Emerson Automation Solutions has hosted a workshop at the Collaboration Centre at its new headquarters in Dhahran Techno Valley with more than 50 representatives of its regional stakeholders –including partner educational institutions, key customers, and government representatives — to identify their needs and priorities for applied research in the processed industries.
Organisations represented at the workshop included King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Aramco Process and Control Systems Department, Saudi Aramco Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Centre – Advanced Research Centre, the Dhahran Techno Valley Company and the Ministry of Education.
The workshop discussed the roadmap for the development of the Collaboration Centre, in addition to strategies to ensure that all stakeholders obtain maximum benefit from the centre’s facilities. The forum featured discussions on potential areas of research, project selection criteria, project support and mentoring and key performance indicators required to ensure the investment time and resources deliver results to the stakeholders and the country. The output from the workshop will help align the centre’s operations with the needs of the stakeholders and ensure its beneficial use moving forwards.
Liam Hurley, vice president and GM of Emerson Automation Solutions in Saudi Arabia said: “This workshop was successful in engaging all stakeholders in exploring the roadmap for further development of the Centre. We are pleased to provide our technology expertise to all stakeholders, thereby facilitating the role of technology as a major driving force to boost economic development activities.”
The new headquarters, with its focus on technology and collaboration, aligns with Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan and the Saudi Vision 2030 development agenda which looks at technology as a key enabler for boosting job creation and economic activities in the non-oil sector. The project is also in line with the In-Kingdom Total Value Add programme, the initiative created by oil giant Saudi Aramco to baseline, measure and support increased levels of localisation in the kingdom.
