• The Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Dubai airport in 2011. Parts for the jet are made in Al Ain. Jeff Topping / The National
    The Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Dubai airport in 2011. Parts for the jet are made in Al Ain. Jeff Topping / The National
  • Visitors look at Caracal's rifles at Abu Dhabi's 2021 Idex exhibition. Caracal is a UAE company. Victor Besa / The National
    Visitors look at Caracal's rifles at Abu Dhabi's 2021 Idex exhibition. Caracal is a UAE company. Victor Besa / The National
  • Workers produce bottles of perfume at the Swiss Arabian factory in Sharjah. Randi Sokoloff / The National
    Workers produce bottles of perfume at the Swiss Arabian factory in Sharjah. Randi Sokoloff / The National
  • A worker sprays a glossy finish on a toilet bowl at the RAK Ceramics factory in Ras Al Khaimah. Sarah Dea / The National
    A worker sprays a glossy finish on a toilet bowl at the RAK Ceramics factory in Ras Al Khaimah. Sarah Dea / The National
  • Workers prepare camels for milking at the Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products, producers of milk products such as 'Camelicous'. Jeff Topping / The National
    Workers prepare camels for milking at the Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products, producers of milk products such as 'Camelicous'. Jeff Topping / The National
  • Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries in Ras Al Khaimah. Pawan Singh / The National
    Julphar Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries in Ras Al Khaimah. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Dubai Opera. Future Architectural Glass counts it among its projects. Giuseppe Cacace / AFP
    Dubai Opera. Future Architectural Glass counts it among its projects. Giuseppe Cacace / AFP
  • Emirates Global Aluminium in Abu Dhabi. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National
    Emirates Global Aluminium in Abu Dhabi. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National
  • Workers make parts for Airbus and Boeing at the Strata Manufacturing facility in Al Ain. Pawan Singh / The National
    Workers make parts for Airbus and Boeing at the Strata Manufacturing facility in Al Ain. Pawan Singh / The National

Make it in the Emirates: From diving beneath the sea to flying with the stars - a short history of UAE industry


James Langton
  • English
  • Arabic

In the beginning it was pearls, the sea’s bounty that brought work for many and great fortunes for a few.

Pearls from the Arabian Gulf were desired all over the world, from the Mughal jewellery workshops of India to the necks of European aristocracy.

The collapse of the industry in the 1930s, caused by the Great Depression and the arrival of cheap Japanese cultured pearls, caused economic hardship.

People made what living they could, sometimes by drying fish on the sand to sell as fertiliser. Mostly they existed by subsistence, with hunger never far away. Many left to find work elsewhere.

Oil saved the day. Suddenly, the UAE was wealthy beyond imagining, with the decades that followed the first exports in the early 1960s a time of unprecedented economic growth when villages became towns and towns turned into cities.

The Adma Enterprise rig off Abu Dhabi's Das Island in 1958. Oil was discovered that year. BP Archive
The Adma Enterprise rig off Abu Dhabi's Das Island in 1958. Oil was discovered that year. BP Archive

Streets filled with imported cars and the new shopping malls rushed to stock all the major international brand names.

As the UAE's economy grew, so did home-grown enterprises.

Dubai Dry Docks is an example. Opened in 1983, it has repaired thousands of ships, but also built dozens of projects, many for the offshore oil and gas industry, including a floating crane capable of lifting 2,000 tonnes.

Even earlier is the aluminium plant visible to anyone who has driven along the Sheikh Zayed Road.

Established in 1975 as Dubai Aluminium, it began production four years later with an official opening by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during her state visit to the UAE in 1979.

In 2019, the company celebrated its 40th year of production, now supporting 60,000 jobs and renamed Emirates Global Aluminium after merging with Emirates Aluminium in 2013.

Another home grown success story is RAK Ceramics. Founded in 1989, the company is one of the largest ceramic companies in the world, even if many international consumers may not realise RAK stands for Ras Al Khaimah.

Even names associated with foreign brands can actually carry the “Made in the UAE” label.

Dubai Refreshment Company was set up in 1959, and more than 60 years later produces millions of cans and bottle of soft drinks from Pepsi Cola to Lipton Iced Tea and Aquafina water.

Just down the road, the Nestle plant in Jebel Ali turns out more than a billion KitKat bars each year, a production line that started in 2010 and includes Quality Street chocolates, Maggi Products and Nido powdered milk.

In the past two decades, the name of the game has been diversification, moving the country’s economy away from oil and gas and creating a skilled Emirati workforce, supporting thriving local industries.

Some are large, like Strata, founded by UAE investment company Mubadala in 2009 in Al Ain.

It is a manufacturer of world-class aviation components and continually expanding, even in the past year as a supplier as medical grade masks in the fight against the coronavirus.

Almost half the Strata workforce are young Emirati women.

Precision manufacturing is also key to the success of Caracal, founded in 2007 and named after the wildcat.

Caracal pistols are the first to be designed and made in the UAE. As well as supplying the Armed Forces they are exported.

A very different product comes from Camelicious, which harnesses one of the country’s most important natural resources – camel's milk.

Originally a research laboratory in Dubai examining the benefits of camel's milk, Camelicious now makes a range of products that include long life milk and ice cream, sold even in British supermarkets.

Separately, Al Nassma produces chocolate bars made using camel's milk, while Chocodate has shared another UAE secret with the world by taking dates and coating them in chocolate.

In Ajman, Italian Dairy Products uses milk from Emirati cows to produce authentic mozzarella, while last year W Motors broke ground on a Dh370 million ($101m) manufacturing facility that will focus production of its Lykan supercars in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

The future will extend to even more cutting edge technologies. Al Yah Satellite Communications, another Mubadala project offers satellite TV and internet to dozens of countries, but thanks to an agreement with last month Tawazun Economic Council, will develop advanced satellite and communication technology – and truly a global reach for Made in the UAE.

How to help

Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.

Account name: Dar Al Ber Society

Account Number: 11 530 734

IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734

Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae

The specs

BMW M8 Competition Coupe

Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8

Power 625hp at 6,000rpm

Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm

Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto

Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec

Top speed 305kph

Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km

Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)

On sale Jan/Feb 2020
 

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The bio:

Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.

Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.

Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.

Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.

 

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

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If you go

Flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.

The stay

Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

Wonka
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What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

THE SPECS

Engine: 3-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 424hp

Torque: 580 Nm

Price: From Dh399,000

On sale: Now

The biog

Favourite colour: Brown

Favourite Movie: Resident Evil

Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices

Favourite food: Pizza

Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Porsche Taycan Turbo specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 1050Nm

Range: 450km

Price: Dh601,800

On sale: now

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now