Ericsson, in collaboration with Saudi Telecom Company (stc) Group’s iot squared, unveiled the Ericsson Connected Recycling platform in Saudi Arabia during the LEAP 2025 event. Alshaya Group, a leading retailer, became the inaugural customer for the platform.
iot squared, the local partner for the platform in Saudi Arabia, will be responsible for engaging enterprises like Alshaya Group, as per a press release.
The Ericsson Connected Recycling platform is a result of Ericsson’s close collaboration with customers in various markets and its knowledge partners like Tetra Pak. This best-in-class solution enables the tracking and trading of circular material flows, allowing enterprises to monetize their waste while automating advanced reporting on waste flows and their environmental impact.
Othman Aldahash, CEO of iot squared, emphasized, “As the solution provider for the Ericsson Connected Recycling platform in Saudi Arabia, we are committed to supporting enterprises like Alshaya Group in implementing effective waste management solutions.” He added, “This initiative is a testament to the power of technology in driving sustainability and creating value for businesses.”
By using the platform, Alshaya will be able to reduce over 50% of its waste sent to landfills. The company will also collaborate with partners such as Obeikan Paper Industries (OPI) and TetraPak to improve recycling processes. This initiative will promote waste diversion, enable the development of new packaging with recycled content, and track waste flows in real-time on the platform, boosting waste monetization, circularity, and minimizing environmental impact.
Håkan Cervell, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Saudi Arabia, expressed his excitement: “We are glad to launch the Ericsson Connected Recycling platform in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with iot squared, and in collaboration with Alshaya Group. This showcases how global technology can support industry transformations, and we are eager to see the positive environmental impact it will have.”
Seneca Cottom, Head of Sustainability at Alshaya, highlighted, “Digital transparency of waste flows helps us understand our full waste footprint, and with the marketplace functionality, we can easily repurpose it, directing waste material in circular flows instead of landfills.” She also shared enthusiasm for expanding their brands in Saudi Arabia, particularly with the opening of The Avenues – Riyadh in late 2026 and in Khobar in 2027.
Marcelo Piva, Sustainability Director-Middle East & Africa at Tetra Pak, expressed, “We are delighted that Tetra Pak is joining this partnership as the knowledge partner and will support Ericsson and iot squared in leveraging the industry benchmark established in the Kingdom through the first-of-its-kind recycling line for carton packages in Saudi Arabia.”
During LEAP 2025, Ericsson also showcased its 5G-enabled robotic dog, Rocky, and entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily). Ericsson also partnered with Batelco to enhance mobile broadband networks with a focus on expanding 5G and 4G capabilities in the region.
