Milk, Machines and Modernisation: GEA Opens New Training Hub in Saudi Arabia
In a move that underscores the region’s growing ambition to modernise its food production infrastructure, German engineering group GEA has inaugurated a new training centre in Saudi Arabia. The facility, located in Al-Kharj, marks a strategic step toward localising expertise in dairy technology — a sector where knowledge has traditionally flowed in from abroad.
The new GEA Training Center aims to support both technical education and on-site skill development, reflecting Riyadh’s broader push to strengthen national food security and reduce reliance on imported talent. Equipped with advanced milking and cooling systems, the site offers hands-on training for operators, technicians, and farm managers across the Kingdom and neighbouring Gulf countries.
"Training is not an add-on; it is at the core of sustainable operations," a GEA spokesperson said. By embedding international standards of performance within local teams, the company hopes to elevate the operational efficiency of dairy farms and food processors alike — sectors that have seen a surge in investment under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan.
The centre’s opening comes amid a wider regional drive to boost local production and technology transfer in agribusiness. For global firms like GEA, which specialises in process engineering and food technology, it is both a business opportunity and a geopolitical alignment. The company is already involved in several major projects in the Middle East, particularly in dairy automation and large-scale processing plants.
With water constraints, high temperatures and rising protein demand, the Gulf region presents unique challenges to food security. But it is precisely in mastering these challenges — with smart infrastructure, efficient systems, and skilled labour — that long-term transformation is likely to be realised. GEA’s investment suggests that the Gulf’s dairy future will not be built on imported models alone, but on homegrown capability.
