Saudi Chemical CEO: New project’s products to cover Kingdom needs for years to come

Thamer  Al-Muhid, CEO and Managing Director of Saudi Chemical Holding Co. (SCCH) 

Saudi Chemical Co. Holding (SCCH) Ltd.’s new project to produce ammonium nitrate and nitric acid will cover Saudi Arabia’s needs for many years to come, Group CEO and Managing Director of Saudi Chemical Holding Co. (SCCH) Thamer Al-Muhid told Argaam in an interview during the Future Minerals Forum (FMF).

Al-Muhid added that the launch of this project came in line with the initiatives of the mining strategy in the Kingdom, which recommend developing supply chains to make mining the third pillar of the Saudi industry. 

He explained that the planned production capacity of the project is 300,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, and 440,000 tons of nitric acid per annum. These raw materials enable some industries, such as explosives for civil uses that are mainly deployed in mining and other projects, as well as military explosives. Meanwhile, nitric acid is used in some pharmaceutical industries. 

He highlighted that Saudi Chemical Co. Ltd. has acquired 85% of the civil explosives market and its technical services in the Kingdom, pointing to the importance of the new project in localizing primary industries and enhancing supply chains for these products. This, in turn, saves time and cost for mining projects and infrastructure development in cities and new projects such as Qiddiya, NEOM and the expansions of the Two Holy Mosques. 

Additionally, the company signed another MoU with Moxico Ajlan & Bros Mining Co. to supply explosives and blasting-related services in Khnaiguiyah mine.