Memorandum of Understanding Between SASO and HIEI
SASO signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation with the High Institute for Elastomer Industries (HIEI). The memorandum aims at framing cooperation between the two parties in the fields and activities of standardization, quality and laboratories besides transferring and localizing knowledge, studies, research and training. As a result, work will be encouraged and mutual research projects will be adopted, leading eventually to promoting development in the specializations of both parties. This process comes in harmony with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 which seeks diversifying the revenue sources and localizing industries.
For his part, His Excellency SASO Governor, Dr. Sa'ad Al-Kasabi, applauded the HIEI efforts in the fields of innovation, development and localization of modern technologies in order to employ them in establishing and developing elastomer industries. These efforts agree with the Kingdom's plan to encourage the economic diversification and qualify national staff for operational and technical jobs in the elastomer and downstream industries.
He added saying, "SASO contributes to supporting national manufacturing, especially in the field of elastomer industries, in order to control the quality of related products. It also contributes to building international standard specifications in the fields of industrial technologies, both technical and knowledge-based, and their applications. In addition, it sets an integrated system of standard specifications and the testing methods they use for services needed by such industries. Moreover, it contributes to improving related laboratories for elastomer industries to be accredited."
He pointed out that this agreement comes to complete the efforts, exerted by SASO, to stress its national role in knowledge localization and transfer. In addition, the agreement highlights SASO's focus on high value-added activities to move to competitive and high quality industries and knowledge economy.
Dr. Alaa bin Abdullah Nassif, Chairman of the Higher Institute of Elastomer Industries, valued SASO's efforts to enhance quality culture in the Kingdom, implement standard specifications and international practices, and work on disseminating and promoting them in the community. He pointed out that the memorandum of understanding aims at exchanging information, technical support, and different documents between both parties, on an ongoing basis, in fields related to various activities and business areas of "both parties". The memorandum also targets coordination in collecting, analyzing and distributing information of common interest. Moreover, it stresses that both parties benefit from their specialists and experts who work on the implementation of programs, initiatives and projects of common interest.
It is noteworthy that the Higher Institute of Elastomer Industries in Yanbu was established in accordance with the agreement between the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), Saudi-Yanbu Petrochemical Company (YANPET) owned by SABIC and ExxonMobil (USA), to contribute to the preparation of national cadres qualified to work in the rubber manufacturing industry.