The first Qatari factory to manufacture smartphone and other consumer electronic products is close to launch, Qatari businessman Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani said Friday.
The factory will manufacture laptops and tablets as well using the latest robotics technologies. The businessman was speaking on the sidelines of the Qatar-Germany Business and Investment Forum, which was inaugurated by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and German Chancellor Angela Merkal in the German capital Berlin.
The businessman praised the government's strong support of the project, and added that technology the factory will use to manufacture the products were developed in Qatar. He said that the intention to venture into the Information Technology sector was that it will be one of the main sectors that lead the transformation of the State of Qatar's economy into a knowledge-based one, which is the aim of Qatar National Vision 2030.
On why the company decided to enter into the IT industry, he said that the educational initiatives launched by Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) HE Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, including Educate A Child, was an important factor in his decision. He said that Educate A Child for example provides education to 10 million children, all of which would need access to technology to pursue their education.
He added that the aim of the project is to democratize technology and make it accessible to people at all price points, by lowering costs. He added that 30 percent of the profits will be dedicated to Research and Development, adding that the company will establish a research center that will attract the most promising young researchers. He noted that they carried out two-year studies on providing a low-cost access to the internet that does not need satellites, but relies on airplanes. He said that the method already existed, but the company made a few developments and adjustments to improve its efiiciency.
He said that the Qatari company signed an agreement with a German logistics company, as well as an agreement with German pharma company Alpha Biocare. He said that Oryx Communications has exposure to pharma and signed a partnership deal with the German company.
The Qatari company financed an Alpha Biocare factory, in addition to financing some of the company's research. The Qatari company will now be the only seller of Alpha Biocare products all over the world except Europe.
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