A fire severely damaged the Alhamrani Fuchs Petroleum Saudi-Arabia lubricant plant in Yanbu Industrial City on July 25, forcing production to stop and prompting Fuchs SE to activate alternative supply arrangements for customers across the Middle East and North Africa.
In a statement issued July 31, the German lubricant manufacturer said production and filling lines sustained extensive damage and reconstruction planning has begun. No employees were injured. While the company described the incident as a plant fire, regional security reports and satellite imagery linked the outbreak to cross-border drone and missile strikes in the area.
The Yanbu facility is one of the largest lubricant blending and grease manufacturing sites in the Middle East and Africa. Located within one of Saudi Arabia’s main refining and petrochemical hubs, it supplies automotive lubricants, industrial oils, greases and specialty fluids to the domestic market and more than 20 export countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The disruption leaves FUCHS relying on other regional plants and third-party manufacturing to maintain supply commitments while repairs proceed.
Fuchs owns a 32% stake in the Alhamrani Fuchs Petroleum Saudi-Arabia joint venture. Company disclosures show the business contributed about 1.5% of Fuchs Group earnings before interest and taxes during 2025. The facility was built in the late 1980s and expanded over several decades.
Regional military analysts and open-source intelligence monitors reported that Yemeni Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles toward industrial facilities in Yanbu on July 25. Satellite analysis identified two large thermal anomalies at opposite ends of the Alhamrani Fuchs site on the day of the incident.
Neither Saudi Arabian authorities nor Fuchshave confirmed that the fire resulted from a direct strike. The company has continued to describe the event as a plant fire and said its immediate priority is employee safety, customer supply and rebuilding the damaged facility.
The incident occurred in Yanbu Industrial City, home to major refining and base oil production assets including Luberef). Any prolonged interruption at the Alhamrani Fuchs plant could tighten lubricant supply within the Middle East and North Africa, although Fuchs said it intends to continue serving customers through alternative manufacturing and sourcing arrangements while reconstruction is underway.