Our Mission

---

The Royal Commission of Yanbu has signed a Conditional Investment Agreement (CIA) with Mitchell Rubber Arabia for the allocation of the Company's 7.88 hectare Rubber Compounding and Products land area in the Yanbu Light Industrial City.  

Yanbu on the Red Sea is fast becoming one of Saudi Arabia's must-visit destinations.  The Yanbu Industrial City is home to the 3rd largest global refining hub, and the largest oil shipping port on the Red Sea.

The U.S.-Saudi Business Council is the premier hub for business partnerships between the United States and Saudi Arabia.  The Council provides Mitchell Rubber Arabia with hands-on assistance and strategic solutions to successfully access and navigate the U.S. and Saudi Markets.  Additionally, the Council helped the Company sign a $50 million agreement with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu to allocate land for the establishment of an elastomer components manufacturing facility in Yanbu.

Yanbu Industrial College (YIC) plays a vital role in Saudi Arabia’s industrial growth, providing technical education and workforce training to support advanced manufacturing, petrochemicals, energy and rubber sectors.

As Mitchell Rubber Arabia (MRA) expands its rubber compounding and manufacturing investment in Yanbu, YIC will serve as a key partner in technical training for the rubber sector, providing specialized workforce development to support MRA’s operations. Through cutting-edge training programs, hands-on experience, and industry collaboration, YIC and MRA will work together to build a strong pipeline of skilled professionals, advancing Saudi Arabia’s rubber industry and industrial localization initiatives.

Through its policies, goals and projects, the Ministry of Commerce in Saudi Arabia seeks to achieve a leading position for the Saudi trade in a fair and stimulating environment that maximizes confidence, improves capabilities, and protects the interests of beneficiaries.  The Ministry of Commerce has been working to develop and implement effective policies and mechanisms that would achieve sustainable economic development. The Ministry’s policy is based on three main pillars that have been translated through its strategic goals. Namely; Prosperous Trade, Solid Investments and Institutional Excellence that enhances the Kingdom's position regionally and globally.

Stephen J. Lautenschlager, as Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Mitchell Rubber Arabia LLC (MRA), is spearheading a transformative Saudi-American joint venture that's set to redefine the Kingdom's industrial landscape. Drawing on the Mitchell Family of Rubber Companies' century-long legacy in high-performance elastomers, he's positioning MRA as the Anchor Company for the Yanbu Rubber Cluster—localizing cutting-edge rubber compounding and manufacturing to align seamlessly with Vision 2030's goals of economic diversification and sustainability.

With a career dedicated to advancing the engineered elastomers sector, Stephen has built a reputation for driving operational excellence and market innovation. From leading teams at Austin Rubber Company to optimizing processes at Mitchell Rubber Products and Esterline Engineered Elastomers, he's honed his expertise in turning complex challenges into scalable solutions. His background in human resources at organizations like Channell Commercial Corporation and Mattel has further equipped him to foster collaborative, high-impact teams.

Educated at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, with a Master's in Counseling and Industrial Psychology from Oregon State University and a Bachelor's in Psychology from Bethany University, Stephen blends technical acumen with a deep understanding of people and strategy. Today, he's channeling that vision into MRA's ambitious agenda: replacing over 400 KTPA of imports, generating 850+ skilled jobs by 2030, and elevating Saudi Arabia as a premier exporter of sustainable polymer technologies across the GCC, MENA, and beyond.

Anil is the Co-Chairman, Board Member and Strategic Execution Advisor of Mitchell Rubber Arabia (MRA). He brings 25+ years of Corporate Management Consulting experience to the Company’s investment strategy, business development and expansion initiatives. As a Senior Partner and Partner for 17+ years across PwC, Accenture and EY US Management Consulting, he worked with Fortune 100 company “C-Suite” executives and Boards of Directors, to help them realize profitable growth through Commercial Excellence (B2B marketing, sales, service and operations). His experience also includes new consulting start up businesses and various global and country level business leader roles. 

As a trusted board member, Anil serves as a C-Suite execution advisor for MRA, providing strategic growth, investment strategy, commercial excellence, business development, and technology-enabled innovation counsel, ensuring MRA is positioned for long-term success as the rubber cluster anchor company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

As Co-Chairman, Anil plays a critical advisor role in shaping MRA’s investment roadmap, funding structures, and strategic capacity scaling. His experience in private equity-backed ventures, multinational enterprise transformation, and investor relations provides MRA with a global business perspective and strong financial stewardship, ensuring alignment with Vision 2030’s industrial localization goals.

Trevor Ballou, a fourth-generation leader in the Mitchell Family's storied rubber legacy, brings a fresh wave of innovation to Mitchell Rubber Arabia LLC (MRA) as a key executive and strategic advisor. Building on nearly a century of family expertise in high-performance elastomers, he's channeling that heritage into MRA's role as the Anchor Company for the Yanbu Rubber Cluster—pioneering localized manufacturing that powers Vision 2030's push for industrial self-sufficiency and green technologies.

Over the past decade, Trevor has sharpened his skills across the Mitchell Family's operations, mastering strategic planning and process optimization while steering a multifaceted California facility through complex challenges. His sharp eye for untapped opportunities has not only boosted efficiency and stakeholder relationships but also forged stronger bonds with customers and teams, turning vision into actionable growth.

A graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University with a Bachelor's in Business Administration, Trevor has further honed his edge through MIT's Additive Manufacturing Program. Today, he's applying that forward-thinking mindset to MRA's ambitious goals: slashing imports by over 400 KTPA, sparking 850+ high-skill jobs by 2030, and positioning Saudi Arabia as a leading force in sustainable polymer exports to the GCC, MENA, and global markets.

Shahram Shafie, as Technical Advisor and Board Member at Mitchell Rubber Arabia LLC (MRA), is channeling decades of groundbreaking expertise in chemical engineering to propel the Kingdom's elastomer revolution forward. With a passion for sustainability and circular economy principles, he's guiding MRA—the Anchor Company for the Yanbu Rubber Cluster—in localizing advanced rubber compounding and technical goods manufacturing, perfectly syncing with Vision 2030's drive for eco-friendly industrial growth and resource independence.

A trailblazer in petrochemical processing and design, Shahram co-founded Green Source Energy, a technology firm focused on innovative energy solutions, and has consulted for the U.S. Government alongside major international oil and gas giants. His hands-on roots in the rubber sector shine through his early role as a design engineer at B.F. Goodrich Tires, where he honed skills now pivotal to MRA's mission of developing circular applications for waste rubber and high-performance polymers.

Holding a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Kansas State University, complemented by graduate studies in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Shahram boasts over 70 U.S. and international patents, plus more than 30 refereed journal articles and presentations. As a leader in Sustainability-Oriented Innovation (SOI) and the Circular Economy—with 15+ years dedicated to these fields—he's steering MRA toward slashing over 400 KTPA of imports, creating 850+ skilled jobs by 2030, and transforming Saudi Arabia into a global powerhouse for sustainable elastomer exports across the GCC, MENA, and beyond.

Janie Lautenschlager, as Advisor and Investor at Mitchell Rubber Arabia LLC (MRA), is weaving her mastery of global brand dynamics into the fabric of the Kingdom's emerging elastomer powerhouse. With more than two decades shaping high-end international retail and forging elite partnerships, she's infusing MRA—the Anchor Company for the Yanbu Rubber Cluster—with strategic finesse that amplifies Vision 2030's call for diversified, resilient industries and sustainable innovation.

From orchestrating seamless brand alignments to prioritizing core values in fast-paced markets, Janie has built a legacy of turning vision into reality. As a vital bridge to MRA's Corporate Executive Board, she cultivates deep connections that sharpen strategic focus and elevate brand integrity, all while scouting transformative partnerships that propel growth and open new horizons.

Her forward-looking approach is fueling MRA's bold trajectory: displacing over 400 KTPA of rubber imports, igniting 850+ high-skill jobs by 2030, and catapulting Saudi Arabia to the forefront of sustainable polymer exports across the GCC, MENA, and international arenas.