Aramco, a global leader in integrated energy and chemicals, has entered into a five-year Cooperation Framework Agreement (CFA) with China National Building Material Group Co., Ltd. (CNBM), one of the world’s largest producers of building materials, to explore new opportunities in advanced materials and industrial development.
The agreement outlines several areas for potential collaboration, including the establishment of manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia to produce wind turbine blades, hydrogen storage tanks, low-carbon building materials, and energy storage solutions. Additionally, the partnership may lead to the creation of a center for training, inspection, and accreditation, along with a joint technology development center and laboratory to drive innovation in the sector.
Wail Al Jaafari, Aramco’s EVP of Technical Services, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating: “We look forward to expanding our collaboration with CNBM to pursue breakthroughs in materials science. Our goal is to drive the materials transition by developing solutions that reduce construction emissions and enhance product performance. By combining Aramco’s expertise in nonmetallic materials with CNBM’s industry knowledge, we aim to identify pioneering advances, create new business opportunities, and enhance manufacturing capabilities within Saudi Arabia.”
Zhou Yuxian, Chairman of CNBM, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, noting: “This agreement leverages the strengths of both companies to achieve win-win cooperation. CNBM is committed to advancing the low-carbon transition in the nonmetallic materials industry, and through this partnership, we seek to support Aramco’s efforts to accelerate the materials transition. The wide-ranging collaboration envisaged in this agreement has the potential to significantly contribute to low-carbon development and further align the strategic interests of China and Saudi Arabia.”
The CFA builds on Aramco’s existing relationship with CNBM and follows the 2021 launch of the Nonmetallic Excellence and Innovation Center for Building Materials (NEXCEL) in Beijing, established in partnership with the China Building Materials Academy (CBMA), the science and technology arm of CNBM.
