Hewlett Packard opens first 'Saudi Made' server facility with female-led workforce

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has announced the opening of its first server production facility in Saudi Arabia. The facility is now manufacturing 'Saudi Made' HPE servers in partnership with Alfanar. The servers are part of the market-leading HPE ProLiant compute portfolio, and thousands are set to roll off production lines this year.

This venture employs a majority female workforce, serving HPE's commitment to Saudization and Vision 2030. HPE, collaborating closely with Alfanar, has already dedicated millions of dollars towards this endeavour and is now considering further investments to escalate the facility's output and incorporate additional product lines.

The new production site, supported and sponsored by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Investment, the Saudi Exports Development Authority, and the Communications, Space & Technology Commission, is anticipated to satisfy the burgeoning demand from Saudi customers while simultaneously fortifying and diversifying HPE's overall global supply chain. Within the 'Saudi Made' scheme, HPE's servers will feature the 'Saudi Tech' logo.

As the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, this pioneering enterprise IT production facility is primed to mass-produce the next-generation HPE ProLiant DL360 and DL380 Gen11 servers. Engineered for hybrid environments and optimised for AI workloads, these servers underscore Saudi Arabia's objective to become a frontrunner in applying and developing AI technologies by 2030.

In response to the projected exponential increase in IT infrastructure demand caused by the Kingdom's ambitious 'giga-projects' and emerging technologies like AI, HPE is also set to create dozens of new sales and technical posts at its Middle East headquarters in Riyadh. The new teams, guided by Mohammad Alrehaili, HPE's Middle East managing director, will be instrumental in fostering the technology innovation ecosystem, advancing AI and supercomputing technologies, as well as supporting the 'Saudi Made' programme.

Abdul Raouf Ezzi, General Manager of Energy and Water Projects at Alfanar Electric, highlighted the monumental significance of importing advanced technological expertise into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He reaffirmed a solid commitment to empowering women in digital sectors, particularly in information technology, stating that "fostering female participation in these fields aligns with alfanar's dedication to our community."

Expressing enthusiasm surrounding this development, Phil Cutrone, Senior Vice President and general Manager for service providers, OEM, and Telco at HPE, added, "Our new production facility in Saudi Arabia signifies an exciting progression in the HPE supply chain, and its swift launch is a testament to our partner Alfanar and the thriving innovation culture in Saudi Arabia."

The 'Saudi Made' HPE ProLiant DL360 and DL380 Gen11 servers will now be available to order.