Dubai Industrial City launches 13.9 million sq.ft. expansion to strengthen UAE manufacturing sector

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 28 May 2024: Dubai Industrial City, the region’s leading industrial and logistics hub, has officially launched 13.9 million sq.ft. of additional land capacity within its ecosystem in the presence of Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Malek Al Malek, Chairman of TECOM Group, Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of TECOM Group, and Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group, during the first day of Make it in the Emirates Forum held in Abu Dhabi on 27-28 May.

The additional land capacity at Dubai Industrial City, part of TECOM Group PJSC, was acquired through a AED 410 million transaction that aims to champion and strengthen local supply chains, stimulating homegrown manufacturing in the UAE and Dubai.

The strategically located, well-connected land plots enhance the manufacturing destination’s land bank and have been launched following exceptional performance witnessed by Dubai Industrial City in the past 18 months as pro-growth visions including Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’ lead to increased demand for high-quality industrial spaces in the region.

Land occupancy at the manufacturing destination grew by 12% year-on-year (YoY) to reach 97% in the first quarter of this year. It followed a period of sustained growth in 2023, when Dubai Industrial City’s ecosystem of customers grew by 17% to reach more than 1,000 local, regional, and international heavyweights.

“The manufacturing sector is essential to accelerate the development of smart solutions that can pre-emptively solve tomorrow’s challenges, and nurturing its growth is essential to safeguard socioeconomic growth that endures for generations,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group on behalf of Dubai Industrial City.

“As we stand at the cusp of a transformative era led by technology and environmental efficiencies, an ecosystem centred on robust, integrated infrastructure is crucial to embed resilience and reliability into the manufacturing sector. Dubai Industrial City’s expansion is an embodiment of our commitment to enabling the industrial and logistics sectors not just in Dubai, but indeed the UAE and globally. Guided by the vision of Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’, we are well-attuned to the needs of our community and look forward to enabling further industrial brilliance and excellence through Dubai Industrial City’s expanded ecosystem for years to come.”

Dubai Industrial City’s ecosystem has grown in the past 18 months with the addition of international customers such as Indian pharmaceuticals giant Himalaya Wellness, which broke ground on an AED 200 million factory supported by a financing package from Emirates Development Bank and vertical farming specialist Sokovo, which opened an indoor farm on a plot spanning over 100,000 sq.ft. at the district.

Last week, the leading Zambian company Neelkanth Cables Manufacturing LLC opened a 503,000 sq.ft. state-of-the-art facility to manufacture 20,000 MT of power cables per year through an investment of AED 130 million at Dubai Industrial City. The launch, attended by His Excellency Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry Industry and Advanced Technology, followed the inauguration of Dubatt Battery Recycling’s fully integrated battery recycling plant – the first of its kind in the UAE – in February. Dubatt also signed a musataha agreement during the inauguration ceremony to expand the plant, raising its total investment to AED 216 million at Dubai Industrial City, which is home to more than 300 operational factories.

The customers join international industry heavyweights that have an address at Dubai Industrial City, including Unilever, which operates a fully automated Dubai Personal Care facility at the district that is part of World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, and the Standard Turf factory inaugurated by Standard Carpets Industries in October at Dubai Industrial City, along with the company’s plans to expand its operations with an investment of AED 600 million.

The region’s leading manufacturing and logistics hub, Dubai Industrial City is showcasing its ecosystem’s role in enabling homegrown excellence at the Make it in the Emirates Forum at Abu Dhabi Energy Centre on 27-28 May. Launched in 2004, Dubai Industrial City is located close to Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port, an Etihad Rail freight terminal, and critical regional road networks and offers specialised infrastructure, including industrial land, storage, and logistics spaces across a sector-specific masterplan with dedicated zones for the base metals, machinery, minerals, F&B, transport, and chemical industries.

Dubai Industrial City is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business destinations that include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Outsource City, Dubai Design District (d3), and Dubai Science Park.