SHARJAH, 24 January 2005 — Industries are emerging as a significant contributor to the UAE’s economy and the sector is witnessing not only a steady growth but also introduction in latest technology.
The sector, which accounts for 13 percent of the UAE’s gross domestic product, is also increasing its exports. Major industrial production facilities in the UAE are food, sugar, poultry, textiles and garments, leather products, furniture, paper and paper products, publishing and printing, oil products, chemicals, rubber and plastic products, non-metallic mineral products, basic metals, steel fabrication, and accounting & computing machinery.
As of Dec. 31, 2003, the total investment in the industrial sector of the UAE stood at slightly less than Dh44 billion, with the emirate of Abu Dhabi accounting for Dh15.61 billion, followed by Dubai with Dh14.32 billion, Fujairah with Dh5.71 billion, Sharjah with Dh3.5 billion, Ras Al Khaimah with Dh3.05 billion, Ajman with Dh992 million and Umm Ql Quiwain with Dh400 million.
At the end of 2003, the total number of industrial units in the country stood at 2,795 and they employed more than 212,000 people.
According to a report in the Khaleej Times, the Al Khaleej Sugar Company — one of the biggest sugar refineries in the Middle East with a refining capacity of more than 4,000 metric tons a day — exports white sugar to more than 40 countries.
It supplies multinational beverages and soft drink bottlers, pharmaceuticals and baby food manufacturers, confectionery and biscuits manufacturers and government food corporations.
Al Ghurair Foods, which launched itself with importing wheat flour from Australia, now produces pasta, noodles, semolina bustan oils and poultry products. Cosmoplast, a local company, uses the latest technology in its manufacturing facility for the production of pre-insulated pipes.
It also makes household plastic products as well as plastic furniture. Intercoil, another major manufacturing facility, produces orthopaedic beds and mattresses and bedding accessories like pillows, comforters and related furniture.
It supplies the local market as well as the regional countries.
It has three manufacturing units in the UAE with a total production capacity of 700-800 mattresses per day. The turnover of the company has increased by 10 to 25 percent over the last five years.