CommScope makes strategic investment in Saudi Arabia with manufacturing facility in Jeddah

CommScope Saudi Arabia LLC will supply infrastructure solutions and enhance customer service to business enterprise and government customers in the Kingdom and the wider Middle East region.

During a press conference today in Jeddah, CommScope announced that with BT Global Industries it will begin manufacturing its Systimax product solutions by the third quarter of 2009. CommScope believes that this site represents the first local manufacturing facility for high end structured cabling solutions in the Middle East.

"Our customers in Saudi Arabia are embracing new technologies to deliver smart buildings and intelligent buildings. This first manufacturing presence in Saudi Arabia brings CommScope closer to its customers, giving them the reassurance that they are working with a company that is committed to the local market. This will give customers greater confidence when selecting CommScope."

said Ciaran Forde, regional managing director, Middle East and Africa, CommScope Enterprise Solutions.

CommScope has been commercially active in the Kingdom for over 20 years, first establishing a presence for its Systimax business based out of Riyadh in the early 1980s under AT&T. Further investment in the Kingdom is testament to CommScope's belief that, despite the global recession, Saudi Arabia remains a strategic and long term market for the company. "We have chosen to extend our presence through a joint venture because we recognize Saudi Arabia is an exceptional area in the Middle East," said Randy Crenshaw, executive vice president and general manager, CommScope Enterprise Solutions. "We are excited about the potential for creating additional local business and new employment opportunities. This is a first step in CommScope's long-term strategy for supporting customers and doing business in the Kingdom."

The facility is approximately 1,500 square meters, of which 1,000 square meters is manufacturing space. Initially employing approximately 40 people, the company will undertake a recruitment and training program to ensure output meets its global quality standards.

BT Global Industries has a number of affiliate companies throughout the Kingdom that are market leaders in the design and integration of systems for smart buildings. "CommScope clearly recognizes the importance of the government's Saudisation program," said Mr. Amr Taher, president of BT Global Industries and chairman of CommScope Saudi LLC.

"I believe the establishment of CommScope Saudi LLC and this inward investment will contribute largely to the country's knowledge-based economy. We are very excited about how this technology manufacturing presence will be a strategic fit into our business portfolio."

CommScope manufactures solutions that support the significant trends of intelligent and smart buildings. Customers in Saudi Arabia are at the forefront in the adoption of these key technologies, and the Jeddah facility will produce structured cabling solutions for these applications.

The manufacture of CommScope's products is a highly skilled process and the operation will be managed by Tim Cromer, who will be the operations manager. Cromer has relocated to Saudi Arabia from the US to set up the facility in its initial phase.

CommScope Enterprise Solutions, a division of CommScope, Inc., offers a complete portfolio of network infrastructure solutions that enable enterprise customers, regardless of size, industry or IT budget, to take advantage of business and technology opportunities.

The division's Systimax product line offers voice, data, video and converged solutions ranging from mission-critical, high-bandwidth and emerging applications to applications that demand unrelenting reliability and quality for everyday needs.

Backed by CommScope Labs, the product lines are delivered through a global channel network of industry-leading BusinessPartners and distributors, ensuring a consistent and high-level of service and support worldwide.