Trade UK company to open ‘miracle material’ factory in Saudi Arabia By Neil Halligan December 10, 2024, 3:19 PM Saudi Press Agency via Reuters Connect Keir Starmer with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The British prime minister visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE on his trip Graphene facility to open in 2025 Announced on PM’s trip to Riyadh Starmer also visited Abu Dhabi The world’s first commercial production facility for graphene-enriched carbon fibre is to be built in Saudi Arabia, its backers have announced. Graphene Innovations Manchester (GIM) – a UK company that is developing the “miracle material” said to be stronger than diamond, more conductive than copper and more flexible than rubber – has signed an agreement with Riyadh-based investment company Organized Chaos. The facility is set to open in 2025. The deal was announced during the visit of Sir Keir Starmer to the Gulf this week. The UK prime minister held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh and with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the president of the UAE, in Abu Dhabi. Both photos: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via Reuters Sir Keir Starmer held talks with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and toured the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi GIM will work with Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion Neom giga-project, the UK government said in a statement. About £250 million ($318 million) will be invested into a research and innovation centre in Greater Manchester, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs in the region, it added. GIM signed a $1 billion partnership in April last year with UAE-based Quazar Investment Company to scale up graphene-based technologies. The UK and Saudi Arabia are also working to establish a joint international institute for green hydrogen, the British government said. It will be supported by a consortium of Saudi and British universities. Earlier this month UK company Carbon Clean signed an agreement with state energy giant Saudi Aramco to collaborate on carbon capture technology. Qatar to invest £1bn in UK climate tech Critical minerals become a Middle East battleground EU and GCC officials aim to resume free trade negotiations Two construction materials businesses, the UK’s Next Generation SCM and Saudi Arabia’s City Cement Company, formed a joint venture in October to produce 2.5 million tonnes a year of sustainable cement and concrete materials.
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