Manufacturing Russian firms showcase guns and missiles at UAE defence expo A major defence expo kicked off in the UAE on Monday with Russian firms participating in the maritime section and a strong showing by Israeli companies. Russian firms, including Kalashnikov and Rosoboronexport, displayed assault rifles, missiles and drones at the Naval Defence & Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex), part of the biennial International Defence Exhibition event […] February 21, 2023
Economy Saudi Crown Prince unveils strategy for Northern Borders Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has unveiled a plan to drive economic expansion in Saudi’s Northern Borders region. The strategic office for the Northern Borders, announced on Monday, aims to increase development across the region, which is an emerging metals and chemicals hub, and take advantage of its location next to Jordan and Iraq. The […] February 20, 2023
Analysis Construction Mega-projects to cushion Mena cement makers from global blows Cement producers in the Middle East are expected to have an “exceptionally good year” thanks to the region’s pipeline of mega-projects. Emir Adiguzel, director of the World Cement Association, said the global industry faced a difficult period but the Middle East would buck the trend. “According to our members located in the Middle East, the […] February 16, 2023
Manufacturing UK body spray maker Confetti maps Gulf expansion Gulf countries may be synonymous with luxury but there’s a gap in the fragrances market for lower cost products, according to Ori Leslau, founder and chief executive of Confetti Group. The UK company is about to launch in the UAE, then in Saudi Arabia later this year. Marketed as “perfume in a can”, Confetti’s products […] February 15, 2023
Manufacturing Gulf fragrance market strikes the right note Some of the Middle East’s biggest perfume makers, including Chalhoub Group and Ajmal Perfumes, are ramping up global growth plans as traditional Arabic scents gain in popularity abroad. Luxury brands franchisee and distributor Chalhoub is close to striking deals to export its own fragrance brand, Ghawali, to countries including the UK and France. The first […] February 14, 2023
Manufacturing Saudi Arabia seeks foreign and local mining firms to join big dig Saudi Arabia is inviting local and international mining companies to bid for licences on five exploration sites across the kingdom. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said on Monday it had launched pre-qualification for the licensing round, as Riyadh steps up the search for foreign investors as well as efforts to explore its reserves […] February 13, 2023
Analysis Manufacturing Heavy metal and fine porcelain boost Ras Al Khaimah economy Ras Al Khaimah has been making up for its limited hydrocarbons sector by developing non-oil businesses such as quarrying, cement, ceramics and pharmaceuticals. Today RAK’s manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, along with its construction/real estate activities amount to about 50 percent of GDP. The direct contribution of the mining and quarrying sector is currently only […] February 8, 2023
Manufacturing Israeli EV startup targets Europe with small urban model Israeli electric vehicle (EV) startup City Transformer aims to launch production of its small urban CT-2 model in Western Europe by the end of 2024 and will soon launch a Series B funding round to raise $50 million, the company said on Monday. Chief executive Asaf Formoza told Reuters the company, which has so far […] January 30, 2023
Exclusive Manufacturing Cars, property and superjets: Pagani plots future with PIF Horacio Pagani, founder of the supercar that bears his name, is open to further partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as his company expands into luxury real estate and private jet design. PIF acquired a 30 percent stake in the Italian business in 2021. Pagani, who acts as its CEO and chief design officer, […] January 29, 2023
Manufacturing Olayan and Canoo sign deal for electric vehicles in Saudi Saudi Arabian general contracting company GCC Olayan has signed a deal with US electric vehicles maker Canoo for the sale, service and distribution in the kingdom of its EVs. Part of Saudi conglomerate The Olayan Group, GCC Olayan said the partnership was the first step in plans to expand beyond the initial dealership agreement, with […] January 27, 2023
Manufacturing Akio Toyoda set to remain a force at Toyota as he bows out Toyota Motor Corp chief Akio Toyoda is set to remain a dominant force inside the world’s largest automaker for years to come, and will continue to influence the agenda after stepping down in April, experts and people familiar with the firm said. The 66-year-old Toyoda on Thursday announced he would step aside as leader of […] January 27, 2023
Manufacturing Nissan and Renault close in on overhaul of alliance Nissan and Renault are closing in on a sweeping overhaul of their globe-spanning automaking alliance as top executives meet on Thursday for talks to reset the two-decade-old partnership and chart a course for an uncertain electric future. Leaders of Nissan Motor Co Ltd and Renault SA are meeting via video link for an alliance board […] January 26, 2023
Manufacturing Tesla to invest $3.6bn to produce electric trucks and battery cells Tesla Inc. has said it would invest more than $3.6 billion to expand its Nevada gigafactory complex with two new factories, one to mass produce its long-delayed Semi electric truck and the other to make its new 4680 battery cell. The cell plant would be able to make enough batteries for two million light-duty vehicles […] January 25, 2023
Analysis Retail Diamonds (from a lab) are the Gulf’s best friend Basma Chaieri began her business after watching the season two finale of Netflix’s hit series Explained. The November 2019 episode, which explored the growing popularity of lab-grown diamonds, prompted the Dubai resident to quit her travel job and enrol in gemology school to study the trade. “I thought why would anyone buy a real diamond […] January 20, 2023
Manufacturing Germany’s BMW planning major investment in Mexico German carmaker BMW is planning a major new investment in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi, where the company already has a plant, Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard said. Last week Ebrard and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had said BMW was investing around €800 million ($866.64 million) in San Luis Potosi, without […] January 16, 2023
Manufacturing Saudi mining firm to invest $319m to build four factories Saudi Arabia’s Astra Mining is planning to build four new factories over the next five to seven years at an investment of up to SR1.2 billion ($319 million), Arab News reported, citing CEO Ali Al-Jabrah. He stated that the company owns a land bank of 92,000 square meters that can take up to five factories. […] January 13, 2023
Manufacturing Korean EV battery maker denies report it has scrapped Turkey plan South Korean electric vehicle battery maker SK has not decided whether to pursue a battery cell venture in Turkey with Ford Motor Co and Koc Holding, after signing a memorandum of understanding in March last year. The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported, citing an unidentified source, that SK plans to scrap the idea due to a […] January 9, 2023
Manufacturing Saudi seeks foreign investors to explore vital mineral deposits Saudi Arabia is seeking foreign investors to help explore strategic and vital minerals utilised in the renewable energy sector, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported, citing vice minister for mining affairs Khalid Al-Mudaifer. The minister said that opportunities worth SAR 120 billion ($32 billion) were on offer, with both local and foreign investors currently studying prosposals. About […] January 8, 2023
Manufacturing Tesla slashes prices in China for second time in three months Tesla cut car prices in China for the second time in less than three months on Friday, deepening its discounts in the world’s largest auto market as competition picks up and the demand outlook darkens. The latest cut, along with a reduction in October as well as various incentives that amount to as much as […] January 6, 2023
Manufacturing Korea’s Hyundai plans new assembly plant in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to build a completely knocked down (CKD) assembly plant in the kingdom. The deal will see the construction of a Saudi-based assembly plant with the CKD system for electric and internal combustion engine cars, […] January 3, 2023
Manufacturing Tesla reports record production and deliveries in Q4 2022 Tesla Inc on Monday reported record production and deliveries for fourth-quarter electric vehicles, but it missed Wall Street estimates, burdened by logistics problems, slowing demand, rising interest rates and fears of recession. The world’s most valuable automaker delivered 405,278 vehicles in the last three months of the year, compared with Wall Street expectations of 431,117 […] January 3, 2023
Manufacturing UAE’s manufacturing industry exports hit $143bn in 2021 The UAE ranked first in the Arab world in terms of the value of manufactured exports in 2021, with a total value of $142.5 billion, the UAE state-run WAM news agency reported, citing the Arab Monetary Fund’s (AMF) joint Arab economic report. Manufacturing industry exports in Arab countries totaled $325 billion in 2021, up from […] January 1, 2023
