IFS and Echelon have announced a strategic partnership to bring Industrial AI to Saudi Arabia. IFS is a provider of industrial AI and enterprise cloud software. Echelon is a Riyadh-headquartered company that delivers artificial intelligence transformations globally.

Under the partnership, Echelon will work with its client base across the country’s industrial sectors. It will deploy and localize IFS.ai for Saudi-based enterprises. The deal also lets IFS expand its Industrial AI and enterprise software presence in the Kingdom.

Industrial AI is the application of artificial intelligence to the physical world. It helps enterprises analyse large amounts of data from sensors, machines and networks. Platforms then recommend and execute actions. These include production optimisation, quality control, condition-based maintenance and supply chain tracking.

IFS already works with organizations across the Kingdom. It helps advanced manufacturers modernize operations and strengthen supply chains. It supports telecommunications providers in delivering services at scale. It also assists maritime organizations in building industrial capabilities. In addition, it helps critical infrastructure operators improve asset reliability.

The market context is significant. Saudi Arabia has the largest industrial base in the Middle East and Africa. That base accounted for 45% of the country’s US$1.1 trillion GDP in 2024. It spans manufacturing, oil and gas, mining, construction and utilities. Meanwhile, the Kingdom is positioning itself as an industrial hub. It also aims to be a gateway market for regional industrial supply chains under its Vision 2030 strategy. To boost competitiveness, it is investing in advanced manufacturing. As a result, many of its largest industrial enterprises are digitizing their operations.

Echelon will position IFS.ai across its heavy industry customers in the country. As a result, asset-intensive sectors can move beyond legacy systems towards AI-embedded operations. These sectors include energy, manufacturing, oil and gas, aerospace and defence, logistics and telecoms. Through IFS.ai, Echelon’s customers will gain an AI enterprise layer. It will cover enterprise asset management, field service, maintenance planning and asset investment decisions.

“Ever since we founded Echelon, our aim was to bring the most exciting AI solutions to Saudi Arabia, to benefit our economic diversification and growth,” said Prince Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud, Founder and Managing Director, Echelon. “IFS offers cutting edge technologies to heavy industries and manufacturers, and the IFS.ai platform holds the promise of tangible, real-world benefits. Our customers are excited about the potential of IFS’s innovations for their operations.”

IFS CEO Mark Moffat also commented on the partnership. “Saudi Arabia is building some of the most complex, regulated and asset-heavy operations in the world. Running them successfully means making thousands of decisions every day, safely and at scale. That’s exactly where Industrial AI delivers the greatest value, and it’s where IFS thrives. For decades, we’ve helped the world’s most essential industries turn operational complexity into competitive advantage,” he said. “We’re excited to work with Echelon and the Kingdom’s industrial base to raise efficiency and help make Saudi Arabia one of the most competitive places in the world to manufacture. That is the power of Industrial AI and IFS.ai.”

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