Industry Sectors

Activities related to logistics that involve transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, packaging and security. Locating your logistics hub at Dubai Industrial City offers your business an unparalleled strategic advantage, midway between Europe and Asia with:

• London, 7 hours to the west
• Mediterranean, 5 hours to the west and
• Hong Kong & Singapore, 7-8 hours to the east

Activities related to industrial production that involve transforming raw materials into finished goods in sectors such as food and beverage, base metals, minerals, transport and equipment, machinery and mechanical equipment and chemicals.

Locating at the Food and Beverage zone presents a lucrative opportunity for high value-added food and beverage companies. Examples would include frozen dough and long shelf life and processed seafood products. 

Key features are as follows: 

• Access to GCC and Middle East markets of 35 million and 100 million consumers with high-income levels 
• Access to a food packaged market that is estimated to be over US$13 billion and growing at 10% CAGR
• Access to abundant and low cost supply agricultural products from the MENA and sub-continent region

Source: Global Insight Trade Statistics, S & P (Standards & Poor) Industry Survey

Locating at the Base Metal zone presents an opportunity to be in a region with one of the largest concentration of energy resources in the world. One of the largest aluminum smelters in the region (DUBAL) is located near DI and provides a great opportunity for the downstream aluminum industry.

Key features are as follows:

• Access to skilled regional and international workforce 
• Neighboring DI zones of machinery, mechanical and transport equipments that would serve as an important market for base metal products. For instance, with eight airlines in the GCC region and a market of over one million vehicles per year, the transport sector is the second largest import sector in the region.
• Access to the GCC market that is currently estimated to be over US$ 8 billion in imports and is growing at 20% CAGR

Source: International Iron and Steel Institute, Global Steel Model

Locating at the Minerals zone presents an opportunity to be in the GCC region, which has witnessed a significant growth in the construction and real estate sector, and expecting a significant increase in population. 

Key features are as follows:

• Access to skilled regional and international workforce
• Access to abundant regional resources 
• Access to a more sophisticated and upscale customer market for new materials and technologies

Source: Global Insight Trade Statistics, MEED

Locating at the Transport and Equipment zone presents an opportunity to be in the GCC region, with eight airlines operating and a market of over one million vehicles per year. Opportunities for OEM products and after-market parts in the region are significant enough to make manufacturing facilities that are feasible with long-term growth potential.

Key features are as follows:

• The transport sector consisting of vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment and parts, is the second largest import sector in the region
• Access to skilled regional and international workforce and base metal suppliers
• Access to a sophisticated GCC market that includes automotive new sales estimates of more than 600,000 units and mega-projects such as
  • Metro in Dubai - US$ 3.5 billion
  • Railway expansion in Saudi Arabia - US$ 2 billion
  • GCC regional rail network - US$4 billion

Source: GOIC - Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting, Mckinsey & Company Analysis

Locating at the Machinery and Mechanical Equipment zone presents an opportunity for companies in turbines, electric power generation and distribution equipment, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, home appliances, laboratory equipment, material handling machinery, manufacturing equipment and consumer electronics.

Key features are as follows:

• Largest import sector in GCC that is estimated to be more than US$ 23 billion, growing at 9% CAGR.
• High value-added science and engineering based products that are already being distributed throughout the region via Dubai can now be manufactured here
• Easy access to global scientific talent, world-class logistics and supply chain management capabilities

Source: Mckinsey & Company Analysis

Locating at the Chemicals zone presents an opportunity to be in the GCC region which is well known for its petroleum and petrochemical industry. With UAE being a member of WIPO and Dubai's strict enforcement of Intellectual Property Laws, DI is an attractive location for high-end chemical industry such as additives, coatings and surfactant businesses.

Key features are as follows:

• Easy access to growing regional sectors of manufacturing and household products, as well as abundant upstream supply of chemical and petrochemical feedstock
• Middle East market is estimated to be more than US$ 90 billion, growing at 5% CAGR
• Currently imports account for over US$ 30 billion, which can now be manufactured here

Source: Mckinsey & Company Analysis

DI built on the work, live and play concept, provides a number of mixed use areas to support the industrial community i.e.

• Plots for open yard storage, workshops, showrooms, petrol station, truck rest stop, police, civil defense and ambulance stations.
• Plots for hotels, residential buildings, malls, clinics, schools and mosques, to cater to employees and visitors who choose to live near their work place.