The GCC's Tech Vanguard: Immensa's Fahmi Al-Shawwa
The founder and CEO of Immensa was one of the 30 innovators celebrated in Inc. Arabia's December 2024 special feature, The GCC's Tech Vanguard.
Fahmi Al-Shawwa's extensive experience in additive manufacturing, particularly in the oil and gas (O&G) and energy sectors, was the driving force behind his founding of Immensa, which is today the MENA’s largest digital manufacturer.
By recognizing the potential of additive manufacturing to optimize operations and allow customers to address supply chain inefficiencies, Al-Shawwa has claimed the first-mover advantage in an industry by promising to help companies cut costs and optimize energy consumption.
“The concept of digitizing inventories and leveraging additive manufacturing felt like a natural solution to the longstanding challenges posed by inefficient supply chains – such as long lead times and supply chain vulnerability — offering both economic and operational benefits,” Al-Shawwa points out. “These innovations disrupt a 40- to 50-year status quo, driving a more sustainable and efficient future.”
As CEO of Immensa, Al-Shawwa has thus led his company to become a global leader in industrial 3D printing, while also driving transformation in the oil and gas supply chain. “Immensa is the MENA’s largest digital manufacturer, reshaping the energy sector, and serving prominent producers such as the UAE’s ADNOC via digital warehousing and additive manufacturing, and creating agile and more resilient supply chains,” he says. “The energy sector spends over US$90 billion annually on spare parts and experiences annual ‘unnecessary losses’ of circa $30 billion due to inefficient legacy structures. Immensa’s solution thus offers significant cost-saving advantages, and it also addresses pressing environmental concerns.”
A Playbook For Success: Q&A With Fahmi Al-Shawwa
What excites you about the road ahead for this technology, and what do you believe it will offer to the economies of the future?
“The transformative potential of additive manufacturing and digital inventories is immense, especially as industries increasingly prioritize agility and sustainability. Advanced manufacturing technologies not only enhance operational efficiencies but also reduce environmental impact by localizing production and minimizing cross-border shipping. This supports initiatives to build more resilient supply chains, while fostering innovation-driven industrial growth, thereby creating tangible economic benefits.”
How do you envision the future of technology in your field within the GCC?
“The future is hugely exciting. Within the sector, it feels like the early days of Uber and Spotify – as both companies revolutionized how their industries operate. The sector is poised for transformative growth, as the GCC experiences a paradigm shift where digital supply chains and on-demand production become the norm rather than the exception. Over the next decade, 40 percent of spare parts manufacturing will transition to this model, rendering traditional legacy systems obsolete.”
What advice would you give to young people/new businesses looking to start/grow in your field/industry?
“Focus on understanding your industry’s pain points, and building solutions that deliver measurable value. Be prepared for long adoption cycles, and invest in gaining the trust of your customers through quality and consistency.
Invest in building strong skills and talent. In this fast-moving, technology-driven industry, agility and resilience are essential to adapt, embrace change, and seize emerging opportunities.
Lastly, surround yourself with a team of experts who can navigate both the technological and operational complexities of additive manufacturing and digital inventory solutions.”
Immensa's Fahmi Al-Shawwa was one of the 30 innovators celebrated in Inc. Arabia's December 2024 special feature, The GCC's Tech Vanguard. For the full list of The GCC's Tech Vanguard, please click here.
