Acme: Empowering Saudi Firms to Adopt Industrial Automation
Acme’s expertise and proven track record position it as a key partner in helping Saudi companies enhance competitiveness, agility, and efficiency.
The number of industrial facilities is expected to reach 36,000 by 2035, including more than 4,000 fully automated plants. This national mandate reinforces the Kingdom’s position as an attractive hub for foreign investment in manufacturing. In 2024 alone, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 1,346 new industrial licenses, drawing investments worth over SAR 50 billion ($13.3 billion).
The nationwide drive to maximize local content, boost exports, and strengthen the industrial base has accelerated the demand for automation solutions. This increasingly automated landscape signals significant untapped potential for early investors such as Acme, a leading player in factory and warehouse automation.
Acme’s expansion and business setup in Saudi Arabia were facilitated by AstroLabs, the Gulf’s leading business expansion platform.
Empowering Industrial Firms to Unlock AI’s Full Potential
Acme, one of the largest UAE-origin companies in its sector with over 100 years of experience, provides cutting-edge solutions across retail, e-commerce, FMCG, food & beverage, and pharmaceuticals. Its manufacturing facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone serves as a hub for operations across the GCC, while Saudi Arabia has emerged as a cornerstone of its regional growth.
For more than a decade, Acme has supported Saudi companies from its UAE base. Today, its growing footprint in the Kingdom reflects its commitment to driving the digital transformation of the Saudi industrial sector. According to Navin Narayan, CEO of Acme, the company has completed over ten major factory and warehouse automation projects in Saudi Arabia.
“One of our most notable achievements was designing and implementing a state-of-the-art distribution center for a leading dairy company in Jeddah,” Narayan said. “The facility increased storage capacity and significantly improved throughput.” Acme also implemented a fully robotic palletization system—one of the largest in the region—along with an automated truck-loading system for the same client.
The company’s successful track record also includes developing two of the largest automated distribution centers in the Kingdom for a major fashion retailer, one of Acme’s core focus sectors.
E-commerce has been another major driver of innovation. The surge in direct-to-consumer deliveries has fueled demand for highly efficient fulfillment and logistics facilities. Narayan highlighted that Acme has recently delivered six automated sortation centers across Saudi Arabia for a leading global e-commerce company, significantly improving customer order fulfillment.
Vision 2030: Accelerating Industrial Automation
Acme’s expansion into Saudi Arabia—anchored by the opening of its Riyadh office—positions the company to respond more effectively to customer needs and to capitalize on the fast-growing demand for automation.
“Vision 2030’s focus on industrial diversification and automation adoption aligns perfectly with Acme’s expertise in Industry 4.0 solutions,” Narayan explained. “Looking ahead, the Saudi automation sector is on a promising growth trajectory. With continued government support, rising demand across industries, and an emphasis on advanced technologies, automation will play a pivotal role in achieving the goals of Vision 2030.”
Government initiatives such as the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) are fostering the right conditions to attract foreign direct investment while creating a skilled workforce capable of operating and maintaining advanced automation systems.
From manufacturing to healthcare and beyond, automation is reshaping industries across the Kingdom. Acme’s expertise and proven track record position it as a key partner in helping Saudi companies enhance competitiveness, agility, and efficiency—ultimately accelerating the industrial transformation at the heart of Vision 2030.
