GLOCK to set up assembly line for pistols in the UAE

The announcement of the company's plans was made at IDEX 2005 - the 7th Internatio0nal Exhibition & Conference being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

"We have begun negotiations with the Dubai government and some private companies to set up an assembly line for Glock's pistols," Marcus Klausner, Director, Glock Middle East, FZE told reporters at a news conference at the IDEX venue. Glock is an exhibitor at the ongoing IDEX. Currently, the company has a sales and after-sales service office in the Dubai Airport Free Zone.

"We are in negotiations with a private company to strike a strategic alliance," he revealed without giving details. Klausner said the prime motive for setting up an assembly line facility in Dubai is to cater to the regional markets. "We are noticing huge demand for Glock pistols. Many countries in this region already have these pistols. The political environment, Dubai's strategic location and the support of the local government are the other factors that favour setting up such a facility."

Glock manufactures roughly 4.2 million pistols annually. About 27 models of the pistol are available. He said demand for some 30 to 40,000 pistols per annum is forecast in this region in the coming years. "If we, at a later stage actually go beyond an assembly line, we will become the first pistols producer in this region," he added.

Glock has already sold thousands of the 9mm pistols to several countries in this region including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Jordan. "We are currently negotiating with Kuwait."

Production facilities outside of Austria are in the US, Venezuela, Uruguay and Hong Kong. The cost of a single pistol varies from $350 to $400. "The pistol is light (below one kilogram), accurate, durable and has the right technology for this area," he said.

The US is Glock's biggest market accounting for some 70 per cent of sales, followed by Europe.