THE Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones, known as ZonesCorp, has signed several agreements for new plants and expansions.

Ittihad International Investment will build a Dh1 billion ($272 million) plant which will be the region’s first uncoated wood-free printing and writing paper mill targeting consumers in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The project, which will have an annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes spread over two phases, will generate employment for nearly 200 people and be spread across 230,000 sq m of prime industrial real estate, a statement said.

Ittihad already has seven industrial units within ZonesCorp’s Industrial City.

Under an agreement signed with United Iron & Steel Company, a steel rolling mill complex will be built in Abu Dhabi’s Industrial City at an investment of Dh507 million. The mill will have an initial production capacity of 300,000 tonnes per year with output going up to 500,000 tonnes in due course. Construction begins in the second quarter of this year with commercial production slated for Q1 2016.

COMPANY WELCOMED

Mohamed Hasan Al Qemzi, CEO at ZonesCorp, said: “We are delighted to welcome United Iron and Steel Company as a ZonesCorp partner. The state-of-the-art complex will be a strong addition to our existing cluster and we look forward to helping the group to fully realise their ambitions.”

Jamal Jawhari, partner and member of the board of United Iron & Steel Company, added: “The ZonesCorp model is extremely attractive for us, particularly the ‘one stop shop’ approach and the potential for synergies within the cluster. Added to that, the combination of low energy and fuel costs, the strategic location of Abu Dhabi to serve our target markets and the pro-industry stance of the UAE government makes ZonesCorp and Abu Dhabi the ideal choice.”

Over the last two years, ZonesCorp has attracted Dh11.3 billion of new investment, and 152 new projects creating well over 12,000 new jobs.

ZonesCorp has signed an agreement with Ansaldo Thomassen Gulf, a major repairer of gas turbine rotating blades and other gas turbine components, under which the company will double its presence in Abu Dhabi within ZonesCorp’s Industrial City.

JINDAL EXPANSION

Jindal SAW Gulf is expanding its facilities with a Dh367 million expansion of its ductile iron pipe facility in ZonesCorp’s Industrial City. The expansion will boost production capacity by an additional 200,000 tonnes per year bringing total output to 500,000 tonnes.

Super Cement Manufacturing, owned by Sanjay Aggarwal, one of the partners of Jindal SAW Gulf, is investing Dh367 million through its subsidiary Super Ferro Alloys in a 75,000-tonne ferro alloys complex located on a 100,000 sq m greenfield site in close proximity to their existing plant.

CALCINATION PLANT

It is also investing Dh110 million in a lime calcination plant with a production capacity of 450,000 tonnes per year. This new facility will be fully operational before the end of 2014.

Collectively, the three new investments will attract a total of $230 million in new investment to ZonesCorp’s Industrial City and generate employment for an additional 500 people.