Saudi Arabia-based Abana Enterprises Group has been appointed as UK-based Spire Payments’ distributor for the kingdom.

Abana, a well-established and respected supplier and service provider of banking solutions, telecom technology, and cash management services across the kingdom for over 40 years, will offer Spire’s state-of-the-art point of sale (POS) payment solutions to its current and future customers, said a statement from the company.

Abana is perfectly positioned to partner with Spire, with unrivalled infrastructure across the kingdom including 700+ field engineers and support staff, 21 service centres, four major repair centres, and single-point contact 24/7 help desk, it said.

Abana has received ISO 9001, ISO 22301, and ISO 27001 certifications as a testament to its commitment to provide quality services and comply with international standards. These credentials, along with industry-recognised quality of service, has resulted in the company becoming Saudi’s first licensed multi-bank cash centre. This complex and highly secured operation manages ATMs across the kingdom, it added.

Abana will initially offer traditional POS solutions, including end points, bespoke applications, asset management platforms, key management infrastructure, field support, help desk and repair facilities. In the future, technologies such as Spire’s mPOS and SmartPOS solutions will be added to the company’s portfolio.

Ultimately Abana aims to become Saudi’s preferred provider of choice for face-to-face payments solutions for banks, large retailers, petroleum outlets, and other large organisations.

TK Cheung, president of Spire Payments, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Abana as a distributor for us. The Middle East has always been central to our geographic expansion plans and now Saudi Arabia can become a key market for us.”

“Abana offers the perfect synergy to our solutions with their significant expertise and capability. We look forward to a long and fruitful future in the kingdom,” Cheung added.

Amr Abdulaziz Al Amr, deputy chief executive officer and chief business officer, Abana, said: “We have made the strategic decision to enter the POS market to complement our offering of banking and ATM solutions and in support of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision.”

“This diversification is a natural progression for our business as we continue to offer our customer base an ever-increasing range of best-in-class solutions and services. The traditional POS products will be available in Q4 this year which perfectly complements the Central Bank’s drive to reduce reliance on cash within our market,” he said.

“This will be soon followed by the introduction of Spire’s mPOS and SmartPOS solutions to allow banks, retailers, and customers alike to take full advantage of the latest developments in payments,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service