Aramco Asia-Japan reaches out to local suppliers

Aramco Asia-Japan’s (AAJ) Strategic Procurement and Logistics Department (SPLD) recently hosted the first Suppliers Forum in Tokyo to place stronger emphasis on fostering closer ties with commercial suppliers.

Approximately 160 delegates from over 90 companies, as well as representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Japan External Trade Organization, and all three Japanese mega-banks attended the event co-hosted by the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East.

The forum was held for the first time in Japan to target Japanese suppliers with objectives to expand and strengthen the supply base to AAJ, explain the supplier’s qualification process, and introduce the localization program “iktva,” which is also a part of the joint “Saudi-Japan Vision 2030” between Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Omar M. Al-Amudi, representative director of AAJ, opened the forum with his welcoming remarks. “This forum couldn’t have come at a better time, because Saudi Aramco has huge investment opportunities over the coming 10 years. And those will include a number of mega-projects where certain Japanese suppliers such as you are expected to play a major role,” he said.

“Saudi Aramco has huge investment opportunities over the coming 10 years. These will include a number of mega-projects where certain Japanese suppliers are expected to play a major role.”

Omar M. Al-Amudi, representative director of Aramco Asia-Japan

A team from Saudi Aramco followed by delivering presentations on how to do business with the company, and the technical and quality requirements of the approval process for manufacturers. The iktva program was also introduced and explained in detail, together with two success stories of Japanese companies, J-Power Systems Saudi Co. Ltd., and Azbil Saudi Ltd. — both having established their own local manufacturing in Saudi Arabia.

In the afternoon, a series of one-on-one meetings covered various subjects such as local investment and the approval process from a commercial, technical, and quality perspective.

Attendees were actively engaged throughout the entire program, which promoted open dialog and strong interest from the supplier community. The iktva session received the highest number of attendees and was divided into three sessions provided by Imran A. Hariri, administrator in the Supplier Relationship Management Division in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, and Abdulrahman Z. Al-Mogren, deputy managing director of AAJ SPLD.

The AAJ SPLD team will continue supporting the suppliers who have shown interest in doing business with Saudi Aramco and developing localization plans in all possible ways to promote and make “doing business with Saudi Aramco” a reality.

Omar M. Al-Amudi delivers the opening remarks at the first Suppliers Forum in Tokyo. The goal of the event was to place stronger emphasis on fostering closer ties with commercial suppliers.