AD Ports Group, the operator of industrial cities and free zones in Abu Dhabi, has launched Kezad Group to consolidate and grow its Economic Cities & Free Zones offering, as it seeks to strengthen the emirate's position as an industrial and manufacturing hub.
The company's Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) and ZonesCorp (specialised economic zones) have been integrated into the newly formed Kezad Group (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi Group), which comprises 12 economic zones with a total area of 550 square kilometres, including 100 sq km designated as free zones, AD Ports said on Monday.
Kezad has more than 300,000 square metres of pre-built warehouse facilities and 40 staff accommodation complexes with a capacity of 450,000 beds located in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra region, including the 77,000 beds it operates.
In total, it has more than 1,750 clients from 17 industrial and economic sectors catering to a range of key industries.
“The launch of Kezad Group, which brings together our Economic Cities & Free Zones assets, supports the expansion of dedicated ecosystems for strategic industries, boosting access to international markets, integrating advanced technologies and accelerating the transition to a circular economy,” said Mohamed Al Shamisi, managing director and group chief executive of AD Ports Group.
Established to align with the UAE’s industrial strategy and the recently launched Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, Kezad will offer greater opportunities for investors who seek to streamline every segment of their supply chain, the company said.
Under the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy, the government is investing Dh10 billion ($2.72bn) across six industrial programmes to more than double the size of the emirate’s manufacturing sector to Dh172bn by 2031. This will create 13,600 skilled jobs, with a focus on hiring Emiratis.
The strategy aims to strengthen the emirate’s position as the region’s most competitive industrial centre.
Kezad will be solely responsible for managing the process of planning, developing, operating, regulating and promoting the combined assets under the AD Ports Group’s Economic Cities & Free Zones portfolio, which makes up 55 per cent of the UAE’s industrial area.
“Combining the portfolio’s assets will drive higher investments and develop a stronger portfolio of products and services for businesses and investors at the local, regional and international levels,” the company said.
It will offer an expanded choice of locations, greater pricing options, quality of infrastructure, ease of doing business and integrated services through unified processes and focused offerings for customers.
“Kezad Group will leverage synergies across its combined assets and utilise our collaborative expertise to fully support the priority industrial sectors identified … in the Abu Dhabi Industrial Strategy,” said Abdullah Al Hameli, chief executive of Economic Cities & Free Zones at AD Ports Group.
The group plans to invest in dedicated infrastructure for key industrial sectors to create new revenue streams, such as enhanced gas networks for metal and other heavy industries, and wholesale marketplaces for food and automotive, the company said.
“Kezad Group is now responsible for the largest integrated trade, logistics and industrial hub in the region and is the largest operator of purpose-built economic zones and workers' residential cities in the UAE,” said chief executive Mohamed Al Ahmad.
“We will deploy this enhanced scale to fully support strategic industries and enable sustainable diversification and growth.”
Established in 2006, AD Ports Group owns and operates 10 ports in the UAE, including Khalifa Port, Zayed Port, Mussaffah Port, Fujairah Terminals, Community Ports, Kamsar Port and the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, as well as a terminal in Guinea.
It also manages an end-to-end logistics business, besides offering a range of maritime services.
Remaining Fixtures
Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Naga
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
