Staying in compliance, whether at the initial phases of business setup or during post-incorporation compliance in Saudi Arabia, provides a solid foundation for global firms to maintain longevity and sustained growth of their operation in the Saudi market and benefit from the ongoing waves of transformation.
The impact of compliance on spurring business growth has been brought into a sharp focus as the Kingdom stands out as a vibrant hub for international companies like Joule Group, a leading fire and life safety consultancy and advisory firm.
The company has a global presence, with operations in over 30 countries and offices in the UK and the UAE. We spoke with David Black, director of Joule Group’s Middle East operations, as he reflected on the company’s growth journey in Saudi Arabia and the strategic benefits of continued post-setup compliance.
Maintaining Compliance Supports Business Growth as Exemplified by Joule’s Group
With post-incorporation compliance in Saudi Arabia being a genuine growth enabler, especially in a fast-moving market like Saudi Arabia, Black highlighted the impact of our on-ground team in facilitating a seamless expansion while continuously providing end-to-end support for critical post-setup processes.
That includes fundamental areas such as licensing renewals and PRO services and hiring. “The experience so far has been excellent. The level of communication from your team has been excellent, and the speed of set-up has been aligned with expectations. The AstroLabs team has been very proactive in reaching out and offering excellent rates for post-setup support,” he said.
Having built a robust footprint in the country, Joule has been able to foster strategic alliances with local partners, which remain integral to its growth plans, according to Black. The upward trajectory of the fire safety protection market speaks to the critical role that Joule Group plays in enhancing the country’s infrastructure and ensuring occupant safety and compliance across a wider range of industries and residential regions.
Owing to the growing demand for real estate and infrastructure, the Saudi market continues to pose as a key market for Joule Group. Its technical practice and industry-based consultative approach perfectly align with the Saudi industrial market’s continued evolution.
Saudi Industrial and Real Estate Growth Shapes a Strategic Path Forward for Joule
The industrial segment in Saudi Arabia is anticipated to exhibit further growth, with Riyadh, the capital city, emerging as the center of manufacturing and construction activities regionally. By the end of 2023, total investment in the industrial sector had reached SR415 billion ($112.05 billion); that largely shows the impact of the sector in encouraging a private-led economy as set out in Vision 2030.
With rapid urbanization and industrialization, the importance of adopting and incorporating stringent fire safety prevention measures is becoming greater than ever. “The expansion move strengthens our existing client relationships and helps to build new client relationships to continue our support for Vision 2030. So it was a natural next step to establish the company in the Kingdom,” said Black.
The company’s solutions are adaptable in various sectors, including industrial and building spaces, which has helped fuel the adoption and integration of innovative, sustainability-led fire risk mitigation measures in global markets, including Saudi Arabia. “We work across the built environment and are set up to provide bespoke fire engineering services that are needed for the existing and future projects in the Kingdom,” said Black.
In Saudi Arabia, the fire safety market is experiencing a significant push from the real estate industry, alongside rapid urban development in giga projects. However, Joule’s scope of work extends beyond infrastructure. The size and complexity of Joule’s projects range from smart cities to industrial clusters; this is demonstrated by its involvement in large-scale initiatives across several capacities.
Joule’s project portfolio currently boasts future vertical cities, new island developments and industrial facilities in NEOM, high-rise towers in Riyadh, and Qiddiya’s theme park, along with other notable projects in Diriyah Gate. The immense scale of development witnessed across the Kingdom continues unabatedly. With that, Joule Group takes the lead in the evolution of the Saudi fire safety market fueled by stringent safety regulations.
Joule serves as a striking example of how getting in sync with the country’s ever-changing compliance landscape is crucial to unlocking the full potential within the region.