Construction In Saudi Arabia: The Next Big Thing?

With the decline in the economies of the developed world, many construction and infrastructure companies are broadening their horizons. In particular, there has been huge interest in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as "the next big thing" – and with good reason!

KSA is the largest construction market in the Arabian Gulf region by some margin.  In 2011, contracts worth $66 billion were awarded in KSA, a 6% increase on the previous year.   The Kingdom's "Ninth Development Plan" forecasts public spending of $384 billion between 2010 and 2014.  While a large proportion of the KSA economy is driven by oil exports, the Government is making significant efforts to promote other industries (for example, the recent strategic joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemicals).