[Riyadh, 2025] – Obeikan Digital Solutions (ODS) has successfully concluded its high-impact participation in the Industrial Transformation Saudi 2025 exhibition. The ODS booth served as a premier destination for industry leaders and experts, showcasing the company’s pivotal role in driving the Kingdom’s digital industrial agenda
Throughout the event, ODS provided an immersive experience for visitors, sharing its latest innovative solutions designed to empower industries to reach their full potential. The company described the participation as an “inspiring experience,” emphasizing the importance of direct engagement with partners and stakeholders to shape the future of the sector.
The ODS exhibit highlighted advanced technologies aimed at redefining manufacturing processes. By demonstrating how digital transformation and innovation can be seamlessly integrated into industrial operations, ODS showcased practical paths for facilities to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and productivity.
The success of this participation reinforces Obeikan Digital Solutions’ dedication to the Kingdom’s industrial growth. “We are proud of what we have achieved and remain committed to continuing our journey toward a brilliant industrial future,” the company stated, following the positive reception of its digital ecosystem at the event.
[RIYADH, Saudi Arabia] – Obeikan Digital Solutions (ODS), a pioneer in industrial digital transformation, has officially been named a winner of the Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) Middle East 2025. This prestigious accolade recognizes ODS’s exceptional contributions to the manufacturing sector through cutting-edge technology and innovative digital frameworks.
A Benchmark for Industrial Excellence
The Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) is a globally recognized program that honors companies spearheading the future of industry. By leveraging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced data analytics, winners are selected based on their ability to drive significant improvements in productivity, sustainability, and operational agility.
Obeikan Digital Solutions emerged as a winner following its successful deployment of high-impact digital tools, most notably the O3sigma platform. This solution has been instrumental in helping manufacturing facilities transition into “Smart Factories,” optimizing every stage of the production lifecycle.
Empowering a Future-Ready Sector
Reflecting on this milestone, Obeikan Digital Solutions stated:
“We are thrilled to be named a winner of the Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) Middle East 2025. This milestone motivates us to continue pushing boundaries and contributing to the advancement of a smart, sustainable, and future-ready manufacturing sector.”
Aligning with Saudi Vision 2030
The announcement, which coincided with major industrial transformation events in the Kingdom, underscores Obeikan Investment Group’s commitment to Saudi Vision 2030. By localizing global technological best practices and tailoring them to the unique needs of the Middle Eastern market, ODS is playing a vital role in establishing Saudi Arabia as a global hub for advanced manufacturing.
Why Obeikan Stood Out
The selection committee highlighted several key areas where Obeikan Digital Solutions demonstrated leadership:
Technological Innovation: Seamless integration of Microsoft’s cloud capabilities with complex industrial operations.
Operational Impact: Proven success in reducing waste, enhancing yield, and lowering operational costs for clients.
Sustainability: Development of green manufacturing solutions that monitor and optimize resource consumption.
Workforce Empowerment: Creating intuitive digital interfaces that augment human capabilities on the factory floor.
Looking Ahead
This award reinforces Obeikan Digital Solutions’ position as the partner of choice for industrial enterprises looking to navigate the complexities of Industry 4.0. Moving forward, the company plans to further expand its digital ecosystem, ensuring that the regional manufacturing landscape remains at the forefront of global innovation.
Leading the way toward a greener future, Obeikan Investment Group is proud to have concluded a successful participation in the inaugural IFAT Saudi Arabia 2026, held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.
As the Kingdom advances toward its Net Zero emissions by 2060 , our subsidiary companies showcased cutting-edge solutions designed to empower the circular economy and environmental technology sectors.
We extend our gratitude to everyone who visited our booth and shared our vision for a sustainable future. Together, we are building the infrastructure for a cleaner tomorrow.
Joint Venture Company to be 51% owned by Obeikan and 49% by Northern.
Project debt financing to be sourced from Saudi government finance agencies, local and global commercial banks.
Phase I BAM production capacity of 25,000 tonnes per year forecast for 2028; scalable expansion to meet growing global demand.
Advanced discussions underway with global battery manufacturers regarding long-term offtake agreements for the initial 25,000 tpy of production .
Northern and JVCo to conclude long-term offtake agreement for purchase of up to 50,000 tpy of graphite concentrate from Northern’s Okanjande mine in Namibia .
Project aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and accelerating demand for secure, non-Chinese graphite anode supply chains .
January 14, 2026 ( Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) : Northern Graphite Corporation (NGC:TSX-V, NGPHF:OTCQB, FRA:0NG, XSTU:0NG) (the “Company” or “Northern”) and Al Obeikan Investment Group (“Obeikan”) are pleased to announce that they have signed a term sheet to jointly develop and operate a large-scale Battery Anode Material (“BAM”) facility in Yanbu Industrial City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through a joint venture company (“JVCo”).
The term sheet, signed January 14, outlines the development of an approximately US$200 million BAM facility with an initial production capacity of 25,000 tonnes per year (‘tpy”) scalable over time to meet rapidly growing global demand for graphite anode materials sourced outside of China. The facility will be located in Yanbu, a strategically positioned industrial and logistics hub on the Red Sea with direct access to European, North American, and Middle
The JVCo is to be majority-owned (51 percent) by Obeikan, a Kingdom of Saudi Arabia diversified industrial group engaged in packaging, printing, building glass, real estate and the digitalization of industrial operation processes in the Middle East and Africa, and 49 percent owned by Northern. Construction of the facility is expected to start in 2026, with first-phase production forecast to begin in 2028. The BAM facility will be funded at the JVCo level, with Obeikan leading the organizing of local debt funding required to finance construction, development and commissioning of the Yanbu plant. The remaining funding is to be provided as equity by the JV partners in proportion to their ownership interests and jointly through commercial banks.
Negotiations with global battery manufacturers with respect to a long term 25,000 tpy BAM offtake agreement are well advanced. The JVCo will also enter into a long term offtake agreement to purchase up to 50,000 tpy of graphite concentrate from Northern’s Okanjande Project in Namibia. In recognition of Northern’s efforts in developing, assembling and integrating the required technologies, validating the products, establishing commercial relationships and a customer qualification pipeline, the JVCo and Northern will conclude a long-term agreement whereby Northern will receive a royalty on net sales of Battery Anode Materials in addition to its direct ownership interest in JVCo.
“This joint venture represents a defining step in Northern’s evolution from a mining company into a fully integrated, global battery anode material producer,” said Hugues Jacquemin, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Graphite. “By partnering with Obeikan in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we are partnering with a well-financed and experienced industrial player, gaining scale, financing strength, and access to one of the world’s most strategically important industrial hubs, while accelerating the restart of our Okanjande mine in Namibia and advancing our broader mine-to-market strategy.”
“Our partnership with Northern is fully aligned with the Kingdom’s ambition to lead in advanced materials and clean energy supply chains,” said Abdallah Obeikan, Chief Executive Officer of Al Obeikan Investment Group. “This partnership will combine Northern’s expertise with the industrial knowledge of Obeikan and the strength of Saudi Arabia. Together, we intend to establish a world-class BAM production hub in Yanbu that serves global battery manufacturers while strengthening the resilience of international supply chains.”
The joint venture provides scale, financing strength, and geopolitical diversification and will establish Northern as a fully integrated, globally relevant BAM producer and partner of choice for OEMs seeking secure, traceable supply chains. It also positions Okanjande as Northern’s primary growth engine, responding directly to global efforts to reduce dependence on China for graphite supply. The Yanbu BAM plant will form part of a fully integrated, traceable, multi-jurisdiction supply chain for high-performance anode material – the largest component in lithium-ion batteries – to global battery and electric vehicle manufacturers. The project is fully aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which prioritizes advanced manufacturing, energy transition technologies, and downstream value creation.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an attractive location for our BAM plant due to its low energy and labour costs, close proximity to Namibia, strong government support, favourable financing conditions, and trade advantages that include low tariffs into the U.S. and efficient access to European markets,” said Mr. Jacquemin.
According to SNE Research, lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing capacity is expected to reach 4,527 GWh by 2035 (9% CAGR), with graphite retaining over 91% anode share through 2040. At the same time, evolving policies are splitting the global graphite market as tariffs and de-risking measures drive demand for non-Chinese anode materials.
Okanjande Mine Restart and Expansion
Importantly, the joint venture materially accelerates the restart and potential expansion of Northern’s Okanjande graphite mine in Namibia, which has been on care and maintenance since 2018 and represents an opportunity to substantially increase the Company’s graphite production at a lower cost and with a shorter time to market than most competing projects. A preliminary economic assessment (“PEA”) for the Okanjande project was prepared in accordance with NI 43 101 and filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) on August 28, 2023. The PEA contemplates 31,000 tpy of production over a ten year mine life. However, the project contains a substantial measured and indicated resource and the Company intends to prepare a new technical report to evaluate the economics of producing at a higher rate based on the requirements of the JVCo.
Technical Flow and Integration
The project will operate as part of a globally integrated mining and processing chain designed to provide OEMs with a secure, non-Chinese supply of battery anode material:
Stage Location
Mining & Concentrate Production Okanjande Mine – Namibia
BAM Production (Spheronization, purification and coating) Yanbu – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
R&D and Qualification Northern’s Battery Materials Laboratory – Germany
A Final Feasibility Study (“FFS”) for the BAM facility will be conducted and is intended to be completed by June 30, 2026, with debt funding to follow based on the FFS.
Completion of the joint venture is subject to customary conditions, including execution of definitive agreements, completion of offtake agreements, completion of feasibility studies, regulatory and permitting approvals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, finalization of offtake agreements, and receipt of all required board and regulatory approvals. The partners intend to proceed with incorporation of JVCo and entry into a definitive shareholders’ agreement governing ownership, governance, capital contributions, and development obligations by Q4 2026.
Gregory Bowes, B.Sc. MBA P.Geo, the Chairman of Northern, is a “Qualified Person” as defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.
About Northern Graphite
Northern is a Canadian, TSX Venture Exchange listed company that is the only producer of flake graphite in North America. Northern’s graphite assets include the producing Lac des Iles mine in Quebec, where the Company is boosting output to meet growing demand from industrial customers and coming demand from North American battery makers. The Company also owns the large-scale, advanced stage Bissett Creek graphite project in Ontario and the fully permitted Okanjande graphite mine in Namibia. All projects have “battery quality” graphite and are located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions. The Company’s mine-to-battery strategy is spearheaded by its Battery Materials Group, which has a fully equipped, state-of-the-art laboratory in Frankfurt. Northern is focused on becoming a world leader in producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high-value products critical to the green economy, including anode material for lithium-ion batteries/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies.
About Al Obeikan Investment Group
Al Obeikan Investment Group (OIG) is a family-run business, founded in 1982 by the Obeikan family with headquarters in Riyadh. OIG has a strong foothold in manufacturing, packaging, education, and health care. On top of being the leading provider of fully integrated packaging solutions in the region, OIG has a growing focus on digital transformation. Providing proven models that help manufacturers and enterprises to achieve operational excellence with productivity-enhancing applications, and performance improvement end-to-end solutions.
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”,
“expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “potential”, “possible” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may”, “will”, “could”, or “should” occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the Company’s plans to enter into a definitive joint venture agreement with Obeikan, extend the mine life of its LDI mine and development plans for its other projects including Bissett Creek. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations and the inability to raise required financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Elm Announces an Increase in Its Stake in Sahl Almadar Trading Company, Owner of the Madar Digital Platform for Logistics Business Management
Riyadh, 19 December 2025
Elm Company, a pioneer in digital solutions, announced—concurrently with its strategic sponsorship of the Supply Chain & Logistics Conference 2025, held under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, and recognized as the largest gathering of supply chain and logistics decision-makers in its seventh edition—the signing of an agreement to increase its stake in Sahl Almadar Trading Company, the owner of the Madar Digital Platform.
Madar is an advanced digital platform that connects shippers and carriers and provides unified solutions for managing logistics operations.
On this occasion, Eng. Abdullah Abdulrahman Al-Obeikan, CEO of Obeikan Group and Chairman of Sahl Almadar Trading Company, stated: “Madar represents an integrated digital ecosystem that includes real-time shipment tracking solutions, process automation, integration with government services, an interactive digital marketplace connecting shippers and carriers, and a digital payments platform—contributing to improved operational efficiency and enhanced transparency and reliability.”
He added: “Madar was established to drive a qualitative transformation in Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector by connecting shippers, carriers, and regulatory entities within a single ecosystem. This underscores the platform’s capabilities and highlights the role of digital logistics in supporting the Kingdom’s economic growth. It is an important step for the sector, the company, and the national economy.”
Mr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Omair, CEO of Elm Company, stated: “This step aims to strengthen our advanced digital solutions and positively reflect on the quality of Elm’s services delivered to beneficiaries, in line with our vision to become the leading digital enabler for the logistics business sector. We believe that the future of logistics goes beyond the transportation of goods to delivering added value built on efficiency, transparency, and speed.”
He added: “With Madar’s advanced technologies and Elm’s digital expertise, the integration of Madar’s technical capabilities with Elm’s advanced digital infrastructure will contribute to the development of a comprehensive, end-to-end logistics solutions ecosystem, covering shipment planning, compliance, fleet management, payments, and operational analytics, supporting the Saudi market’s adoption of smart, data-driven logistics solutions.”
Al-Omair emphasized that this step reflects Elm’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s economic and digital transformation objectives and contributing to strengthening its position as a global logistics hub.
It is worth noting that in 2021, Elm Company announced its investment in Sahl Almadar Trading Company, the owner of the Madar Digital Platform affiliated with Obeikan Group, with a 30% stake, aiming to support the entrepreneurial business environment and strengthen local innovation and digital partnerships in the logistics services sector. This represents a strategic step within Elm’s direction to expand its presence in the business-to-business (B2B) sector, given that logistics is among the most promising sectors in which the company seeks to enhance its presence, in line with its non-organic growth strategy and the qualitative transformation taking place in Saudi Arabia’s logistics sector. Completion of the process remains subject to obtaining the relevant regulatory approvals.
Obeikan Education, a leader in educational solutions in the Kingdom, and the Saudi Tennis Federation have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at supporting tennis in the Kingdom. The collaboration includes a range of joint initiatives and activities targeting the athletic and physical development of youth, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Saudi Tennis Federation by Mrs. Arij Al-Mutabagani, President of the Federation. Among the Federation’s goals is engaging one million people in the tennis community by 2030. Mr. Mohamed Khalil, CEO of Obeikan Education and Group Chief Commercial Officer, signed on behalf of Obeikan Education, a prominent entity in the field of education in the Middle East. The signing ceremony was attended by the Saudi Tennis Federation team, led by Mr. Hisham Bakhsh, CEO of the Federation, alongside the Obeikan Group team, and Connection Sports, the federation’s marketing consultant and deal architect, represented by the group’s CEO Mr. Sherif Monsef. This agreement is part of a series of partnerships the Saudi Tennis Federation is establishing to promote the development of tennis in the Kingdom, which includes initiatives such as player development, brand revamping, high level corporate partnerships, and hosting various regional, continental, and international tournaments in the coming years.
