Toyota Motor Corporation and Abdul Latif Jameel Celebrate Joint Venture that Will Bring Genuine Toyota Accessories to the Middle East Region

Abdul Latif Jameel and Toyota Motor Company recently announced the latest venture in their longstanding relationship regarding access to pivotal automotive parts and vehicles in the Middle East. Already a landmark brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the surrounding region, Toyota is ramping up its efforts to supply dealers and car owners alike with genuine accessories to upgrade their vehicles with style and safety. The announcement, which marked the launch of Toyota Accessories and Development ME India Pvt. Ltd. (TADME), officially represents ALJ's commitment to providing Middle East consumers with options to customize their vehicles to taste and budget.

The partnership is unique in that it is the first time Toyota has worked with a private distributor in a formalized joint venture to provide Toyota-brand accessories to personalize vehicles on a consumer level. The potential market in the region is promising, with over one million vehicles accounted for in the Middle East that could take advantage of the new accessory offerings. Toyota will remain actively involved in the initiative as a majority shareholder throughout the process. Product development for TADME will be based in Bengaluru, India, a region known for a rich offering of design and development talent. Production experts from the Middle East will also be tied to the project to ensure customization and alignment with regional needs and specifications.  

ALJ leadership spoke positively of the enhanced bond between the two companies and the opportunity the joint venture holds for car owners and drivers in the region. "As customer needs evolve and diversify, we are pleased to offer drivers in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region even more choice when it comes to personalizing their experience with genuine Toyota accessories. We are honored to join Toyota Motor Corporation, in unlocking new value for our customers and paving the way for greater vehicle personalization in the region," said Hassan Jameel, Deputy President and Vice Chairman of ALJ.

Not only will access to Toyota and Lexus brand accessories be expanded in the region, but the joint venture will also encompass the establishment of an official equipment and accessory development facility. This will allow for new innovations from engineers and designers tasked with addressing market demand to create and integrate from a research and development perspective. The facility expects to service hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year. "Our joint venture with Abdul Latif Jameel underlines Toyota's commitment to understanding and meeting the rapidly evolving needs of our customers ensuring drivers can easily customize and personalize their vehicles by developing a wide range of genuine accessories, while continuing to deliver the exceptional quality, durability, and reliability for which Toyota is globally recognized," said Akitoshi Takemura, Regional CEO for Toyota Motor Corporation.

The relationship between ALJ and Toyota has been a fruitful work in progress over ALJ's 75-year legacy. The company started out as a Toyota distributor in Saudi Arabia at a time when access to foreign vehicles was limited for both consumer and commercial clients. Founder Abdul Latif Jameel, the company's namesake, helped grow the business from a small order of just four Toyota vehicles into a global automotive business, now overseen by family members including his son and grandsons. Through their paths into the family business, all three followed in their patriarch's footsteps, learning the transportation industry and working to improve access and infrastructure throughout their country and the region. Prior to taking on his duties in the family business, Hassen Jameel worked at the Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan after attending college at Sophia University in Tokyo.

The relationship with Toyota extends far beyond the sale of its automobiles for ALJ. One of the company's philanthropic endeavors, Community Jameel, has undertaken several initiatives to help improve infrastructure through the advancement of science with an emphasis on community service. One such example, the Jameel-Toyota Scholarship, was founded in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, of which Mohammed Jameel is an alumnus, has created opportunities for students across Asia and Africa since 1994. The scholarship has supported more than 180 students from 28 countries in pursuing their education at MIT and continues to encourage graduates through alumni programming and networking opportunities. 

As one of the leading independent Toyota distributors in the world, ALJ provides transportation resources to commercial and retail customers across three continents. Mobility solutions play a dominant role in the company's MENAT, Europe, and Asia operations with a focus on meeting vehicle demand with a service and customer-first mentality. ALJ already provided several services for Toyota customers and drivers, from auto body and paint to vehicle components. ALJ dealerships and service locations also provide collision repair, refurbishment, and upgrades to customize vehicles to driver tastes. The additional collaboration with TADME will only prove to strengthen these offerings, available to a network of over 55 centers and dealerships across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

ALJ continues to innovate its motors and transportation division with an emphasis on the customer experience. Providing customization options for Toyota and Lexus vehicles is just one component of this progress. A dealership-wide initiative to streamline processes has notably reduced customer wait times, touchpoints, and barriers to sale. ALJ's strong local brand recognition also positions it as a leader in automotive offerings in the country with a standardized experience across its network of sales floors. Investing in the community from the ground up, the company provides training for Saudi youth to make their way in the industry and be active participants in representing the brand. This attitude has expanded to commercial and industrial divisions of the business, making it a mainstay in the mining, materials handling, and construction industries. Operations have also spread beyond borders, with operations for passenger vehicle sale and maintenance spanning seven countries. Storage facilities and receiving locations process hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year, making ALJ a market leader as well as profound logistics coordinator for the region's automotive interests.