ITALY; SAUDI ARABIA —A major European engineering group secured a technology licensing and equipment contract valued at approximately €125 million for a large-scale agricultural chemical project in Saudi Arabia. Under the agreement, Nextchem, acting through its specialized nitrogen technology subsidiary Stamicarbon, will supply process design packages, proprietary hardware, and technology licensing for two new manufacturing units. The facility, known as the SAN-7 fertilizer complex, is located in the industrial city of Al Jubail and is being developed for Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) Agri-Nutrients.
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) Agri-Nutrients is a publicly listed subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's state chemical giant, specializing in nitrogen-based agricultural fertilizers and crop nutrition solutions. Italian industrial group MAIRE S.p.A. operates globally across downstream engineering, sustainable technology, and nitrogen solutions, employing over 11,000 personnel worldwide.
This development significantly accelerates Saudi Arabia's efforts to scale up domestic fertilizer output and enhance its export footprint in international markets. Each of the planned production lines will feature a daily capacity of 3,850 metric tons of urea, incorporating proprietary NX STAMIT technology to streamline production. The expansion directly reinforces broader national economic objectives under Vision 2030, which prioritizes industrial diversification, energy efficiency, and strengthening global food supply chains.
The agreement highlights growing Middle Eastern investment in modern chemical infrastructure and high-efficiency production technologies. For equipment suppliers and chemical engineering licensors, large-scale Middle Eastern industrial expansions represent vital revenue channels. Concurrently, the addition of substantial new urea output from the Al Jubail complex is expected to bolster global agricultural chemical supplies and support international food security initiatives.
