Manufacturing and Industry

looking at the manufacturing and industry sector in the Middle East

RAK Steel factory opens
The $50m RAK Steel factory in Al Ghail, Ras Al Khaimah was officially inaugurated. The company is a joint venture with Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority, designed as an energy-efficient, environment-friendly mill. It is expected to produce 500,000 tonnes of deformed steel reinforcement bars per year.
United Arab Emirates: Monday, March 24 - 2008 at 14:11

Knauf sets up gypsum plant in RAK
Knauf, producer of building materials has laid the foundation for its first gypsum board plant in the Middle East in Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone recently. Headquatered in Iphofen, Germany, the Dhs500m plant is expected to produce gypsum boards, metal studs, channels, joint compounds, drywall accessories and plasters for construction sites accross the UAE and the Middle East.
United Arab Emirates: Monday, March 24 - 2008 at 09:56

Danube targets $272m revenue in 2008
Dubai-based Danube Building Materials has announced that it aims to generate Dhs1bn ($272m) in sales revenues by the end of 2008, following a highly successful performance in 2007. Having achieved a 72% growth in its annual earnings last year, the company has also projected that it could double its annual returns to touch the Dhs2bn mark by the end of 2010, based on the current uptrend in its overall growth and amidst the rapid expansion of the construction industry in the region, the company said in a statement.
United Arab Emirates: Sunday, March 23 - 2008 at 13:44

US probes Alcoa over Bahrain bribery allegations
US-based aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. is under criminal investigation by the US Justice Department over allegations the company bribed officials in Bahrain in an effort to obtain business, reported Bloomberg. Aluminum Bahrain, or Alba, sued Alcoa Feb. 27, claiming the company bribed unidentified Bahraini government officials and overcharged over a period of 15 years for alumina, an ingredient used to make aluminum. Alcoa is the world's largest producer of alumina.
Bahrain: Sunday, March 23 - 2008 at 07:41

Zenath begins work on huge incinerator
Dubai-based Zenath Group, part of the ETA Ascon Star Group has announced that it has begun construction of the region's largest medical waste incinerator at Dubai Municipality's Waste Treatment Complex in Jebel Ali. The incinerator is being commissioned using Japanese technology by a consortium comprising of Zenath Group, Mitsubishi Corporation and latter's technology partners Plantec., Japan.
United Arab Emirates: Sunday, March 23 - 2008 at 07:32

Octal seeks materials in Qatar
Oman-based Octal Petrochemicals is looking to source raw materials from Qatar, reported The Peninsula. The company is interested to explore projects in the upstream sector (in Qatar), especially for aromatics and mono-ethylene glycol. Octal is a producer of polyethylene terephthalate resins and amorphous PET sheet packaging used in packaging, especially for items like bottled water, soft drinks and sandwich coverings.
Qatar: Saturday, March 22 - 2008 at 09:18

UAE workers go on rampage
About 1,500 workers at an electro-mechanical company in the UAE emirate of Sharjah went on a rampage on Tuesday over a salary dispute, reported state-owned Emirates News Agency (WAM). The protesters destroyed documents, broke glass facades of their accommodation, and burned cars. The workers had recently named a representative to speak with labour officials for a salary hike. The officials were in discussions with the company management to reach a solution when the protest broke out.
United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, March 19 - 2008 at 10:57

RAK Cement says it needs to hike prices
Mike Richardson, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Cement, a UAE cement producer, said his company will not survive if the government does not allow the firm to raise its prices, reported Bloomberg. The company has asked the government to lift a cap of 295 dirhams ($80.4) per tonne on cement that the government imposed last year. Richardson said the company needs about a 15% price increase.
United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, March 19 - 2008 at 09:17