Network devices assembled in Riyadh
Made in Saudi network devices: what is assembled in Riyadh today, and how a "made in Saudi" claim is checked
IK Semiconductor assembles network devices in Riyadh: 5G CPE, Mesh Wi-Fi and ONT are its SKD product lines, and a 5G MiFi line is planned. At the SKD stage, partly built sub-assemblies are completed, tested, loaded with firmware and packaged in the Kingdom; board-level assembly is planned with the CKD stage in 2028, and chips are made by a separate industry. IK Semiconductor is a member of the Saudi Made programme and holds a local content certificate issued by LCGPA. This page explains what "made in Saudi" means for a network device and which documents prove it.
What "made in Saudi" means for a network device
A network device is built in layers: chips, circuit boards, sub-assemblies, then the finished, tested and packaged device. "Made in Saudi" can describe very different amounts of that work.
| Stage | Done in the Kingdom | Still done abroad |
|---|---|---|
| SKD (semi-knocked-down) | Final assembly, testing, firmware loading and packaging | Components and circuit boards |
| CKD (completely knocked-down) | Board-level assembly is added | Chips, and usually the design |
| Full local manufacture | The manufacturing chain up to the finished device | Chip fabrication is a separate industry |
When you compare offers, ask which of these stages applies to the exact device you are buying.
Saudi Made, national product, local content and the mandatory list are different things
| Term | Who sets it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Made programme | Launched in 2021 by the Saudi Export Development Authority | The company is a programme member and can use the programme's logo under its rules |
| National product | The local content preference regulation | Any product manufactured in the Kingdom; how it is treated in a tender follows LCGPA's rules for that product |
| Local content certificate | LCGPA | The establishment's local content score for a named financial year, issued with an expiry date |
| Mandatory list | LCGPA | National products that government agencies must buy; a bid that does not comply is excluded from supply tenders |
LCGPA's training material on the mandatory list accepts a "Saudi Made" certificate issued by the programme as one proof of a product's national origin, alongside other documents. Membership alone does not tell you whether a device category is on the mandatory list or what its local content is.
Network devices assembled in Riyadh today
| Device family | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 5G CPE | Customer premises equipment for fixed wireless access over 5G | SKD product line, ready for manufacturing partnerships |
| Mesh Wi-Fi | A set of Wi-Fi units that work together to cover a home or office | SKD product line, ready for manufacturing partnerships |
| ONT | The optical network terminal at the customer end of a fibre connection | SKD product line, ready for manufacturing partnerships |
| 5G MiFi | A portable, battery-powered 5G hotspot | Planned line; register your interest |
What happens in Riyadh at the SKD stage:
- final assembly of partly built sub-assemblies
- testing to the plan agreed with the device owner before the first build
- firmware loading
- branding and packaging agreed for the programme
- quality checks on incoming components and finished devices
IK Semiconductor builds to the device owner's design and specification. The design and firmware stay the owner's.
The factory and its credentials
- Company: IK Semiconductor (Interkey Semiconductor), an Interkey group company in Riyadh. First production began in 2025, at the SKD stage.
- Set-up: built to the specification of a partner factory that specialises in network products, with its standard operating procedures replicated in Riyadh and the line run by Saudi staff working with the partner's team.
- Saudi Made: member of the Saudi Made programme.
- Local content certificate: IK Semiconductor holds a local content certificate issued by LCGPA; ask us for a copy.
- Mandatory list: IK Semiconductor is listed on LCGPA's mandatory list for government procurement.
- Management systems: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certificates held by IK Semiconductor.
- Roadmap: SKD now, CKD planned for 2028, ODM (in-house product design) as the long-term aim.
Which documents apply to a specific device in your tender or programme is confirmed per product.
Who buys locally assembled network devices
| Buyer | What they usually need |
|---|---|
| Telecom operators and internet service providers | CPE, ONT or Wi-Fi devices under their own brand, assembled in the Kingdom |
| Device brands | An OEM partner in the Kingdom that builds to their design, without building their own plant |
| System integrators and distributors | Devices assembled in the Kingdom for government and corporate tenders with local content requirements |
How to check a "made in Saudi" claim
Ask the supplier for written, dated answers:
- Which stage applies to this device? SKD, CKD or more, and which steps take place in the Kingdom.
- Which legal entity manufactures it? And where is the factory?
- What proves national origin? Name the document, such as a Saudi Made certificate or another proof LCGPA accepts.
- Is there a local content certificate? Ask for a copy and check it with its verification link or QR code.
- Is the factory registered for this product on the mandatory list? Registration is per factory and product.
- Does the type approval cover the locally built model? Not only an imported version.
- Which management system certificates apply, and to which site? Check each certificate's scope.
Questions buyers ask
Are IK Semiconductor's devices made in Saudi Arabia?
They are assembled in Riyadh. Today that means the SKD stage: final assembly, testing, firmware loading and packaging. Board-level assembly comes with the CKD stage, planned for 2028.
Does IK Semiconductor make chips?
No. Despite the name, it assembles and tests network devices. It does not fabricate chips, wafers or printed circuit boards.
Can the device carry our brand?
Yes. Branding and packaging are agreed for each programme, and the device is built to your design and specification.
Does Saudi Made membership put a device on the mandatory list?
No. The mandatory list is issued by LCGPA, and the factory must be registered for the listed product. A Saudi Made certificate is one of the documents LCGPA accepts as proof of national origin.
Who do you build devices for?
Telecom operators, internet service providers, device brands, and integrators and distributors who supply tenders. Volumes, price and lead time are quoted per programme.
Discuss a device programme
Tell us the device family, the volumes, the date units must be in the field and whether your buyers ask for devices made in the Kingdom. We will reply with what the Riyadh line can take on at its current stage.
info@interkey-sc.com.sa · +966-11-2180999 · +966-55-3475469 · Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sources (checked 2 November 2026)
Regulation definitions are quoted as published and fetched on 2 November 2026. A new Government Tenders and Procurement Law was published in Umm Al-Qura on 4 September 2026, and the local content regulation is being reviewed against it, so check the current text.
- Made in Saudi Program, Saudipedia
- "Saudi Tech" membership under the Made in Saudi program, Communications, Space and Technology Commission
- Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Ministry of Finance (English translation; the Arabic text governs)
- LCGPA training material on the mandatory list (Arabic)