Contracts landed by Dubai Airport Freezone based Mitsubishi Middle East exceed Dhs552bn

To tap the potential and increase the business of the company in the region Mr. Koji Okamoto, General manager of the Middle East office of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) at the Dubai Airport Freezone suggests that Japanese companies need to establish permanent presence in the region and boost the number of their resident engineers in order to take full advantage of the potentials offered by the markets in this region.

MHI was established under license of the Dubai 'Airport Freezone in October, 2006, Mr. Okamoto, said:

"In February, 2007 teams from Mitsubish transport and procurement joined MHI office in the Free Zone, and in November of that year additional staff from the power system headquarters joined the team."

Mr. Okamoto said establishing an office at the Dubai Airport Freezone was an easy decision to make, "Operating from the Freezone location is very convenient. It is a simple procedure to obtain a license as the Dubai Airport Freezone offers a one stop shop window for all of our requirements. As a backup and coordinating office for our operations in Japan and European affiliates, we need to take quick action to support our projects in the Middle East and our Freezone location is strategically located in the region and I have to say that we get efficient support from the Freezone management for all of our requirements in our operations."

Mr. Okamoto said the main activity of the MHI regional office is to gather information on the Middle East, back up projects, establish sales agents, service ventures and to network with our clients and potential clients in the Middle East.

"Apart from increasing our business in the region, we also ensure that we contribute to the Middle East society with our advanced knowledge of various technologies. Our stated corporate philosophy is to create a better and happier life for all. For example, we manufacture environmentally friendly products," he added.

He added, "In order for us to tap into the potential of the region and contribute to local communities, we need to have permanent presence here not only to improve our business in this area but contribute to the community and society by helping to transfer technology and use our knowledge of highly advanced technology to make people's life better and easier."

"We are proud to host Mitsubishi in the Dubai Airport Freezone and happy to hear that they are satisfied with the services and support we provide to our clients," said Mohammed Bin Suwailem, Director of sales of the Dubai Airport Free Zone.

"The presence of big international companies such as Mitsubishi not only adds to the prestige of Dubai as a strategic business hub in the Gulf, the Middle East and Africa region but also adds credibility to Dubai Airport Freezone as a supplier of world class quality support and Freezone services. These companies contribute significantly to the UAE economy as a whole and we work hard to develop a harmonious relationship with all the stakeholders of the Dubai Airport Freezone," bin Suwailem added.

MHI is involved in shipbuilding, power systems, desalination machinery, manufacturing of machinery, aerospace engineering and transport systems. In 2008 MHI's operating income rose Dhs4.78bn $1.357bn and ordinary income rose Dhs3.6m ($1m) while consolidated income rose Dhs2.2bn.

MHI's major products in the UAE include the Dubai Metro Project, Red and Green Line, and the airport people mover (APM). In the Sultanate of Oman the company is involved in building the Sohar fertilizer plant and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; MHI is building integrated water and power production plants in three locations. In Qatar's Ras Laffan, MHI is undertaking a power system production project.

MHI is the leader of a consortium of four Japanese companies and a Turkish corporation that planned and implemented the two-phase Dubai Metro project

Members of the Dubai Metro 5-company consortium are MHI, Japanese Obayashi, Kajima Corporations and Yapi Merkesi of Turkey.