MINING-
The Industry and Mineral Resources Ministry awarded four salt ore exploration licenses to four companies for sites at the Ras Al Quraya complex in the Eastern Province, it said in a statement on X. The licenses were handed to Khalid Al Zahid and Sons, Ibrahim Al Issa and Partner Co. for Salt, Riyadh Salt Industry, and Rustan Industry.
Multiple applications: The extracted salt ore is used in various industrial activities along with the production of high-purity refined table salt and salt for food industries, the ministry said.
AVIATION-
National carrier Saudia received the fewest complaints in June among all airlines in the country, with 12 complaints filed per 100k passengers, according to a statement from the General Authority for Civil Aviation. Flynas came in second with 14 complaints per 100k passengers, followed by Flyadeal with 18 complaints per 100k passengers. A total of 900 complaints were submitted against carriers during the month, pertaining mostly to luggage, boarding, and ticketing services.
What about airports? King Abdulaziz International Airport received the fewest complaints in June among international airports, logging 16 complaints per 100k passengers while surpassing 6 mn in annual passenger traffic, the authority said. Meanwhile, Abha International Airport received the fewest complaints among international airports with less than 6 mn in annual passenger traffic, registering 8 complaints per 100k passengers.
DEBT WATCH-
Al Moammar renews credit facility with SAB: Tadawul-listed Al Moammar Information Systems has renewed a Shariah-compliant credit facility worth SAR 340.3 mn with Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), it said in a disclosure to Tadawul.
CONSTRUCTION-
Renamed Municipalities Ministry will give its HQ a new look: Built Industrial, the contracting arm of Ladun Investment, has landed a SAR 628.1 mn contract to expand the headquarters of the Municipalities and Housing Ministry in Riyadh, it said in a disclosure to Tadawu l. The expansion will add an eight-floor expansion that includes two floors of underground parking and a pedestrian bridge connecting it to the existing building. The contract runs for 48 months.
Built Industrial has also lined up a SAR 120.6 mn contract from the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu to construct buildings and warehouses for the first phase of industrial city giga-project Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. The contract is expected to be signed on 16 October.
M&A-
Nomu-listed Osool and Bakheet Investment Company has signed a purchase agreement to acquire a 51% stake in IT firm Advanced Operations Technology (AOT) for SAR 5.1 mn, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. Osool and Bakheet wants to boost its technical capabilities as it pushes into fintech, it says. AOT provides IT services for businesses, including network management, custom software development, and hardware maintenance. AOT sold for about 2x its 2023 net income.
TOURISM-
An Equinox hotel is planned for luxury Neom resort Treyam, according to a statement by Neom. The resort will be located between Neom’s flagship The Line and southern Gulf of Aqaba. This follows plans for an Equinox hotel in Red Sea Global’s Amaala destination.