Alkhorayef concluded a four-day mission in the US underscoring Saudi aspirations to match Saudi–US industrial cooperation in key strategic sectors. He met with senior US officials including Energy Secretary Chris Wright and North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley, reaffirming mutual interest in forging new industrial ventures. The talks unfolded against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Strategy, Comprehensive Strategy for Mining and Metals Industries, and Vision 2030 objectives, all of which centre on diversifying the economy and strengthening global partnerships.
During visits to leading US firms, Alkhorayef explored opportunities with General Mills, Lilac Solutions, RTX, International Flavours and Fragrances, Guardian Industries, Abbott, Skytower Global Investments, MP Materials, and Albemarle. These discussions targeted joint investment, technology transfer, and localisation of advanced manufacturing capabilities.
A highlight of the trip was a tour of Albemarle’s Kings Mountain lithium mine in North Carolina—a linchpin in North America’s critical minerals strategy with an anticipated output sufficient to power 1.2 million electric vehicles by 2030. There, Alkhorayef met with Albemarle’s leadership to discuss partnerships and knowledge exchange in lithium extraction and processing.
Alkhorayef also visited Honeywell’s facilities and held talks with CEO Vimal Kapur on expanding cooperation in advanced manufacturing, industrial automation, and smart city technologies. These engagements also shed light on Saudi Arabia’s Future Factories programme, which aims to modernise 4,000 industrial facilities through automation, Internet of Things systems, and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
These developments align with broader national strategies. In January, Saudi Aramco, alongside Ma’aden, announced expansion into lithium production, targeting commercial output by 2027. The move supports a projected twenty-fold surge in the Kingdom’s lithium demand by 2030, underpinning plans for half-a-million electric vehicle batteries and 110 GW of renewable energy capacity. Saudi Arabia is also building an EV manufacturing hub in King Abdullah Economic City, with partnerships involving Lucid Motors and Hyundai bolstering ambitions.
The Kingdom’s strides—including extracting lithium from oilfield brine and establishing processing facilities—reflect a concerted push to develop a vertically integrated lithium value chain, reduce dependence on external suppliers, and fulfil domestic and global clean energy needs.
Saudi Arabia’s strategy to enhance Saudi–US industrial cooperation underscores a pragmatic approach to economic transformation. By pairing capital and infrastructure with cutting-edge Western technology and expertise, the Kingdom is laying groundwork to become a competitive global hub in critical minerals, aerospace, and high-tech manufacturing.
The Saudi–US industrial cooperation effort is underway with clear momentum in lithium, aerospace, and supply chain sectors.
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Saudi Arabia