Riding Saudi Arabia’s construction wave

Saudi Arabia

Faisal Hussain, general manager of Bridge Saudi Company, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s success with AI-driven cleaning services and the new business opportunities being generated by Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure boom and Vision 2030. Bridge Saudi Company is a provider of civil construction equipment and industrial cleaning services.

What have been Bridge Saudi Company’s key achievements over the past year?
In the past year, we have adopted advanced technologies in our cleaning services and started offering tent structures as a rapid construction solution. These structures can be completed in around 30-45 days and are ideal for stores, airports or warehouses as a quick and efficient construction option. The approach has proven highly successful for projects requiring expedited completion.
In cleaning, we are using AI to memorise cleaning processes, analyse fouling and polymer buildup and determine the precise water pressure needed to clean equipment such as exchangers without causing damage. This helps us maintain the integrity of the equipment and eliminates some of the risks associated with manual cleaning, such as over-pressurisation and leaks.

Did you develop the AI applications in-house?
Our parent company in the UK, Bridge Trading & Services, spearheads the group’s research and development efforts into new technologies and sustainability. They develop solutions, and we bring them to Saudi Arabia.

We understand you have had success with dry-cleaning technology in Saudi Arabia. Can you discuss some of its benefits?
Dry cleaning is a niche market; we only do it in plants that have been allowed to cool down to prevent the risk of explosions and thermal shocks that might damage materials. I can confidently say we have cleaned every fin fan unit in Saudi Arabia using this technology. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and clients keep choosing us over competitors.
The technology eliminates the need for heavy equipment such as cranes and also reduces manpower requirements from five or six people to just three, making it more cost- and time-efficient. Additionally, there is no use of water, as in water-based chemical cleaning methods, which makes it a more sustainable alternative and helps us to achieve our long-term sustainability objectives.

How does Bridge Saudi Company handle competition in the cleaning segment?
Competition has become more challenging, especially because other companies are attempting to replicate our technologies. Unfortunately, some competitors offer free trials and deliver subpar solutions, which can confuse clients and harm the market’s perception of the technology. Their tactics also drive down prices, which adds another layer of complexity to the problem. We focus on demonstrating the superiority of our methods and our reliability as a company.

How has your construction business been evolving, and are there any particular segments that you are targeting for growth?
Our construction business is seeing more activity compared to cleaning due to demand from Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects and the ongoing infrastructure boom. We are targeting design-build-operate schemes in Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects as well as all over the kingdom, and we are establishing operating facilities and camps. Our company has been allocated land in one of the giga-projects, and we are one of the very few contractors that has an office facility there.

What are your strategic goals for 2025 and beyond?
Our target for the construction segment is to achieve SAR 1 billion [USD 270 million] in revenue next year. In cleaning, with our resources and innovative technologies, we aim to reach SAR 300 million [USD 81 million]. We are continuously investing in equipment for infrastructure and construction, as well as in other equipment such as super suckers and hydro jetting machines, and we are trying to obtain approval from SABIC for our AI technology.
The most exciting aspect isn’t the future of Bridge Saudi Company but the favourable business conditions that are emerging in Saudi Arabia, the new land of opportunity. The Vision 2030 initiative is transforming the country. I often say that to achieve extraordinary success, you need to be in Saudi Arabia. We aim to continue growing alongside the kingdom. Our operations are expanding domestically and internationally, with outposts in the UK and Poland and potentially in China as well.

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