The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) in cooperation with Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Al Buraimi recently organised an open meeting between Hilal bin Hamad Al Hasani, chief executive officer of PEIE, and the investors and industrialists in Al Buraimi governorate in Oman.

Speaking at the event, Zahir bin Mohamed Al Kaabi, head of OCCI’s branch in Al Buraimi, emphasised that the industrial sector represents a main pillar of the economy and is at the forefront of economic activities that have high productivity returns.

Al Kaabi said: “We focus on our constant meetings with government officials to look into solutions that meet the challenges facing the private sector. We aim at contributing to the development of the economic sector, and we hope that this meeting will present the opportunity to address many of the challenges facing the industrialists.”

On his part, Hilal bin Hamad Al Hasani, CEO of PEIE, said that the industrial march in the sultanate began with the establishment of Rusayl Industrial Estate in 1983.

PEIE was established in 1993 to ensure continued development of the industrial sector throughout the sultanate’s governorates. Today, the organisation is responsible for developing and managing seven industrial estates:   Sur, Sohar, Raysut, Nizwa, Al Buraimi, Al Rusayl, Sumail, in addition to the Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) and Al Mazunah Free Zone.

Al Hasani added that PEIE gives great importance to boost partnership with the private sector in Oman. He commented that PEIE has concentrated in cooperating and partnering with the private sector in such a way to enhance its role and contribute to a comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development of the country.

Based on this approach, PEIE has adopted a programme to strengthen partnership with the private sector in the area of constructing, managing and operating the industrial estates and the economic areas pertaining to PEIE.

This programme consists of three main pillars. The first pillar is related to attraction of major developers to all the new industrial estates and PEIE would not invest directly in the development operations. The second pillar is related to opening the way for the private sector to work under the umbrella of PEIE as owners and developers of the economic areas through a variety of investment activities. Finally, the third pillar is related to the establishment of a holding company owned by PEIE to develop and manage the existing industrial estates.