AK Saeed Group set to further diversify at home and abroad

The AK Saeed Group and its range of market leading subsidiaries span a multitude of sectors across the country. Although the manufacturing industry is the largest contributor to the conglomerate’s activities, the Jeddah-based group is involved in an ever-expanding range of operations, from snack foods, packaging and mattresses to trade, construction, perfumes and pharmaceuticals. The multifaceted conglomerate also owns a number of land properties in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as in Lebanon.

The AK Saeed Group has invested across the board in advanced information technology and manufacturing methods to assist in producing more sophisticated systems of product design, manufacturing, marketing, distribution and after-sales services. The company is particularly keen to upgrade and extend product ranges and services, strengthening its manufacturing base and increasing marketing activities across the region.  

The decision to focus on new avenues of opportunity has led to the creation of an independent advisory board, comprising the AK Saeed Group and a team of independent experts. The new board monitors international business environments and trends, expediting the rapid implementation of new product initiatives. The advisory team meets regularly for strategic reviews and provides valuable guidance and direction to the whole group, enabling it to identify and implement better management and operational practices.

One of the key assets of AK Saeed Group is its workforce. The company’s dedication to its employees is demonstrated by its commitment to ongoing training and incentive programmes for staff, designed to create an exciting, dynamic corporate culture that taps their full potential and encourages the self development of everyone working at the group.

Consistently ranking among Saudi Arabia’s top 100 firms, the AK Saeed Group presides over several multi-million dollar companies in a diverse array of sectors. The group’s subsidiary companies are market leaders in several key sectors of the kingdom’s economy and are well established in many Gulf markets.

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Jeddah Foam Laminates Factory

The group’s main business line is the manufacturing of high-quality polyurethane foam and spring mattresses at the Jeddah Foam Laminates Factory. Established in 1976, the factory’s annual production capacity runs at over 400,000 mattresses. Sold under the popular brand Soft Dreams, the mattresses are marketed in Yemen, Kuwait and Bahrain, in addition to Saudi Arabia.

AK Saeed Pharmaceutical Division

The company’s pharmaceutical division works hard to source the best available pharmaceutical products from well-reputed pharmaceutical companies who produce US FDA and EU approved products.

From a warehouse in Jeddah, AK Saeed’s focus market is government tenders, local purchases by public and private hospitals, chemists, healthcare facilities and NGOs.

Saudi Snack Food Co Ltd

Saudi Snack Foods is a PepsiCo joint venture and is Saudi Arabia’s number one salty snack company, with an approximate 45 per cent share of the Saudi market. Saudi Snack Food manufactures and distributes a range of well-known brands in the kingdom and throughout the Gulf, including Frito-Lay crisps, Cheetos cheese puffs, Quavers and Tasali potato chips.

AK Saeed Perfume & Cosmetics Factory

Importer and distributor of genuine designer fragrances, AK Saeed Perfume supplies independent retail chemists, perfumeries, chains and department stores. The company’s factory also manufactures perfumes and cosmetics.

Jebel Ali Container Glass Factory

AK Saeed Group’s second largest company is Jebel Ali Container Glass Factory, a state-of-the-art factory based in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone that produces diamond-quality glass for major international clients including Pepsi-Cola, Coca-Cola, Canada Dry and UFC-Heinz. Currently, this factory supplies all Arabian Gulf countries, as well as the Far East, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Indeed, between 70 and 80 per cent of the turnover is for export markets.

National Factory for Can Ends Ltd

Also in line with the beverage industry is the National Factory for Can Ends Limited, or Nafcel, manufacturer of aluminium easy-open can ends. Founded in 1985, the project was conceived as a joint venture with Saudi partners and CarnaudMetalbox, the European division of Crown Cork and Seal, USA, the world’s largest packaging manufacturer. Nafcel’s market is worldwide and it has an annual capacity of more than 5 billion units of various sizes, shapes, types and decorations.
 
AK Saeed Real Estate

The group’s real estate division is developing a large multi-purpose commercial centre in the heart of Jeddah’s business district. Dubbed Chinatown Shopping Centre, it is a colourful row of shops all built in a Chinese style.

Pizza Hut Lebanon

AK Saeed successfully negotiated and set up a joint venture with Pizza Hut for the development of their chain of restaurants in Lebanon, launching the first outlet in 1994, opening seven restaurants in its first year of operations alone, and having over 18 restaurants at the moment.

Partnerships and the future

In constantly seeking to develop new business in the kingdom, the AK Saeed Group has built up a strong network of global partnerships, seeing such collaborations as key to enabling the mutually beneficial transfer of knowledge and helping forge relationships between other nations and Saudi Arabia.

Considered one of the first industrial supporting entities in the kingdom, the group intends to build several industrial projects within the next few years at an amount of approximately 3 billion Saudi riyals, or £506 million.

The AK Saeed Group is managed by a professional and experienced staff, headed by Sheikh Abdul Khaliq Saeed, owner and chairman of the board of directors. Also on the board are Mr Saeed’s sons, Mahmood, Jamal, Ahmed and Mohammed.

www.aksaeedgroup.net