Global
DENZAI’S KOHKI UEMURA:
SEIZING THE
SAUDI
Asia Projects Pave the Way for Middle East Expansion By Luke King
OPPORTUNITY
A
t first glance, it may seem a bold move for a Japanese heavy-lift company to be embarking on a major investment in Saudi Arabia, but for Kohki Uemura, president and CEO of Tokyo-headquartered DENZAI Group, Middle East expansion is a logical next step. “One of the main reasons we decided to enter Saudi Arabia is because we were invited by Japanese and Korean EPCs to support their projects there,” says Uemura, whose company was founded in the early 1970s, and has a long history of working for major EPCs, including Saudi Arabia’s Aramco.
In February 2024, DENZAI announced it was establishing a joint venture with Dammam-based road haulage specialist Fawaz Alshammari Co. For Transportation, also known as FTE Logistics. A JV company, FTE DENZAI, was formally opened in October and there are plans to transfer some cranes to the JV from DENZAI’s operations in Japan and Singapore, while additional, new equipment will be sourced from Chinese and European manufacturers. DENZAI also opened a subsidiary company, DENZAI Arabia Co. Ltd., in Jubail, Saudi Arabia in 2023.
42 Breakbulk Magazine
Issue 1 2025
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Where Uemura sees a gap in the market is around the provision of engineered heavy-lifting solutions – which he says are difficult to procure in Saudi Arabia. Uemura is also encouraged by Saudi Arabia’s efforts to commence domestic manufacturing of wind energy components. According to recent Saudi press reports, steel towers for wind energy systems will soon be manufactured in the country, following the signing