful: this is where your vision will take shape and come to life.

SUSTAINABILITY

How do you balance cost efficiency with sustainability goals in ALUPCO’s manufacturing processes, especially given the energy-intensive nature of aluminium production?

We view this challenge as an ongoing opportunity. In a highly competitive market, it is essential to examine every possible area for cost savings and operational efficiency.

The first pillar of our approach is recycling. We recycle 100 per cent of our waste – nothing is scrapped. Our processes operate with zero waste across the organisation.

The second pillar is maximising renewable energy. Renewable resources are not only more sustainable but are also more cost-efficient than fossil fuels. By increasing reliance on renewable energy and eliminating waste, we ensure that both the materials we use and the energy we consume deliver maximum value. Zero waste remains the cornerstone of our strategy, enabling us to achieve efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability at the same time.

LEADERSHIP

What is your leadership philosophy and how do you foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within ALUPCO?

One of the unique strengths we have in Saudi Arabia – something you rarely find in other countries – is cultural diversity. Within ALUPCO, we have 24 nationalities working together. This diversity brings the best of every culture into one organisation. The challenge, of course, is to harness it effectively. Cultural differences can sometimes create silos or clashes, but strong leadership ensures that we transform this diversity into collaboration, bringing out the best in every team member for the benefit of the whole.

In today’s fast-paced environment, what matters most is readiness. In the past, organisations had time to move in steps. Today, that luxury no longer exists. The market moves at the speed of a 350 km/h train, and if you don’t get on…. you don’t get a second chance.

Therefore, the leadership philosophy we follow is built on readiness and speed of execution. Everyone must be prepared every day, ensuring we can act quickly, adapt immediately, and seize opportunities without hesitation. By fostering this culture of readiness, we drive innovation, strengthen collaboration across diverse teams, and ensure continuous improvement in everything we do at ALUPCO.

How do you ensure all the levels of the organisation, from the shop floor to senior management, are aligned with ALUPCO’s strategic visions and goals?

It was initially very challenging to change the perception. Everyone saw ALUPCO only as an aluminium company, focused on core aluminium extrusion. To drive change, we had to reshape not only our strategy but also how we presented ourselves.

We updated our logo, refined our message, redefined our vision, and communicated this clearly across all levels of the organisation.

Once people began to see the benefits of this transformation, they gradually started to believe in it. Some fully embraced the change immediately, while others joined after witnessing the tangible results. Our approach was not to force alignment but to build belief through clear examples and proven outcomes.

By developing the right vision, mission, and strategic plan, and communicating them seamlessly, we created a sense of shared purpose. Today, everyone across the company understands that diversification is the way forward. At the core of this alignment is a common goal: ensuring customer happiness.

CHALLENGES

What has been the most significant challenge ALUPCO has faced during your tenure as CEO, and how did you navigate it? What lessons did you learn?

I believe this generation has witnessed an extraordinary number of challenges. I often tell my family and colleagues that I don’t expect much more – we have already learned enough.

During my tenure, we experienced the Covid-19 pandemic, significant political unrest in our region, and devastating global events. We also saw tariffs reintroduced after years of open trade under the WTO framework. Each of these challenges was highly significant, and I cannot single out one as the most critical.

The key lesson is that challenges will continue to emerge. I always remind my team and myself that what we have seen is not the end – more will come in the future. The only way forward is to be more prepared than ever.

For example, during Covid, we never shut down. We operated 24/7 throughout the pandemic because we had prepared properly, set up the right systems, and ensured business continuity. That level of readiness allowed us to succeed when others were struggling.

The lesson we carry forward is clear: we must always be ready for the next event, whatever form it may take. Preparedness is the strongest leadership tool in times of uncertainty.

Anything else you’d like to add about ALUPCO?

We aspire to be the right partner for our customers – not just a product supplier, but a true solutions provider. Our goal is not simply to sell an item, but to understand the challenges and bottlenecks our customers face in their operations or projects and to resolve them effectively. Our promise is to keep our customers satisfied by addressing not only their current needs but also the issues they may face tomorrow or in the future.