Governor of Riyadh Province Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz yesterday patronized the awards ceremony for the King Abdul Aziz Prize for Model Factories for the year 1419 H (1998-1999). Director-General of the Saudi Consulting House (SCH) Muhammad Al-Musallem explained that the Ministry of Industry and Electricity had initiated the prize, and that SCH had been assigned to set up the technical, marketing, financial and administrative standards for it. The prize, he said, aims at creating competition among the nation's factories in order to promote industry and accelerate its growth, maximize utilization of the available productive potentialities, improve quality, and reduce production costs, thus making national products capable of competing in international as well as local markets.

Praising the sophisticated technology used by the award-winning factories, he announced the awards in five categories as follows.
1. Foodstuffs: In first place, the dairy complex of NADEC, in Al-Haradh; in second place, the Al-Hadah water company in Makkah; and in third place, the Al-Jumaih soft drinks bottling factory in Buraidah.
2. Chemicals: In first place, the Saudi Pharmaceutical Industries Company (SPICO) in Qassim; in second place the Arab-Danish Paint Company in Riyadh; and in third place the Al-Othaman plastic products company in Al-Hasa.
3. Engineering: In first place, the Saudi Cable Company in Jeddah; in second place the Saudi Lighting Company in Riyadh; and in third place the Lazourdi Gold Factory.
4. Construction materials: In first place, the Saudi Ceramics Company in Riyadh; in second place the Saudi Cement Company in Hofuf; and in third place, the Cement Company in Qassim.
5. Miscellaneous: In first place, the Al-Jeraisey furniture company in Riyadh; in second place, the National Textile Company in Riyadh; and in third place, the Arab Industrialization Company.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Industry and Electricity Dr. Hashem Yamani highlighted the great strides made by the Kingdom in industrial development, attributing this to the state's support and noting that construction of industrial cities, loan facilities for industry, and exemption from custom tariffs were the major factors. He added that promotion of investment services is aimed at assisting investors in choosing their future investment projects pertaining to the industrial sector.

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