How UK’s 36Zero Built a Market-Leading Presence in Saudi Arabia’s Construction Sector

36Zero's Saudi journey shows how long-term commitment, local presence, and trust drive success across giga-project markets today.

UK-based workforce technology company 36Zero has expanded across Saudi Arabia's giga-project landscape, working with NEOM, Red Sea, and New Murabba, among others. Its path to market offers a clear-eyed look at what sustained commitment to the Kingdom actually requires.

Why Saudi Arabia's Construction Sector Attracted 36Zero

Saudi Arabia is home to more than $1.7 trillion in infrastructure and development projects currently underway or in the pipeline. For technology companies serving heavy industry, such as construction, oil and gas, utilities, and manufacturing, that scale creates structural demand that few other markets can match.

For 36Zero CEO David Redmond, the decision to enter Saudi Arabia was rooted in exactly that reasoning. The Kingdom had committed to delivering complex developments at an unprecedented pace. That created a growing need for real-time visibility into project optimization, workforce productivity, and worker welfare across giga-project delivery.

The company had already been operating in the market for several years before formalizing its presence, a pattern common among technology providers that have found early traction in Saudi Arabia.

36Zero provides wearable workforce management technology built for large-scale industrial environments. Its platform enables organizations to monitor worker well-being, site conditions, and operational performance in real time.

In May 2026, 36Zero recorded four go-live implementations across the Kingdom, reflecting a growing footprint across Saudi projects.

The company has also expanded globally, entering a definitive agreement to acquire the Bodytrak® assets from Lakeland Fire + Safety (NASDAQ: LAKE), extending its reach into North America and broadening its platform across mining, oil and gas, utilities, and industrial operations.

How 36Zero Formalized Its Saudi Presence

In 2025, 36Zero opened its Riyadh office, converting years of on-the-ground activity into a formal legal entity. The business setup process, facilitated by AstroLabs, the Gulf’s leading business setup and growth platform, covered company formation and licensing, post-incorporation services, and access to a network of corporate stakeholders, government entities, and ecosystem partners. Today, the company serves major giga-projects alongside leading contractors, utility providers, and industrial operators across the Kingdom.

For foreign businesses considering Saudi Arabia, 36Zero's path offers a practical case study in market entry and growth.

Redmond summarized the investment plainly: "Four years ago, I took 36Zero to Saudi. We invested in the market from both a time and financial perspective. We committed to a local office and entity, engaged with partners and local teams, and delivered success to our customers from pilot to scale."

The return on that long-term investment has been significant. As Redmond noted, the company's sales growth over just the last four months has more than covered the costs of the previous four years.

Saudi Arabia is a relationship-driven market. Companies that enter without a long-term commitment consistently underperform against those that build local trust progressively over time.

As Redmond put it: "Those that win in Saudi are not trying to win against the clock of 2030. They are winning because relationships, roots, and trust aren't built on a singular mission. They are built for today, tomorrow, and forever."

Key Lessons for Foreign Companies Entering Saudi Arabia

36Zero's expansion illustrates a set of consistent factors that shape success for foreign technology companies in the Kingdom:

• Early market presence counts. Companies that establish on-the-ground activity before formal incorporation are better positioned when they eventually set up a business as a foreigner. The commercial relationships are already in motion.
• Local entity and office are non-negotiable at scale. Informal engagement can open doors, but a licensed Saudi entity signals commitment and unlocks a different category of project and partnership.
• Relationships take time and cannot be accelerated. Trust and reputation are built across project cycles, not in a single sales push.
• The market opportunity extends beyond 2030. Saudi Arabia's infrastructure pipeline continues well past the Vision 2030 headline deadlines. Companies that frame their entry around 2030 milestones miss the longer-term opportunity.
• Sector demand is deep. Construction, oil and gas, mining, utilities, and manufacturing are all active areas with real procurement cycles. Technology that addresses safety, productivity, or compliance has an established buyer base.

36Zero's goal is to support over one million workers in Saudi Arabia by 2030, a figure that reflects both the scale of the Kingdom's industrial workforce and the scale of the opportunity for companies that commit to the market.