Short answer For manufacturing companies in Saudi Arabia the strongest ERP choices in 2025 are: SAP S/4HANA (and SAP Business One for SMBs), Oracle Fusion Cloud / NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, IFS Cloud, Infor CloudSuite (Industrial/SyteLine), Epicor, Ramco, Odoo (for tighter budgets), and Sage X3. Which is “best” depends on company size, industry (discrete, process, mixed, discrete/high‑precision, A&D, petrochem), localization needs (Arabic, ZATCA e‑invoicing), and your rollout budget/timeline.

Why these (high level)

• Global leaders (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft) cover complex manufacturing processes, global supply chains and large-scale integration projects; they have strong Saudi footprints and local partners. (wipro.com)
• IFS and Infor are widely used in asset‑intensive and discrete/high‑mix manufacturing and have active deployments/partners in Saudi Arabia. IFS has visible Saudi customers and local partnerships. (IFS.com)
• Epicor and Ramco focus on mid‑market and regional needs; Ramco also highlights Middle East payroll/statutory coverage and has Saudi customer wins. (Ramco.com)
• Odoo and Sage X3 are cost‑effective options for smaller manufacturers or those wanting faster deployments with modular buy‑in. (Odoo is often chosen by budget‑conscious SMBs.)
• All selections must handle Saudi regulatory needs (VAT, Arabic invoices, ZATCA e‑invoicing integration) and meet local language / reporting requirements. See checklist below for the specific checks. (cleartax.com)

Best fit by company size and manufacturing profile

• Large enterprises / complex manufacturers (large BOMs, multi‑site, MRO, project manufacturing, regulated industries like petrochem, A&D):
  • SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Fusion Cloud (Fusion or NetSuite for cloud-first), IFS Cloud, Infor CloudSuite. (wipro.com)
• Mid‑market manufacturers (multi‑plant, need advanced APS/MRP but lower TCO than S/4):
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain, Epicor Kinetic, Infor CloudSuite Industrial, Oracle NetSuite. (intertecsystems.com)
• Small/SMB manufacturers (single site or light multi‑site, limited budget):
  • SAP Business One, Odoo, Sage X3, mid‑tier Epicor/NetSuite depending on budget.
• Asset‑ and service‑intensive manufacturers (oil & gas, utilities, heavy equipment, aerospace/defense):
  • IFS Cloud, Infor, SAP (with EAM/PM add‑ons) — IFS has specific Saudi manufacturing customers. (IFS.com)

Saudi regulatory & localization requirements you must verify in any selection

• Arabic language and right‑to‑left support for invoices and UI where needed.
• VAT reporting and chart of accounts templates compatible with Saudi practice.
• ZATCA (e‑invoicing / Fatoora) compliance: Phase 1 (generation) has been mandatory since Dec 2021; Phase 2 (integration) is being rolled out in waves and requires integration with ZATCA’s Fatoora platform — your ERP/e‑invoicing vendor or third‑party integrator must support the required XML/PDF/A‑3 formats, UUID/digital stamp, and APIs. (ZATCA notifies taxpayers ~6 months prior to their wave date.) (cleartax.com)
• Data residency / government/regulatory constraints (if you work with public sector or critical infrastructure) — check hyperscaler region options and vendor assurances for in‑country hosting and compliance. (en.sharikatmubasher.com)

Practical selection checklist (use during vendor shortlisting)

1. Manufacturing capabilities: discrete/process/mixed features, shop‑floor integration, MES/IIoT readiness, quality control, serial/Lot traceability, shop order routing, work center scheduling.
2. E‑invoicing & tax: built‑in support or certified partner for ZATCA Phase 1 & Phase 2 integration (Fatoora API). (cleartax.com)
3. Arabic & multi‑currency support; bilingual invoicing and RTL UI if needed.
4. Local support & partner ecosystem: Saudi implementation partners, local support SLA, experience with Saudi manufacturers. (Look for regional case studies.) (indusnovateur.sa.com)
5. Integration capability: MES, PLM, SCADA, WMS, 3PL, e‑commerce, banks.
6. Cloud vs on‑premises: data residency, latency, uptime, backup, disaster recovery. (en.sharikatmubasher.com)
7. Total cost of ownership: licensing, implementation, customization, change management, ongoing support.
8. Timeline & risk: recommended phased rollout, pilot plant, and proven manufacturing templates for faster go‑live.
9. References: ask for Saudi manufacturing references and for proof of ZATCA integration experience.

Vendor‑specific quick notes

• SAP S/4HANA / SAP Business One: excellent for large, complex manufacturers and proven in Saudi large companies (examples: Sipchem, NADEC). Strong local partner network and growing data‑sovereignty options. (wipro.com)
• Oracle (Fusion Cloud) / NetSuite: strong cloud ERP options; NetSuite is popular for fast cloud deployments, Oracle Fusion for enterprise scale. Check local partner network and ZATCA integration modules.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365: flexible, strong for mid‑market and integrated Microsoft stack environments; many Saudi partners experienced with manufacturing rollouts. (intertecsystems.com)
• IFS Cloud: strong in discrete/high‑mix, A&D and asset‑intensive manufacturing; documented Saudi customers and local partnerships. (IFS.com)
• Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine): deep manufacturing capabilities for specific sectors, strong MRP/APS.
• Epicor: mid‑market manufacturing focus with good shop‑floor functionality.
• Ramco: regional strength (payroll/HR and ERP), Middle East statutory coverage and Saudi customer wins — worth considering for regional ERP needs. (Ramco.com)
• Odoo: highly modular and cost‑effective for SMBs; faster to deploy but may need more functional add‑ons/customization for complex manufacturing.
• Sage X3: used by many mid‑market manufacturers; check local partner for Saudi legal compliance.

Recommended next steps (fast path)

1. Create a short RFP/RFQ with: your manufacturing type (discrete/process/mixed), number of users, number of sites, key processes (MRP, APS, QC, PLM, EAM), required integrations (MES, PLCs, WMS), and ZATCA compliance requirement.
2. Shortlist 3 vendors (one “tier‑1” like SAP/Oracle/MS, one “tier‑2” like IFS/Infor/Epicor, one cost‑effective like Odoo/SAP Business One) and ask for: Saudi references, ZATCA integration proof, time to pilot, and TCO estimate.
3. Run a 6–12 week discovery/proof‑of‑concept with the chosen vendor to validate core manufacturing flows and e‑invoicing integration.
4. Plan a phased rollout (pilot plant → standardize → scale) with change management and training.

If you want, I can:

• Recommend a 3‑vendor short list tailored to your company size, product type and budget (I’ll need company size, number of users, number of plants, and whether you’re discrete/process/mixed manufacturing).
• Draft a short RFP template focused on manufacturing + ZATCA compliance you can send to vendors.

Sources and further reading (examples)

• ZATCA e‑invoicing / Fatoora integration guidance and wave rollout details (Phase 1/Phase 2 notifications, and phased waves). (cleartax.com)
• IFS Cloud Saudi customer and local partnership announcements. (IFS.com)
• Ramco announcements for Saudi customers and regional statutory coverage. (Ramco.com)
• SAP implementations in Saudi large manufacturers and SAP platform availability on Google Cloud Saudi region for data residency. (wipro.com)

Would you like a 3‑vendor short list matched to your company (I can produce it if you tell me: company size by revenue or employee count, number of manufacturing sites, and whether you need discrete or process manufacturing)?