Latest news with #serviceareas
Argaam
6 days ago
- Business
- Argaam
MOMAH OKs new rules for factories inside, outside urban zones
The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MOMAH) approved new regulatory requirements for factories both inside and outside urban areas, as part of efforts to improve the industrial investment environment, enhance compliance, and provide safe, well-planned locations in line with urban development strategies across the Kingdom. he ministry stated that the requirements apply to all types of factories—whether within urban boundaries, in service support areas, or in approved industrial-use zones. To obtain a license, factories must hold a valid commercial registration, an industrial license from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, an environmental permit from the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC), and Civil Defense approval in line with fire safety and building regulations. According to the ministry, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the requirements set out specific location criteria. Sites must be within designated industrial or commercial areas, range in size from 300 to 600 square meters, comply with regulatory setbacks, and provide parking for trucks and vehicles, as well as designated loading and unloading areas. An approved engineering design showing truck and pedestrian movement, entrances, exits, and inspection points must also be submitted. Technical and architectural requirements oblige investors to comply with the Saudi Building Code, use fire-resistant materials in finishes, and install ventilation, air-conditioning, fire alarm, and firefighting systems. Facilities must also include accessible pathways for people with disabilities, and façades must meet the urban code or approved design guidelines. Operational requirements include installing security cameras, placing internal signage, offering electronic payment options for retail outlets, refraining from operating outside licensed premises or after license expiry, and displaying a unified QR code linked to licensing data for transparency and verification. The regulations also require separation between primary and secondary activities, the implementation of waste management systems, and adherence to cleanliness and regular maintenance standards. The ministry confirmed that municipal authorities will conduct on-site inspections and enforce the municipal penalties regulation for violations, aiming to improve the quality of industrial activities, strengthen compliance, and create a safe, organized environment that supports Saudi Vision 2030 objectives. In June, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued requirements for conducting industrial activities outside designated zones. This followed the work of a central committee—formed by Cabinet decision in January 2024 and chaired by the ministry with the participation of seven government entities, including MOMAH —tasked with addressing the status of factories located outside approved industrial lands. It aims at regulating industrial activities, encouraging investment, and promoting sustainable industrial development in the Kingdom.
Irish Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Applegreen to invest $750m in Massachusetts motorway service stations under 35-year deal
Applegreen , the Irish fuel forecourt retail group, has been awarded a 35-year contract to operate 18 motorway service areas in Massachusetts. Under the deal it will invest more than $750 million (€654 million) in the network. The group, backed by US private equity giant Blackstone , will spend the money replacing buildings at nine plazas and carrying out major renovations of the others, US news media reported. This would make it the biggest spending project Applegreen has entered into in the US. The company will have the contract to operate the restaurants, cafes and shops at the plazas and to sell fuel and operate electric-vehicle (EV) charging sites at each location. READ MORE It will pay up to $994 million in rent to the State of Massachusetts during the 35-year deal, reports said. Of the 18 service stations, 11 are on the longest motorway in the state, known as the Massachusetts Turnpike, which spans 222km and was opened in 1957. Applegreen beat two other final-round bidders for the contract. Fuel supplier Global Partners had been seen as the favourite to be selected by the Massachusetts Department of Transport (MassDOT). 'We're thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and MassDOT to improve the travel experiences of drivers across Massachusetts for years to come,' a spokesman for Applegreen said. Applegreen entered US market in 2014 when it bought two sites in Long Island. In 2020, the group was part of a consortium that signed a 33-year lease to refurbish and operate 27 motorway plazas on New York Thruway, a system of toll roads within the State of New York. It does not have the fuel sale element of that deal. Applegreen runs more than 100 US motorway service areas, where it operates restaurant and cafe brands such as Burger King, Shake Shack, Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, Starbucks, Dunkin', Panera Bread and Panda Express. The company was founded by Robert Etchingham in 1992 with one station in Ballyfermot, west Dublin. It now has almost 200 locations in the Irish market. The company typically invests more than €30 million a year in the Irish market on store openings, upgrades and improvement. Applegreen was taken private from the stock market in March 2021 by Blackstone in a €718 million deal that saw Mr Etchingham and long-standing executive Joe Barrett retain a combined 42.5 per cent stake in the group. The company's then independent directors decided unanimously to recommend the takeover bid for the group, arguing it faced borrowing constraints as a listed company as it faced large investments in electric car-charging facilities and US highway service areas. Applegreen agreed this year to sell its UK filling station business to UK rival EG On The Move for an undisclosed sum. That business had 98 sites. The company said it would use the proceeds from the transaction to invest in its business in Ireland, the UK and US. The deal did not affect Applegreen's Welcome Break motorway service business in the UK, which also has a network of 31 hotels.
