Etihad Salam Telecom Company (Salam) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Smartech Digital Solutions Co. (SmartFactory) at LEAP 2026, where Salam is participating as a strategic sponsor under the theme “Powering what’s next.” The partnership marks a significant milestone in Salam’s evolution as a full-spectrum digital transformation partner for Saudi Arabia’s industrial and manufacturing sector.
The agreement brings together Salam’s enterprise-grade connectivity, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and managed services capabilities with SmartFactory’s Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) expertise. Together, the two companies will deliver a unified, secure, and connected technology stack that spans the full spectrum from network infrastructure through to production operations, offered to manufacturing customers under a single, accountable partnership model. The collaboration is designed to be jointly executed, with both companies co-selling and co-delivering integrated solutions to industrial customers across the Kingdom, establishing a repeatable and scalable model that can drive meaningful impact across multiple enterprises.
Abdullah Khorami, Chief Business Officer at Etihad Salam Telecom Company (Salam) said: “Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector is growing, and industries need an integrated digital partner that can take them from the network layer all the way to the factory floor. Our collaboration with SmartFactory allows us to offer that, a secure, end-to-end solution backed by two organisations that are deeply committed to the Kingdom’s industrial transformation. This is a defining step in Salam’s journey as a true digital solutions partner.”
The partnership is strategically aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 industrial digitalisation agenda, which calls for the modernisation and transformation of the Kingdom’s manufacturing base. Salam and SmartFactory are uniquely positioned to address the growing demand for secure, intelligent, and connected manufacturing environments, differentiating themselves from traditional telecom providers and system integrators who typically address only parts of this complex value chain.
Emin Çağatay Güleç, CEO at SmartFactory said: “Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector is undergoing a profound transformation, and the demand for intelligent, connected, and secure production environments has never been greater. Partnering with Salam gives us access to world-class enterprise infrastructure and managed services that perfectly complement our MES and MOM capabilities. Together, we are offering manufacturers a fully integrated, end-to-end solution from a single, trusted partnership.”
For Salam, the partnership extends the company’s role beyond connectivity into vertical-led digital solutions, drives greater utilisation of its existing cloud and data centre investments, and builds a foundation for recurring, higher-margin managed services revenue. The manufacturing sector serves as the first proof point of a broader ecosystem and partner model that Salam intends to replicate across other industries.
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