Japan’s Isuzu Motors is expected to produce the first vehicle from its new factory at Dammam 2nd Industrial City on 12 December.

The new plant will produce cars, as well as light and medium trucks. The factory will eventually create up to 800 jobs when it hits full production of 25,000 vehicles a year by 2017. Exports will account for 40 per cent of production with the rest sold on the domestic market.

The plant has been promoted heavily by Saudi Arabia as automotive production has been earmarked as a vital sector for the kingdom’s industrial diversification programme.