Automechanika Riyadh 2025 Wraps Up Its Seventh Edition in Style
The opening ceremony was led by Mr. Ajlan bin Saad Al-Ajlan, Second Vice Chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, who toured several exhibitor booths. The number of exhibitors surpassed 450 this year—a 32% increase from the previous edition—and included a notable presence of new Saudi companies, reflecting the local market's rapid growth and rising confidence in the show.
Remarkable Growth in Scale and Attendance
This year, the exhibition grew significantly, with a 70% increase in floor space compared to the 2024 edition, occupying five halls in total. Over three days, the event welcomed more than 15,000 visitors and showcased the latest products and services in areas such as spare parts, electronic systems, oils, tires, vehicle care, diagnostics, and maintenance.
The show attracted a wide range of industry players, including wholesalers, distributors, importers, exporters, garage owners, workshop technicians, and service center professionals.
Automechanika Academy: A Knowledge Hub for Innovation and Localization
Running alongside the exhibition, the Automechanika Riyadh Academy launched under the theme 'Localization and Innovation in Vehicle Services.' Now a core component of the event, the Academy gathered experts and industry leaders to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and developments in the automotive service sector.
The Academy offered an intensive knowledge program featuring over 50 sessions and workshops focused on critical topics such as localization, innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable supply chains.
Several sessions also spotlighted the Kingdom's efforts to boost its automotive industry—most notably through the King Salman Automotive Manufacturing City, which plays a strategic role in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Conference sessions further explored the massive transformation underway in Saudi Arabia's automotive sector, fueled by Vision 2030 ambitions. With over 63% of the population under the age of 30, discussions emphasized the importance of cultivating a new generation of skilled talent in electric mobility, smart transportation, and AI-driven diagnostics.
These themes formed the heart of the Automechanika Academy Conference, where experts underscored the need to proactively develop a local workforce ready to lead the Kingdom's mobility future.
The event also hosted strategic meetings with key players in the vehicle services sector to develop a roadmap that strengthens Saudi Arabia's and the region's position as a global automotive hub.
According to data from Statista , Saudi Arabia accounts for around 50% of car sales in the Middle East, with over 600,000 new vehicles sold annually. The Kingdom aims to scale up domestic production to 700,000 vehicles annually in the coming years as part of its ambitious industrial strategy.
Vision 2030 supports several major projects aimed at localizing 40% of the automotive value chain, including the Lucid Motors plant in King Abdullah Economic City and the launch of the Ceer brand. Regional Players Reinventing the Industry
Regionally, countries such as Morocco and the UAE are also playing key roles in reshaping the industry. Morocco currently produces over 700,000 vehicles annually for export and is targeting 1 million vehicles per year by 2025. Meanwhile, the UAE has emerged as a key hub for aftermarket services and vehicle re-exports. Captured by Lights In Motion Strong Organizational Praise and Expanding Global Presence
Bilal Al-Barmawi, CEO of 1st Arabia for Exhibitions and Conferences, stated that the 2025 edition reflects the sector's accelerating growth and reinforces efforts toward localization and innovation. Ali Hefny, Exhibition Director at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, highlighted this year's unprecedented diversity of exhibitors and conference content.
The global nature of the show was further elevated by the presence of seven official country pavilions from Singapore, South Korea, China, Turkey, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand, alongside newly introduced zones for exhibitors from Italy and India.
Automechanika Riyadh serves as the Saudi edition of the world-renowned Automechanika series, recognized as the largest global trade exhibition dedicated exclusively to the automotive aftermarket industry.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
2 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Fitch affirms Saudi Arabia's A+ credit rating with stable outlook
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Fitch Ratings has affirmed Saudi Arabia's long-term foreign currency issuer default rating at A+ with a stable outlook, highlighting the Kingdom's strong fiscal position and continued reform momentum. In its latest report, the international rating agency said Saudi Arabia's credit rating reflects the robustness of its financial fundamentals. It noted that key indicators —such as the sovereign net foreign asset position and the debt-to-GDP ratio— are significantly stronger than the averages for countries in the "A" and even "AA" rating categories. Fitch emphasized that the Kingdom holds substantial financial reserves in the form of public sector deposits and other assets, supporting its macroeconomic stability. Looking ahead, the agency projected that Saudi Arabia's sovereign net foreign assets will remain a cornerstone of its credit strength, reaching 35.3% of GDP by figure stands well above the average for countries rated 'A,' which is just 3.1% of also pointed to the ongoing fiscal reforms undertaken by the Saudi government, aimed at improving budget flexibility and reducing dependence on oil agency said these reforms, along with a sustained rise in non-oil revenues, continue to reinforce the Kingdom's credit profile.
Saudi Gazette
13 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia publishes new law allowing foreigners to own property
By Anas Alyusuf RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has officially published the full details of its new law regulating real estate ownership by non-Saudis, following Cabinet approval earlier this month. The comprehensive law, released in the official gazette Umm Al-Qura on Friday, will take effect 180 days from publication and marks a major overhaul in the Kingdom's approach to foreign ownership of property. The new system grants non-Saudis — including individuals, companies, and non-profit entities — the right to own property or obtain other real rights over real estate within designated geographic zones to be determined by the Cabinet. These rights include usufruct (beneficial use), leaseholds, and other real estate interests, but will be subject to a range of controls and restrictions based on location, property type, and usage. The law preserves all real estate rights that were legally established for non-Saudis prior to the new regulation taking it clearly states that ownership remains prohibited in certain locations and regions, notably in Makkah and Madinah, except under conditions for individual Muslim owners.A key provision in the law requires the Council of Ministers — upon a proposal by the Real Estate General Authority and with the approval of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs — to define the allowable zones for foreign ownership and set upper limits on ownership percentages and durations for usufruct individuals legally residing in Saudi Arabia may own one residential property outside restricted areas for personal housing purposes. This does not apply to Makkah and regulation also includes provisions for corporate ownership. Non-listed companies with foreign shareholders, as well as investment funds and licensed special-purpose entities, will be permitted to acquire real estate throughout the Kingdom, including in Makkah and Madinah, provided the ownership supports operational needs or employee companies and investment vehicles may also acquire property in line with Saudi financial market missions and international organizations can also own premises for official use and residence of their representatives, subject to Foreign Ministry approval and reciprocity ensure compliance, non-Saudi entities must register with the competent authority before acquiring or real rights become valid only after formal registration in the national real estate law introduces a real estate transfer fee of up to 5% for transactions involving non-Saudis, and outlines a penalty framework for include fines up to SR10 million and, in severe cases such as falsified information, the forced sale of the property with proceeds remitted to the state after deductions.A dedicated committee under the Real Estate General Authority will be formed to investigate violations and impose penalties. Decisions of this committee can be appealed to the administrative courts within 60 the law repeals a prior rule that prohibited GCC citizens from owning property in Makkah and Madinah, effectively standardizing rules for all non-Saudi entities under a single executive regulations, which will detail implementation mechanisms and specify geographic boundaries and conditions, are expected to be issued within six new law replaces the previous foreign property ownership legislation issued under Royal Decree No. M/15 in 2000.
Saudi Gazette
14 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Over 424,000 Saudis enroll in AI training as SDAIA scales national transformation
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — More than 424,000 Saudi citizens have enrolled in the "SAMAI" initiative — an artificial intelligence (AI) awareness and training program led by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) — as part of the Kingdom's ambitious plan to equip 1 million Saudis with foundational AI knowledge. The initiative reflects the nation's broader efforts to build a digitally empowered society aligned with Vision 2030. SDAIA highlighted the growing global impact of data and AI technologies, which it said are driving transformative change across sectors such as education, healthcare, industry, cybersecurity, agriculture, energy, and national security. These technologies are not only enhancing productivity and innovation, but also helping solve complex developmental challenges to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and peaceful world. Since its establishment in 2019, SDAIA has become the Kingdom's national reference in the regulation and advancement of data and AI. The authority focuses on maximizing the economic value of data, ensuring ethical AI practices, and developing local capabilities through specialized courses and certifications. SDAIA also issued a comprehensive set of AI regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines for both government entities and the public, including principles on generative AI, deepfake content, national data governance, and academic standards for AI-related disciplines. These guidelines aim to ensure safe, responsible, and culturally aligned adoption of AI technologies. To raise trust in AI systems, SDAIA launched an AI service provider certification program for the private sector. Certified providers are evaluated across five maturity levels—from 'Aware' to 'Leader'—and are granted a validity period of one year, encouraging higher quality AI applications and services. The authority further introduced a self-assessment tool on AI ethics via the National Data Governance Platform. This tool supports public and private institutions in evaluating their ethical compliance during AI development and deployment phases. In a move to address global concerns, SDAIA released a specialized report on AI bias, highlighting risks that emerge as AI adoption grows across critical sectors worldwide. The report emphasizes the need for fairness and inclusivity in algorithmic decision-making. SDAIA has also advanced personal data protection by introducing the Kingdom's 'Personal Data Protection Law,' which regulates how personal data—such as names, addresses, ID numbers, images, and financial information—is processed and shared. The law seeks to preserve privacy and prevent misuse of data in both public and private sectors. One of SDAIA's most impactful projects to date is its partnership with the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority, which resulted in over SR5 billion in financial impact through the 'DEEM Cloud' platform. The platform consolidated 230 data centers and now offers 49 services to more than 180 government entities. Looking ahead, AI is projected to play a major role in global employment shifts. According to the World Economic Forum's latest 'Future of Jobs' report, AI will contribute to the creation of 69 million new jobs over the coming years. Complementary research by the International Labour Organization suggests generative AI will support human roles rather than eliminate them by automating selected tasks. In terms of efficiency, consulting firms Deloitte and McKinsey estimate that generative AI can reduce operational costs by up to 30%. McKinsey's study of over 1,300 companies revealed significant cost savings in HR departments (10–37%) and profit growth in supply chain divisions, in some cases exceeding 6%.
