Industry & Retail
From The Report: Ras Al Khaimah 2015
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RAK is home to thriving cement and ceramics industries, and in 2014 manufacturing – the emirate’s main employer – accounted for 25.1% of total GDP. The emirate’s free trade zones have been key to driving this expansion. The FTZs offer international companies 100% ownership and allow them to take full advantage of the GCC’s free trade laws. Meanwhile, the emirate’s retail offering continues to grow as malls press ahead with expansion and upgrade plans.

This chapter contains an interview with Yousef Obaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman, Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

On the right path: The emirate has much to offer manufacturers
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From the limestone quarries at its northern tip to the multinational manufacturing plants near its southern borders, primary and secondary industry is flourishing in Ras Al Khaimah. The man-made islands, skyscrapers and modern highways that have put the UAE on the global map in recent decades have all been built using rock and cement from RAK. At the same time, a solid manufacturing base serving the UAE and beyond has sprung up on the emirate’s industrial and business parks thanks to free zone…

Analysis

In the zone: RAK FTZ is set to attract more international players
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Almost 15 years after it was created, Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ) launched a global awareness drive in 2014 to try to entice new businesses. In just over a year, RAK FTZ delegates visited Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain, the UK, Brazil, US, Italy, the Philippines, Australia and Japan. This followed a successful year for the zone in 2013, when it signed 2900 new companies, an increase in the number of new clients of almost 30% on the previous year, in addition to renewing…

Interview

A smart approach: OBG talks to Yousef Obaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman, Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Interview:Yousef Obaid Al Nuaimi How is the chamber working towards the government’s goal of diversifying the economy beyond its industrial manufacturing and tourism bases? YOUSEF OBAID AL NUAIMI: In line with our commitment to the government’s economic diversification strategy, we are showcasing the potential that exists in some promising economic sectors, such as information technology, among many others. In this regard, some specialists and researchers have forecast a bright future…

Analysis

Up and coming: Several new firms have already set up shop in the emirate
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A factory that will turn used plastic bottles into 100 tonnes a day of fibres to be used for blankets, fleeces and car upholstery opened in Ras Al Khaimah in 2015, following a $100m investment by Asian Fibres, a company that plans to employ 600 staff at its new works. Al Ghail The factory was built at Al Ghail Industrial Park, the larger of two free zones operated by RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA). Al Ghail is situated to the south of RAK City and covers a total area of 23m sq metres.…

Analysis

Green day for rock: Players in the cement and rock sector are focusing on keeping up with new regulations
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The rock and cement industry in Ras Al Khaimah helped build the world’s highest skyscraper, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, but is now being monitored by unmanned observation planes. This was announced by Saif Mohammed Al Shara, assistant under-secretary for external audit at the Federal Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) in May 2015. “This technology ushers in a new phase in round-the-clock inspection and monitoring of crusher and quarry activities to ensure none are in violation of facility regulations,”…

Analysis

Talking shop: Consumers can expect greater variety in the near future
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The retail landscape in Ras Al Khaimah is set for a period of expansion, renewal and rejuvenation. In 2015 the oldest shopping mall in the emirate announced plans to double in size within 12 months, and new outlets opened in a water-front retail complex in the centre of the city. With these developments, the range of brands, food outlets and entertainment centres is growing, and offering more options for the emirate’s consumers. Numbers In terms of contribution to RAK’s GDP, the wholesale,…