Manufacturing and Industry

looking at the manufacturing and industry sector in the Middle East

Ducab sales surge 50%
Ducab, the first purpose-built cable manufacturing company in the UAE, has reported a 50% jump in sales to Dhs2.4bn ($654m)in 2007 backed by record-breaking half-yearly sales exceeding Dhs1.1bn, reported Gulf News. The company, which is equally owned by the governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, said its expansion of factories in both emirates was partially responsible for the growth.
United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, March 19 - 2008 at 07:16

Saudi Arabia to spend $60bn on water infrastructure
Saudi Arabia plans to invest up to $60bn over the next 20 years to expand its water infrastructure and meet the needs of its rising population, reported Gulf News. Loay Al Musallam, head of privatisation team and deputy minister for planning and development, said the demand for water in Saudi Arabia is growing at six per cent annually. The kingdom's population is expected to rise more than 63.6% to 36 million by 2032.
Saudi Arabia: Tuesday, March 18 - 2008 at 07:57

Gulf Extrusions expands in Qatar
Gulf Extrusions has started constructing a new plant in Qatar as part of its expansion strategy to double the company's production to 100,000 tonnes within the next six years, said news reports. The phase 1 of new facility will cost $32m and will be operational my mid-2009.
Qatar: Monday, March 17 - 2008 at 08:59

RAK Ceramics profit hikes 10%
RAK Ceramics announced a net profit of Dhs169.7m for the year 2007, registering a 10% increase from Dhs153.7m in 2006. The report mentioned an approved 20% bonus share will be issued to shareholders. The company has ventured into RAK Paints LLC, RAK Warehouse Leasing LLC, and 70% stake in Acacia Hotels LLC.
United Arab Emirates: Sunday, March 16 - 2008 at 09:55

Dubai Islamic loans for Dodsal
Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has agreed to finance Dodsal Engineering & Construction's project to replace the NGL Pipeline Network Project awarded by Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Limited to Dodsal, said news reports. DIB and Dodsal signed for a Dhs577m facility agreement.
United Arab Emirates: Sunday, March 16 - 2008 at 09:25

Mammut wins DURL contract
Mammut Building Systems has been awarded two contracts by Dubai Rapid Link (DURL) to construct 2 auxiliary depots for the Dubai Metro project in Al Rashidiya and Jebel Ali. Mammut is a subsidiary of Emaar Industries & Investments (EII) and one of the region's largest manufacturers of pre-engineered steel buildings and polyurethane injected sandwich panels.
United Arab Emirates: Saturday, March 15 - 2008 at 09:18

Dubai lifts customs duties
Dubai has eliminated import duties on cement and steel 'until further notice' to help stabilise the price of building materials, reported Gulf News. The decree, issued by UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, also allows all contractors and real estate developers to import these two materials without restrictions. The move comes at a time when contractors are trying to cope with a 50% jump in steel and cement prices.
United Arab Emirates: Thursday, March 13 - 2008 at 07:41

Empower to invest in $327m in plants
Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has announced that it plans to invest Dhs1.2bn ($327m) this year in building new plants, reported Gulf News. Empower, a joint venture between Dubai Holding unit Tecom Investments and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, has invested a similar amount in district cooling projects so far. It has built a 60,000 refrigeration tonne capacity plant for Jumeirah Beach Residence and a 56,000 RT plant for Dubai Healthcare City.
United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, March 12 - 2008 at 06:56