Etihad Salam Telecom Company (Salam) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Smartech Digital Solutions Co. (SmartFactory) to deliver integrated digital transformation solutions for Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector.
The agreement was signed at LEAP 2026, where Salam is participating as a strategic sponsor under the theme “Powering What’s Next.” The partnership brings together Salam’s connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity and managed services capabilities with SmartFactory’s expertise in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM).
From Network Infrastructure to the Factory Floor
Under the partnership, the companies will work together to provide manufacturers with a unified technology stack covering the entire digital manufacturing environment — from network infrastructure and cloud services to production operations.
The solutions will be jointly developed, marketed and delivered to industrial customers across Saudi Arabia. The companies aim to establish a repeatable and scalable partnership model that can support digital transformation across multiple manufacturing enterprises.
The approach is designed to give manufacturers a single, accountable partnership rather than requiring them to manage separate providers for connectivity, infrastructure, cybersecurity and factory-floor technology.
Salam Expands Beyond Traditional Connectivity
The agreement represents another step in Salam’s shift from a telecommunications provider towards a broader digital transformation partner for Saudi businesses.
Abdullah Khorami, Chief Business Officer at Salam, said the manufacturing sector needs an integrated digital partner capable of connecting the network layer with factory-floor operations.
The partnership, he added, will enable Salam to offer a secure, end-to-end technology solution while supporting the Kingdom’s wider industrial transformation objectives.
For Salam, the collaboration is also expected to increase the use of its existing cloud and data-centre investments while expanding its managed services offering.
SmartFactory Brings MES and MOM Expertise
SmartFactory will contribute its expertise in Manufacturing Execution Systems and Manufacturing Operations Management, technologies that help manufacturers manage and connect production processes and operational data.
Emin Çağatay Güleç, CEO of SmartFactory, said demand for intelligent, connected and secure production environments is increasing as Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector undergoes a major transformation.
He said Salam’s enterprise infrastructure and managed services capabilities complement SmartFactory’s MES and MOM expertise, allowing both companies to provide manufacturers with an integrated solution.
Partnership Supports Saudi Vision 2030
The collaboration is aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 industrial digitalisation agenda, which seeks to modernise the Kingdom’s manufacturing base and strengthen its industrial capabilities.
The companies said the partnership is intended to address growing demand for secure and connected manufacturing environments, while combining capabilities that are traditionally offered separately by telecommunications companies, technology providers and systems integrators.
The agreement also comes as Saudi Arabia continues to promote Industry 4.0 technologies and greater integration between digital infrastructure and industrial operations. Salam has separately highlighted manufacturing and Industry 4.0 among the sectors featured in its LEAP 2026 technology demonstrations.
Manufacturing Could Be the First Step in a Wider Model
For Salam, manufacturing is being positioned as an initial proof point for a broader ecosystem and partner model that could eventually be replicated across other industries.
The company has been repositioning its enterprise business around an integrated portfolio covering connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, AI-enabled services and managed solutions.
The SmartFactory agreement therefore extends that strategy into a sector where digital infrastructure and operational technology increasingly need to work together.
A Single Technology Stack for Industrial Customers
By combining telecommunications infrastructure with manufacturing software and operational expertise, Salam and SmartFactory aim to bridge the gap between enterprise IT systems and factory-floor operations.
The partnership is expected to give industrial customers access to connectivity, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, managed services, MES and MOM capabilities through a coordinated delivery model.
As Saudi Arabia accelerates its industrial and digital transformation ambitions, the two companies are positioning the collaboration as a scalable model for building more connected, secure and intelligent manufacturing environments across the Kingdom.
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