Muheel, Sutter Group and Al Bariq form strategic alliance to transform professional cleaning standards in Saudi Arabia

Muheel, Sutter Group and Al Bariq form strategic alliance to transform professional cleaning standards in Saudi Arabia

Muheel Facilities Management, a joint venture between Abdul Latif Jameel Land and Al Muhaidib Group established in 2008, has formed a strategic partnership with Sutter Professional and Al Bariq Saudia Trading Company to elevate sustainable professional cleaning standards across Saudi Arabia's facilities management sector.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed on 8 September 2026 in Borghetto di Borbera, Italy, establishes a framework for implementing high-performance, EU Ecolabel certified cleaning solutions throughout Muheel's operations in the Kingdom. The partnership addresses a rapidly expanding market, with Saudi Arabia's facilities management sector valued at approximately USD 30-52 billion in 2025 and projected to grow at 7-10% annually through 2030-2031.

The collaboration unites Sutter's heritage and technical expertise, Al Bariq's local market knowledge, and Muheel's operational platform spanning over 3,000 colleagues across Saudi Arabia. Sutter Group, originally founded in Switzerland in 1858 before relocating to Italy in 1910, has maintained continuous family ownership through five generations and now operates in over 60 countries through subsidiaries in Spain, Portugal, France, Argentina and Chile, alongside local distributor partnerships.

Strategic priorities and market context

Muhammad Irfan Khokhar, Chief Executive Officer of Muheel Facilities Management, emphasized the partnership's foundation in responsible leadership and ecosystem collaboration. "Our mission at Muheel is helping to create better places to work and live. To translate that mission into reality, we believe we need two things: the right principles and the right ecosystem," Khokhar said.

"Responsible leadership means making decisions not only based on what is possible or commercially attractive, but also by asking a simple question: what is the right thing to do for people, our clients and the environment? Our intention is to use cleaning solutions that are environmentally responsible, human-friendly and safe for the built environment, while protecting both people and the planet," he added.

The partnership targets five strategic priorities aligned with Muheel's ESG agenda and Saudi Vision 2030 objectives: elevating cleaning standards through professional methodologies, reducing environmental impact through responsible chemical use and waste reduction, building workforce capability through structured training, localizing international best practices, and creating an innovation platform focused on whole-life asset value rather than short-term cleaning costs.

The timing reflects significant market dynamics. Cleaning services represent the fastest-growing segment within Saudi Arabia's soft facility management market, projected to expand at approximately 13.7% annually through 2035, driven by heightened post-pandemic hygiene standards and Vision 2030's tourism targets. The national transformation program aims to attract 150 million annual tourist arrivals, requiring substantial expansion in hospitality cleaning, catering and security capabilities. Saudi Arabia already accounts for approximately 55% of total GCC facilities management spending, making it the region's largest market.

Technical implementation and knowledge transfer

The partnership centers on introducing EU Ecolabel certified products, which undergo rigorous third-party assessment and must meet strict criteria including biodegradability, reduced toxicity, recyclable packaging and professional performance standards. The certification, launched by the European Commission in 1992, provides independent verification of environmental and quality standards.

Aldo Sutter, Chief Executive Officer of Sutter Group, described Muheel as a natural strategic partner due to its operational capabilities and commitment to raising facilities management standards. "Together with Al Bariq, our long-standing partner in Saudi Arabia, we are bringing together complementary strengths with a common ambition to advance professional cleaning in the Kingdom," Sutter said.

"This partnership is guided by four principles — strong family values, respect for people, environmental stewardship and superior quality. By combining these principles with innovation, technical expertise and strong local execution, we aim to create safer, healthier and more sustainable spaces for generations to come," he added.

Knowledge transfer forms a significant component of the collaboration. The parties plan technical training, workshops, product demonstrations and competency-development initiatives for Muheel's management, supervisory and frontline teams. The framework also creates opportunities for advanced knowledge sharing and technical engagement with Sutter's facilities and research operations in Italy.

Roland Sossi, Vice President at Al Bariq, highlighted the company's bridging role. "As a long-standing partner of Sutter in Saudi Arabia, Al Bariq is proud to extend that relationship through this strategic collaboration with Muheel. Each organization brings a distinct strength to the partnership, creating a strong platform for practical and effective implementation across the Kingdom. Our role is to provide the local bridge between Sutter's international expertise and Muheel's operational requirements, supported by our market knowledge, technical expertise and on-ground capabilities."

Vision 2030 alignment and long-term objectives

The partnership is designed to extend beyond product introduction alone. Through operational evaluation, technical support, training and continuous improvement, the parties aim to demonstrate how professional cleaning contributes not only to service quality, productivity, health and environmental performance, but also to protecting assets and improving lifecycle value through preventive, performance-driven approaches.

Muheel has expanded from 1,600 employees at launch to over 3,000 colleagues, building on more than 40 years of facilities management experience from Al Muhaidib Group. The company's growth trajectory and operational scale position it to implement the partnership's objectives across the Kingdom.

The collaboration supports broader Vision 2030 priorities, particularly in sustainability, localization, capability development, operational efficiency and higher service delivery standards. By combining global expertise with local capability and facilities management implementation, the three organizations aim to establish new benchmarks for professional cleaning in Saudi Arabia while demonstrating how sustainability and operational performance can work together to deliver lasting value.