Dubai Industrial City celebrates its 20th anniversary as the Middle East’s leading manufacturing and logistics hub demonstrating the collaborative power of the public and private sectors.
One of TECOM Group PJSC’s 10 vibrant business districts, Dubai Industrial City was unveiled in November 2004 to foster economic diversification and industrial innovation in Dubai and beyond. Commemorating two decades of collective success, Dubai Industrial City hosted a gala dinner at Jumeirah Emirates Towers attended by senior officials including Her Excellency Eng. Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), His Excellency Ahmed Al Naqbi, CEO of Emirates Development Bank (EDB), Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of TECOM Group PJSC, and Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group, to chart a roadmap for the industry’s future growth.
For more than 20 years, Dubai Industrial City has nurtured a thriving ecosystem of globally renowned manufacturing giants, with its ecosystem expanding by 11.5% in the year to end-September 2024 to exceed 1,100 local, regional, and international businesses, including Unilever, A P Moeller Maersk, Patchi, and Al Barakah Dates. The district’s workforce now exceeds 17,000 professionals, a year-on-year increase of 13% during the first nine months of this year, with its number of operational factories rising 16% during the same period to more than 350.
“Dubai Industrial City was founded on a strategic vision to cement the UAE’s and Dubai’s position as a global manufacturing powerhouse, and over the past 20 years, we have delivered on that promise,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group on behalf of Dubai Industrial City. “Our thriving ecosystem serves as a single-window gateway for global growth and sustainable development to nurture industrial excellence that elevates the ‘Made in UAE’ brandmark on the world stage.
“Dubai Industrial City’s legacy is embodied by the success of more than 1,100 local, regional, and international customers and over 350 operational factories that, from our district, are directly contributing to a more resilient manufacturing sector. We will continue to nurture advancements in the industrial sector and prime it for long-term growth in line with the vision of Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’.”
Partner for global impact
Reaffirming its commitment to nurturing industry excellence for long-term sustainable development, Dubai Industrial City announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global technology company Siemens.
The MoU will facilitate cooperation between the district and Siemens in areas including Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI) Assessments. Dubai Industrial City’s customers will receive insights on digitalisation, sustainability, and operational efficiencies through ITTI Assessments conducted under the UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) as part of the MoU.
The partnership will also provide Dubai Industrial City’s community access to Siemens’ Green Lean Digital Factory Roadmaps and Greenfield Digital Factory Planning services to enhance the competitiveness of factories within the district and gear them for enhanced sustainability. Siemens will also support Dubai Industrial City in areas including training and capacity building, as well as sustainability enhancement support, reaffirming the district’s commitment to advance Dubai’s and the UAE’s manufacturing sectors.
Nurturing industry advancement
Dubai Industrial City is growing as it attracts an increasing number of global manufacturers, with 13.9 million sq.ft. of industrial land added this year alone. Over the past two years, Dubai Industrial City has attracted over AED 2 billion in private sector investment, and recently signed a musataha agreement each for MD Pharma Factory’s AED 130 million pharmaceutical facility and OZON Pharmaceuticals’ AED 293 million manufacturing hub at the district. Silver Line Gate Group also broke ground on an AED 200 million integrated facility at Dubai Industrial City this October.
Strategically located close to global trade routes including Jebel Ali Port, Al Maktoum International Airport, the Dubai Industrial City Etihad Rail freight terminal, and critical national and regional road systems, Dubai Industrial City offers end-to-end connectivity to ensure seamless operations for a diverse range of customers. The district offers six sector-specific zones – dedicated to manufacturers of base metals; machinery; minerals; food and beverage; transport; and chemicals – that are designed for efficiency, helping to minimise waste and promote a circular economy.
Manufacturing brilliance
As Dubai remains the global leader for attracting greenfield foreign direct investments (FDI) and the newly launched National Investment Strategy 2031 seeks to triple the UAE’s cumulative FDI balance to AED 2.2 trillion by 2031, sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and storage will remain a promising avenue for economic growth. In the second quarter of this year alone, Dubai’s manufacturing sector was valued at AED 10.6 billion, contributing 9.1% of Dubai’s GDP worth AED 116 billion during the period. The transport and storage sector, valued at AED 15.85 billion, comprised 13.6% of the city’s GDP.
Dubai Industrial City is aligned with Operation 300bn and Make it in the Emirates and encourages investors, innovators, and developers to leverage the favourable manufacturing environment. It is also supportive of Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’, which is creating new opportunities for manufacturing sector growth as Dubai continues to strengthen its diversified economic base.
Dubai Industrial City’s unites these visions with customer efforts through its Make Brilliance global awareness campaign to link manufacturers and industry leaders from around the world in Dubai. Make Brilliance was launched in May 2023 as Dubai Industrial City entered strategic partnerships with MoIAT, MOCCAE, EDB, and Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (Dubai DET) to promote advanced manufacturing in Dubai and the UAE.
Dubai Industrial City’s ecosystem also demonstrates its commitment to innovation and sustainability, with the co-location of global giants at the district fostering collaborations to close the loop for a circular economy. Their contributions are supported by Dubai Industrial City’s efforts to encourage the adoption of renewable energy, with its customers generating over 70 megawatts of clean energy annually.
The district’s 20th anniversary celebrations included recognition for achievements that embody the ethos of Make Brilliance, including its Strategic Partners such as MoIAT, MOCCAE, EDB, Dubai DET, Dubai Development Authority, Dubai Land Department, Dubai Civil Defence, and Dubai Police.
International Humanitarian City was recognised for its Brilliance in Humanitarian Support by Dubai Industrial City, while Al Khayyat Investments, Dubatt Battery Recycling, and Neelkanth Cables were recognised for Brilliance in Logistics, Sustainability Leadership, and New Avenues, respectively. Unilever and Standard Carpets both received accolades for Brilliance in Innovation.
Such customers are among Dubai Industrial City’s community of globally accomplished leaders that has been the mainstay of manufacturing excellence in the Middle East for more than 20 years. The region’s leading industrial hub offers world-class infrastructure, including land, storage, and logistics spaces.
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 Design District (d3), and Dubai Science Park.
