ISSUE 37 April to June 2016 BUSINESS ZONE · BUSINESS ZONEISSUE 37 April to June 2016 SHARJAH PORTS ... economic free zone with a royal decree ... Jebel Ali Free Zone

IN THIS ISSUE

BUSINESS ZONEISSUE 37 April to June 2016

SHARJAH PORTSAUTHORITY GETSFIRST ASD 2 TUG-BOAT

INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTIBPIC honors Al Mazrouei with theGolden Friendship Award

Page 05

Page 8 Page 14

Lamprell expandsits operationsPage 5

Big turnout of entrepreneursin Hyderabad and Vizag

BUSINESS ZONE 3ISSUE 37April to June 2016

CONTENTS

456

Director 's Message

Lamprell expands its operations

Sharjah's economic growth remains robust

7 DBMT sets up facility in Hamriyah Free Zone

8 Big turnout of entrepreneurs in Hyderabad and Vizag

9 HFZA delegation meets Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister

10 Hamriyah Free Zone: A catalyst for growth of SMEs

11 HFZA participates in Make in India Week

12 HFZA annual day celebrations

14 IBPIC honors Al Mazrouei with the Golden Friendship Award

19 Travel Across Time: Sharjah Light Festival takes one back to the olden days

20 Unger Steel Middle East FZE builds mega storage warehouses for fertilizer factory in Saudi Arabia

21 Hamriyah Free Zone: Facilities and attractions

22 Shurooq, Emaar and Eagle Hills partner for new venture

Fifth International Government Communication Forum makes important recommendations

Sharjah’s Zora gas field brought on-stream

15 Indian trade delegation visits Hamriyah Free Zone to explore investment possibilities

16 HFZA pavilion big hit at Gulfood

17 HFZA organizes seminars in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

18 South Indian tour receives positive response

22

1914

5

BUSINESS ZONE 4ISSUE 37April to June 2016

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

SAUD SALIM AL MAZROUEIDirector, Hamriyah Free Zone Authority

WITH impressive figures, Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) is stepping into the second quarter of 2016 aiming to strike bigger deals. The first quarter was positive and the developments made in this period were definitely encouraging. The positive contribution made by the Free Zone to the economic growth of Sharjah and the UAE is an achievement we are proud of and it inspires us to strive even harder.

We witnessed many expansions during the first quarter. Lamprell Energy Ltd. is one of the companies which announced its expansion plans and leased more land in Hamriyah Free Zone. In total, Lamprell now leases over 500,000 m² of land including 1,430 meters of quayside in Hamriyah Free Zone. Another company, which has decided to set up its facility in HFZ, is Dayal Building Material Traders Limited (DBMT). The AED 25 million project will take off next month. DBMT has leased 55,000 square meters of land in the Phase 2 area for logistics and storage facilities and operations.

For the past few years, we had set our eyes on building a strong SME sector and our commitment to this goal has resulted in a huge success with the development of Hamriyah SME Zone, MB Zone and the E-office.At present, more than 6500 companies representing 155 nations have

set up their facilities at HFZ. The queries from SME entrepreneurs were promising during the first quarter of this year and we hope to see this interest get translated into more businesses setting up operations in our Free Zone. As always, we have been

trying to expand our reach by attending different exhibitions. Our recent business trips to prosperous Indian cities – Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode - as well as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur yielded positive response when we invited potential investors to learn more about HFZ and its special SME-oriented policies. And, finally, I take this opportunity to thank our investors for their continued support over the years, and for the confidence they have shown in us, which boosts and inspires us to serve our investors well by giving them the efficient services they seek.

Currently, with the promising figures from the first quarter, I believe that we can develop further, expect even better results and bigger expansion plans for the remaining quarters of 2016.

Lastly, I would like to point out that the redesign of our newsletter has been widely appreciated. Hamriyah Times, which was renamed as Business Zone, will have an improved content strategy in the upcoming editions as part of our new media policy.

Warm Regards,Saud Salim Al MazroueiDirector, HFZA

BUSINESS ZONE 5

SPECIAL FEATURE

Lamprell expands its operations

Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) Chairman His Excellency Sheikh Khaled Bin Abdullah Bin Sultan Al Qasimi (left) and Lamprell Chief Executive Officer James Moffat, signing the lease agreement at HFZA headquarters. Standing from left are TV Ramesh, Ahmed bin Hadda Al Suwaidi and Saud Salim Al Mazrouei.

ISSUE 37April to June 2016

AIMING for further expansion in the region, Lamprell Energy Ltd. has leased more land in Hamriyah Free Zone. Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) Chairman His Excellency Sheikh Khaled Bin Abdullah Bin Sultan Al Qasimi and Lamprell Chief Executive Officer James Moffat signed an agreement in this regard recently.

“Lamprell has acquired an additional land area of 114280 m² in Phase 2 of Hamriyah Free Zone as part of its development plans,” His Excellency Sheikh Khaled, who is also the Chairman for the Department of Seaports and Customs and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) said,

after inking the pact. “We remain committed to giving our valued customers the best possible infrastructure to help support their growth aspirations,” noted His Excellency Sheikh Khalid.

The ceremony which was held at HFZA’s headquarters was also attended by Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of HFZA and SAIF Zone; Ahmed bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, Director of HFZA Administrative Affairs; T.V. Ramesh, CFO, HFZA; Niall O’ Connell, COO, Lamprell Energy; and Justin Taylor, Lamprell Group Operations Manager alongside HFZA and Lamprell representatives. Lamprell, a leading provider of fabrication, engineering

and contracting services to the energy industry, has been active in Hamriyah Free Zone since 2007.

“The additional land has been leased primarily in order to construct new fully automated fabrication areas including pipe fabrication shops and blasting and painting sheds. This initiative, which forms part of Lamprell’s “Project Evolution” initiative, aims to increase efficiency and productivity. This increased focus on automation and yard optimization is aimed at reducing pipe fabrication man-hours, improving safety, eliminating unnecessary material wastage and

BUSINESS ZONE 6

SPECIAL FEATURE

improving the quality of the Group’s products and services,” a Lamprell spokesperson said in a statement.

With this additional land, Lamprell now leases over 500,000 m² of land including 1,430 meters of quayside in Hamriyah Free Zone, Lamprell added in its statement. Saud Salim Al Mazrouei said: “We are delighted to celebrate the growth of Lamprell as this move will enable them to grow further locally and internationally. We see this development as another example of our strategic goal of empowering businesses paying off.”

“Our aim is to create a strong business

environment by meeting the needs and demands of its investors,” Al Mazrouei added. HFZA is the leading hub for petrochemicals, oil & gas bunkering and storage in the UAE and a key force that attracts a large fraction of the foreign direct investment to Sharjah.

Lamprell, based in the United Arab Emirates and with over 40 years of experience, has an international reputation for building complex offshore and onshore process modules as well as fixed platforms and topside. Lamprell holds leading market positions in the fabrication of shallow-water drilling jackup rigs, multi-purpose liftboats, land rigs, and rig refurbishment projects.

Sharjah’s economicgrowth remainsrobustGLOBAL credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s has affirmed its ‘A/A-1’ long-and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings for the emirate of Sharjah. The agency also reaffirmed the stable outlook for Sharjah based on a low government debt burden, a diversified industrial base and continued robust economic growth. S&P began assigning sovereign credit ratings for the emirate of Sharjah in 2014. The strong market response to the Government of Sharjah’s issuance of its second US dollar Islamic bond in January underscored the market confidence in Sharjah’s economy and fiscal management. The US$500 million (AED 1.8b) 5-year sukuk, which was the emirate’s second, was the first sovereign sukuk to be issued in 2016. S&P forecasts that Sharjah’s real economic growth will remain relatively robust, although slowing against previous expectations in line with the agency’s changing oil price assumptions. The rating agency now expects economic growth to average 2.8 percent in 2016-2018 compared to the 3.5 percent forecast in its November 2015 review. S&P reports that the four largest sectors in Sharjah’s economy are real estate and business services (accounting about 21 percent); manufacturing (16 percent); mining, quarrying, and energy (12 percent); and wholesale and retail trade (12 percent). Despite a slowdown in the mining and energy sector, the agency expects to see continued growth across all other economic sectors in the emirate. Sharjah has rolled out a wide range of initiatives to help develop the local economy and encourage inward investment. The government allocated 45 percent of its 2015 budget to the economic development and has backed a variety of new schemes to help encourage start-ups and SMEs during the past few months. In January, Sharjah announced its third economic free zone with a royal decree ordering the establishment of Sharjah Media City. About 13,500 companies are already registered in the emirate’s two existing free zones Hamriyah Free Zone Authority and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone).


BUSINESS ZONE 7

THE UAE-based Dayal Building Material Trader Limited (DBMT) will start its operations from Hamriyah Free Zone by next month. Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) and Dinesh Moorjani, Managing Director of DBMT signed a lease agreement in this regard.

“We have leased 55,000 square meters of land in the Phase 2 area. We will start logistics and storage facilities operations by next month and will open steel fabrication facility by 2017. We have plans to invest AED 20 to 25 million for this project,” Dinesh Moorjani said after the signing ceremony.

With a strong presence in the GCC, DBMT, the UAE's leading structural steel distributor, covers all of the key steel markets like Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United States and Europe.

“In the steel industry, HFZA is one of the market leaders in the Middle East. The regional industry consists of fabrication yards and engineering workshops and thus, the steel industry is very important to Hamriyah Free Zone. We have been developing this sector for over a decade and today a number of well-established steel firms are operating within HFZA,” Al Mazrouei explained after signing the contract.

DBMT has been successfully catering to the needs of structural steel in the Middle East since 1981 with over 150,000 metric tons group annual turnover across the GCC. DBMT also has manufacturing facilities in

EXPANSION

www.ungersteel.com

First Steel Fabricator in UA

g

DBMT sets up facility in HamriyahFree Zone

Jebel Ali Free Zone. While elaborating on his business, Dinesh Moorjani said: “We supply steel mainly to the oil & gas sector as well as to EPC contractors, steel fabricators and contracting companies.

This new facility will provide easy access to all the emirates as well as the international markets due to the strategic position of Hamriyah Free Zone in the UAE.”

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei and Dinesh Moorjani signing the agreement at Hamriyah Free Zone headquarters


BUSINESS ZONE 8

Big turnout of entrepreneurs inHyderabad and VizagTHE SEMINARS on the global growth of Indian SMEs organised by Hamriyah Free Zone Authority in association with SME WORLD and National Small Industries Corporation in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam (Vizag), were a huge success as over 300 entrepreneurs in the SMEs sector participated in the lively sessions addressed by various experts and professionals.

The Indian SMEs sector is growing fast as the government is all set to infuse new blood into the sector, concluded various speakers in the seminars held in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam on January 7 and 9 respectively. Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director, Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone); Ravindra Nath, Chairman cum Managing Director, National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) UAE; Dr. H. P. Kumar, Former CMD, NSIC; Dr. Chukka Kondaiah, OSD (MSME), Department of Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh; were the key speakers who explained to the participants the growth trajectory for the SMEs sector and the way forward.

India – A key market

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, the Guest of Honour, said that HFZA has always regarded India as a key market and in view of a warm economic relationship with India, more and more Indian enterprises

find the Free Zone a potential marketing hub for going global. He informed the participants about how HFZA is offering opportunities to the SMEs across the world to grow and prosper. Indian firms account for more than 35 percent of the total of 6500 plus companies operating in the Free Zone.

“The Free Zone has attracted enterprises from 155 countries in almost 500 verticals. In 2015 alone over 1200 new companies were set up,” he said. “The Free Zone’s strategic location connects it to the three seaports of Hamriyah, Khalid and Khorfakkan. In addition, the Hamriyah Free Zone offers a variety of facilities required to develop and grow businesses effectively and efficiently.”

Al Mazrouei thanked the participants who turned up in large numbers for the seminars. “Indian entrepreneurs always stir a great interest in such events and we regard them as serious investors,” he added. He invited Indian companies to HFZA to avail the various facilities which make the Free Zone a potential ground for going global.

“HFZA supports SMEs and ensures that all companies have access to everything they require to build and conduct their businesses efficiently. We will continue with our efforts in addressing SMEs across India and other regions,” Al Mazrouei stressed

while addressing the seminar, titled ‘Growth Path for SMEs’.

Ravindra Nath, CMD, NSIC, who was the chief guest at Hyderabad, spoke at length about the NSIC’s relentless and continued efforts in improving the MSMEs ecosystem in the country and fostering their growth since 1955. NSIC is discharging a major task of enhancing competitiveness and its intervention ensures that the entrepreneurs do not face bottlenecks, he said, and added that NSIC helps them get the required quantity of raw material at a competitive cost.

Marketing – A huge challenge

“By the way of marketing support, we help them find potential markets across the country and overseas as ‘selling’ is a huge challenge which entrepreneurs face today. Our portals like msmeshopping.com have become successful platforms. We invite entrepreneurs to display their products on the B2C portal which is free of charge for the first year and this gives them access to various markets," he explained.

Through NSIC’s B2B portals, the enterprises gain access to global leads and tenders, he added. “We are also strengthening our mechanism of helping MSMEs sell to various government departments under the government’s purchase scheme. Besides providing

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, addressing the seminar in Hyderabad

financial back up, NSIC is also helping the companies with credit ratings, making trained manpower available through our technical centers.” Dr.H.P. Kumar, former CMD, NSIC, appreciated the recent initiatives of the government like Mudra Bank, Startup India program etc. and termed these as ‘bold initiatives’. Dr. Kumar stressed that the skill development initiative of the government will not serve its purpose if it is not connected to jobs.

“Skill does not mean that one has a job. As of now we have an unemployed population and after teaching them skills, we will only have a skilled unemployed population.” He strongly felt that there is an urgent need to create jobs. “Skill development efforts have to be complemented with job creation.”

Job creation

He said programs like Skill India, Digital India and Startup India help companies face the global markets. “How to become global or go international is the key issue today. And it all depends on how competent you become in order to compete in price, service and quality.”

Muhamed Basheer, Head of Overseas Promotion Department, HFZA, gave a presentation about the Free Zone, detailing the various opportunities that HFZA is offering to companies. Ali Saeed Al Jarwan, Deputy Commercial Director, HFZA, represented the Chief Guest in Vizag. Dr. Chukka Kondaiah, OSD (MSME), Department of Industries, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, said that the Indian industries are growing in all directions and a new ecosystem is on the anvil. He spoke at length on the way forward for the MSMEs sector.

Integrating entrepreneurship with education

India has 2.3% of skilled workforce compared to 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 52% in USA, 50% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. India is the youngest nation in the world with over 62% of its population in the working age group of 15-59 years. He said over 20 central ministries are entrusted with the task of skill development trainings along with the State Governments. He said that India strongly needs to nurture entrepreneurship by its integration with the education system so that the students attain entrepreneurial behaviour. He stressed that India needs to create 10 million jobs per year for youth entering into the workforce every year.

Value-creation

Deepak Sharma, Group Managing Director, Sarthi Group, stressed on the need for value creation by SMEs. “More often than not, we tend to forget value creation, its worth, and set short-term goals for us.” Deepak said that success is not really about how much money we are making or earning but adding to the worth of our business.

Among other speakers were I. Siva Nainar, CGM, State Bank of Hyderabad; A.K. Balaji, President, Visakha Autonagar Small Scale Industries Welfare Association; P. Ravi Kumar, Zonal General Manager, NSIC, Hyderabad; and G. Sambasiva Rao, Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry Federation. Excellence awards were presented to entrepreneurs for their exemplary achievements in entrepreneurship as well. Al Mazrouei also released a special supplement titled ‘Seminary’ that depicts the advantages of setting up a business at HFZA.


INTERNATIONAL

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei addressing the seminar in Hyderabad

BUSINESS ZONE 9

THE SEMINARS on the global growth of Indian SMEs organised by Hamriyah Free Zone Authority in association with SME WORLD and National Small Industries Corporation in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam (Vizag), were a huge success as over 300 entrepreneurs in the SMEs sector participated in the lively sessions addressed by various experts and professionals.

The Indian SMEs sector is growing fast as the government is all set to infuse new blood into the sector, concluded various speakers in the seminars held in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam on January 7 and 9 respectively. Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director, Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone); Ravindra Nath, Chairman cum Managing Director, National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) UAE; Dr. H. P. Kumar, Former CMD, NSIC; Dr. Chukka Kondaiah, OSD (MSME), Department of Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh; were the key speakers who explained to the participants the growth trajectory for the SMEs sector and the way forward.

India – A key market

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, the Guest of Honour, said that HFZA has always regarded India as a key market and in view of a warm economic relationship with India, more and more Indian enterprises

find the Free Zone a potential marketing hub for going global. He informed the participants about how HFZA is offering opportunities to the SMEs across the world to grow and prosper. Indian firms account for more than 35 percent of the total of 6500 plus companies operating in the Free Zone.

“The Free Zone has attracted enterprises from 155 countries in almost 500 verticals. In 2015 alone over 1200 new companies were set up,” he said. “The Free Zone’s strategic location connects it to the three seaports of Hamriyah, Khalid and Khorfakkan. In addition, the Hamriyah Free Zone offers a variety of facilities required to develop and grow businesses effectively and efficiently.”

Al Mazrouei thanked the participants who turned up in large numbers for the seminars. “Indian entrepreneurs always stir a great interest in such events and we regard them as serious investors,” he added. He invited Indian companies to HFZA to avail the various facilities which make the Free Zone a potential ground for going global.

“HFZA supports SMEs and ensures that all companies have access to everything they require to build and conduct their businesses efficiently. We will continue with our efforts in addressing SMEs across India and other regions,” Al Mazrouei stressed

while addressing the seminar, titled ‘Growth Path for SMEs’.

Ravindra Nath, CMD, NSIC, who was the chief guest at Hyderabad, spoke at length about the NSIC’s relentless and continued efforts in improving the MSMEs ecosystem in the country and fostering their growth since 1955. NSIC is discharging a major task of enhancing competitiveness and its intervention ensures that the entrepreneurs do not face bottlenecks, he said, and added that NSIC helps them get the required quantity of raw material at a competitive cost.

Marketing – A huge challenge

“By the way of marketing support, we help them find potential markets across the country and overseas as ‘selling’ is a huge challenge which entrepreneurs face today. Our portals like msmeshopping.com have become successful platforms. We invite entrepreneurs to display their products on the B2C portal which is free of charge for the first year and this gives them access to various markets," he explained.

Through NSIC’s B2B portals, the enterprises gain access to global leads and tenders, he added. “We are also strengthening our mechanism of helping MSMEs sell to various government departments under the government’s purchase scheme. Besides providing

financial back up, NSIC is also helping the companies with credit ratings, making trained manpower available through our technical centers.” Dr.H.P. Kumar, former CMD, NSIC, appreciated the recent initiatives of the government like Mudra Bank, Startup India program etc. and termed these as ‘bold initiatives’. Dr. Kumar stressed that the skill development initiative of the government will not serve its purpose if it is not connected to jobs.

“Skill does not mean that one has a job. As of now we have an unemployed population and after teaching them skills, we will only have a skilled unemployed population.” He strongly felt that there is an urgent need to create jobs. “Skill development efforts have to be complemented with job creation.”

Job creation

He said programs like Skill India, Digital India and Startup India help companies face the global markets. “How to become global or go international is the key issue today. And it all depends on how competent you become in order to compete in price, service and quality.”

Muhamed Basheer, Head of Overseas Promotion Department, HFZA, gave a presentation about the Free Zone, detailing the various opportunities that HFZA is offering to companies. Ali Saeed Al Jarwan, Deputy Commercial Director, HFZA, represented the Chief Guest in Vizag. Dr. Chukka Kondaiah, OSD (MSME), Department of Industries, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, said that the Indian industries are growing in all directions and a new ecosystem is on the anvil. He spoke at length on the way forward for the MSMEs sector.

Integrating entrepreneurship with education

India has 2.3% of skilled workforce compared to 68% in UK, 75% in Germany, 52% in USA, 50% in Japan and 96% in South Korea. India is the youngest nation in the world with over 62% of its population in the working age group of 15-59 years. He said over 20 central ministries are entrusted with the task of skill development trainings along with the State Governments. He said that India strongly needs to nurture entrepreneurship by its integration with the education system so that the students attain entrepreneurial behaviour. He stressed that India needs to create 10 million jobs per year for youth entering into the workforce every year.

Value-creation

Deepak Sharma, Group Managing Director, Sarthi Group, stressed on the need for value creation by SMEs. “More often than not, we tend to forget value creation, its worth, and set short-term goals for us.” Deepak said that success is not really about how much money we are making or earning but adding to the worth of our business.

Among other speakers were I. Siva Nainar, CGM, State Bank of Hyderabad; A.K. Balaji, President, Visakha Autonagar Small Scale Industries Welfare Association; P. Ravi Kumar, Zonal General Manager, NSIC, Hyderabad; and G. Sambasiva Rao, Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry Federation. Excellence awards were presented to entrepreneurs for their exemplary achievements in entrepreneurship as well. Al Mazrouei also released a special supplement titled ‘Seminary’ that depicts the advantages of setting up a business at HFZA.

HFZA delegationmeets AndhraPradesh ChiefMinister

A DELEGATION led by Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) met N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry Partnership Summit, that was held at Harbour Park in Visakhapatnam, India recently.

“We discussed trade and business that was of mutual interest with N. Chandrababu Naidu and the talks will continue and hopefully reach fruition,” said Al Mazrouei after the meeting. “The summit was an ideal platform for business networking and sharing. We have invited investors and business tycoons to expand their branches to HFZA,“ he added. “We do marketing internationally in over 40 countries and we are increasing our participation in international exhibitions, conferences and events to illustrate the outstanding features of our Free Zone to the world,” Al Mazrouei added.

The 22nd edition of the partnership summit, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the State Government of Andhra Pradesh, saw over 1200 delegates from 36 countries including UAE, USA, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Canada, France, Australia, South Africa, Italy, Qatar, China, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.


INTERNATIONAL

[email protected]

BUSINESS ZONE 10

Hamriyah Free Zone: A catalyst forgrowth of SMEs‘Make in India’ offers global opportunities

‘MAKE IN INDIA’ program comes with a host of challenges which have to be addressed before the program meets its objectives - this was the conclusion reached by various experts across sectors at a seminar ‘Make in India – Global Opportunities’ organized by Hamriyah Free Zone Authority with the support of SME WORLD at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai on February 15th.

The seminar was organized in line with the ‘Make in India’ Week (March 13- 18, 2016) in Mumbai at the behest of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director, HFZA, was the Chief Guest and Dr. H.P. Kumar, former CMD, NSIC was the Guest of Honor. About 150 entrepreneurs representing

different verticals attended the seminar. Ajeeb Mouddini and Omar Rashid Alleem of HFZA were the special invitees.

Lively panel discussions by experts were the highlight of the seminar and they discussed at length various aspects of the program launched by the Government of India. ‘Make in India’ comes with a promise but with a host of challenges and this formed the focus of all the discussions.

Among the panelists were Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Dr. Kumar, Deepak Sharma, Group MD, Sarthi Group, K.S. Ahluwalia, Corporate Trainer and Industry Mentor, Shirish Patwardhan, an entrepreneur based in Hamriyah Free Zone, Vinay Sharma and Lokanathan Nadar who are industry commentators. Saud Salim Al

Mazrouei said that the Free Zone could play a catalyst for the growth of SMEs. He informed the participants that Hamriyah Free Zone today hosts over 6500 companies from over 155 countries. He invited entrepreneurs to build their marketing hubs in the Free Zone and have access to the world markets, in the process.

“With the plentiful resources that India has, it can easily become the most preferred global manufacturing destination and Hamriyah Free Zone is the best hub to trade Indian products globally,” said Saud Salim Al Mazrouei.

The seminar also discussed the fast emerging business ecosystem across the world vis-à-vis the challenges for the growth of the sector. Industry leaders spoke on


INTERNATIONAL

topics ranging from capital markets for SMEs to marketing endeavours to technology.

The Hamriyah Free Zone has already opened the first phase of its Food Plastic & Packaging Zone. Stretching across 380,000 square meters, this facility targets the various needs of the fast moving consumer goods industry (FMCG) such as food processing, cold storage, plastic products, plastic raw materials, packaging, etc.

Sarthi SME Excellence Awards were also given to a few SMEs which excelled in their areas. The awards were sponsored by Sarthi Group and SME WORLD.

BUSINESS ZONE 11

INTERNATIONAL

‘MAKE IN INDIA’ program comes with a host of challenges which have to be addressed before the program meets its objectives - this was the conclusion reached by various experts across sectors at a seminar ‘Make in India – Global Opportunities’ organized by Hamriyah Free Zone Authority with the support of SME WORLD at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai on February 15th.

The seminar was organized in line with the ‘Make in India’ Week (March 13- 18, 2016) in Mumbai at the behest of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director, HFZA, was the Chief Guest and Dr. H.P. Kumar, former CMD, NSIC was the Guest of Honor. About 150 entrepreneurs representing

different verticals attended the seminar. Ajeeb Mouddini and Omar Rashid Alleem of HFZA were the special invitees.

Lively panel discussions by experts were the highlight of the seminar and they discussed at length various aspects of the program launched by the Government of India. ‘Make in India’ comes with a promise but with a host of challenges and this formed the focus of all the discussions.

Among the panelists were Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Dr. Kumar, Deepak Sharma, Group MD, Sarthi Group, K.S. Ahluwalia, Corporate Trainer and Industry Mentor, Shirish Patwardhan, an entrepreneur based in Hamriyah Free Zone, Vinay Sharma and Lokanathan Nadar who are industry commentators. Saud Salim Al

Mazrouei said that the Free Zone could play a catalyst for the growth of SMEs. He informed the participants that Hamriyah Free Zone today hosts over 6500 companies from over 155 countries. He invited entrepreneurs to build their marketing hubs in the Free Zone and have access to the world markets, in the process.

“With the plentiful resources that India has, it can easily become the most preferred global manufacturing destination and Hamriyah Free Zone is the best hub to trade Indian products globally,” said Saud Salim Al Mazrouei.

The seminar also discussed the fast emerging business ecosystem across the world vis-à-vis the challenges for the growth of the sector. Industry leaders spoke on

HFZA participates in Make in India WeekHAMRIYAH Free Zone Authority team successfully participated in Make in India Week that concluded in Mumbai on February 15th. The five-day event, the largest of its kind in India, was opened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attracted government delegations from 49 nations and business teams from 68 countries.

“The demand from Indian companies has been growing and 352 new Indian companies established operations in HFZA in 2015. Currently, we have a total of 2089 Indian-owned companies in Hamriyah Free Zone,” Saud Salim Al Mazrouei said on the sidelines of the conference.


topics ranging from capital markets for SMEs to marketing endeavours to technology.

The Hamriyah Free Zone has already opened the first phase of its Food Plastic & Packaging Zone. Stretching across 380,000 square meters, this facility targets the various needs of the fast moving consumer goods industry (FMCG) such as food processing, cold storage, plastic products, plastic raw materials, packaging, etc.

Sarthi SME Excellence Awards were also given to a few SMEs which excelled in their areas. The awards were sponsored by Sarthi Group and SME WORLD.

BUSINESS ZONE 12

HFZA annualgala dinner HAMRIYAH Free Zone Authority (HFZA) hosted its annual gala dinner at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre Sharjah recently. The event was attended by Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of HFZA and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone), and hundreds of other staff members. While welcoming the guests, Al Mazrouei stressed on the significance and the tremendous strength of the spirit of working together which has led to the great achievements of HFZA.


HFZA NEWS

BUSINESS ZONE 13

HFZA NEWS

“We should continue to do our best in 2016 to reap better results,” Al Mazrouei said in his welcome speech.

The gala dinner included cultural performances and a comedy show by Sheyaab. Sheyaab is a band composed of three talented Kuwaiti students, who appear elderly and play various musical instruments, while singing and dancing.

The mysterious persona of the trio is hidden from their on-screen names: Romeo, Mirshiego and Alĳandro. The trio, who rose to fame in the reality show Arab’s Got Talent, enthralled the audience through their musically-inclined comedy act.

The event was anchored by award-winning and critically acclaimed stand-up comedian Wonho Chung. Speaking in fluent Arabic tinged with a Jordanian accent, Chung mesmerized the audience for about two hours through his wonderful anchoring.

HFZA’s top management also honored six employees for their successful completion of mandatory military service.


BUSINESS ZONE 14

ACHIEVEMENT

IBPIC honors Al Mazrouei with theGolden Friendship AwardIndian Ambassador hails the strategic ties between UAE and India and calls for more trade between the two countries.

SAUD Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) was honored with the Golden Friendship Award by the Indian Business and Professional Council Dubai recently as part of its 67th Indian Republic Day celebrations.

A number of dignitaries, including T.P. Seetharam, Indian Ambassador in the UAE; Anurag Bhushan, the Consul-General of India; Abdullah Al Saleh, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Economy and top Indian business magnates attended the event. While giving away the awards, the Indian Ambassador hailed the strategic ties between the UAE and India and called for more trade between the two countries. Six other high-ranking Emiratis from different emirates were also honored during the ceremony that was held at Taj Dubai.

On the sidelines of the award ceremony, Al Mazrouei emphasised on the long- standing trading relationships between Sharjah and the Indian sub-continent, a relationship that is underlined by the presence of more than 6500 Indian companies in the Sharjah free zones. Today, more than 50% of the companies operating at Hamriyah are based in manufacturing, with the remainder are serving the logistics and service sectors. Hamriyah Free Zone works hard

to help companies to integrate both horizontally and vertically. “We also place a great deal of emphasis on product integration, and we work closely with existing industries to provide the impetus for future growth,” Al Mazrouei added. According to figures from the Government of India, in FY 2014-15, the trade between India and UAE crossed US$ 59bn with Indian exports to the UAE touching US$ 33.3bn and UAE’s exports to India peaking at US$ 26bn, thus making UAE one of the

top trading partners of India.

The UAE and India agreed to benefit from small and medium enterprises to establish an important trade sector. India was ranked seventh with regard to cumulative direct foreign investment in the UAE.

These investments include financial, wholesale trade, construction and industrial sectors, according to the National Statistic Centre of the United Arab Emirates.

T.P. Seetharam, Indian Ambassador in the UAE, felicitates Saud Salim Al Mazrouei with the Golden Friendship Award in the presence of other dignitaries.


BUSINESS ZONE 15

DELEGATION

www.amwajgroup.com

Indian trade delegation visits HFZto explore investment possibilitiesA 30-member trade delegation, under the umbrella of Calicut Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the South Indian state of Kerala visited Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZ) to explore the trade and investment opportunities.

The team headed by Calicut Chamber President Gangadharan Punathil, met Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of HFZA and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone) and discussed various options available to start new SMEs and industries in the Free Zone. Mr. Gangadharan, who

invited Al Mazrouei to Calicut, noted that the Malabar’s trade relations with the UAE dates back to thousands of years, beginning with the barter of pearls for cotton and dry fruits for grains.

During their discussions, Al Mazrouei said that Sharjah’s relations with the Indian market and traders are very cordial and he said that over 40 percent of investors in HFZ are from Kerala. “The business ties have grown stronger out of centuries of exchange of culture, commodities and ideas,” he added.

"Our manufacturing sector also offers good collaboration opportunities for Indian traders and service providers seeking opportunities in the Middle East market," Al Mazrouei concluded. India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) enjoy strong bonds of friendship founded on millennia-old economic intercourse between the two regions.”

The delegation also interacted with T.V. Ramesh, CFO and Hamad Al Shamsi, Head of Sales. They explained the

various options of investment in the Free Zone. The team also toured Hamriyah Free Zone and expressed their satisfaction of its wonderful facilities.

The team consisted of many senior businessmen and officials including T.P. Vasu, Vice President; Abdulla Maliyekkal, Secretary of Calicut Chamber of Commerce and Industry; M. Sreeram and Subair Kolakkadan.

Indian trade delgation with Al Mazrouei and other officials


BUSINESS ZONE 16

HFZA NEWS

Hamriyah Free Zone pavilionbig hit at Gulfood“Hamriyah Free Zone, which is home to over 100 F&B companies, is an ideal hub for companies who are eyeing the thriving F&B markets in the Middle East region,” says Al Mazrouei.

HAMRIYAH Free Zone Authority (HFZA) showcased its role in the region’s rapidly expanding food and beverage (F&B) market at Gulfood 2016 which concluded at the Dubai World Trade Centre recently.

HFZA’s special pavilion attracted over thousands of local and international trade visitors during the show. “It was an excellent stage for our team to interact with representatives from international food companies from over 110 countries,“ said Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of HFZA and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone).

“The UAE also functions as an import and re-export hub, because some products are exported to the country and then re-exported to neighboring countries. HFZA, which is home to over 100 F&B companies, is an ideal hub for companies who are eyeing the thriving F&B markets in the Middle East region,” Al Mazrouei concluded.

Shivam M. Thakkar, General Manager of HFZA-based Flavors Food Industry said that the overall response was good and the enquiries from companies

in Iraq, Kuwait, Somalia and Bahrain were enormous.“ It was a pleasure to share the event venue with Hamriyah Free Zone Authority,” he added.

Praveen V.S., Managing Partner of HFZA-based Crisp Food Company, said that the platform provided a good chance to attract global and local clients. "We fixed some worthy deals during the show," he added. Hamriyah Free Zone is home to a number of F& B firms. Italian Dairy Products FZC; Crisp Food Company FZC; Flavors Food Industry FZC; International Foodstuff Company Limited; Caline FZC; Al Islami Foods FZE; Al Khaleej Food Factory FZC; Best Foods FZC; Gulf Food Experts FZE; Kaah Foodstuff FZE; Mulks Foodstuff FZE; Trofina Food (Middle East) are some of the well-known firms based in HFZA.

In addition to F&B firms, HFZA has a well-organized Food, Plastic & Packaging Zone. Stretching across 380,000 square

meters, this facility targets the various needs of the fast moving consumer goods industry (FMCG) such as food processing, cold storage, plastic products, plastic raw materials, packaging, to name a few.

Busy Hamriyah Free Zone Pavilion at Gulfood

Praveen V.S., Managing Partner,Crisp Food Company

Shivam M. Thakkar, General Manager,Flavors Food Industry


BUSINESS ZONE 17

HFZA NEWS

HFZA organizes seminars in Kuala Lumpur and SingaporeHAMRIYAH Free Zone has organized seminars in Malaysia and Singapore recently to attract more investors and foreign investment to Hamriyah Free Zone. The seminar touched on the various opportunities and facilities offered by HFZA. The delegation discussed ways of cooperation and the strengthening of business and investment ties with investors during the road shows in Singapore and Malaysia.

The trip was aimed at promoting HFZ’s investment and business potential and to present the vast range of opportunities available to foreign companies in HFZ. The delegation – which was led by Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone – held a seminar at The Royale Chulan Damansara hotel and held a series of meetings with entrepreneurs from business and investment sectors.

The Kuala Lumpur seminar was organized in cooperation with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers. In Singapore, the event which was held in association with Singapore Business Federation at Hotel Hilton also attracted a number of young

entrepreneurs. Speaking on the visit, Al Mazrouei stated that in addition to the development of quality projects, HFZ’s mission is to promote the investment opportunities and business strengths of HFZ, to encourage and attract investors from Malaysia and Singapore, and offer the necessary facilities and incentives for foreign investors by adopting global best

practices and removing obstacles. “This tour is part of HFZA’s business promotion strategy. Investor-friendly legal framework and the highly developed transport networks which allow easy access to local and international markets were highlighted during the seminar. The flexibility of investment regulations and the tax-free investment scheme, as well as Sharjah’s modern infrastructure and geographical position, are all elements that were received with a great deal of interest from investors during the talks,” Al Mazrouei added.

Hamad Obaid Al Shamsi, Head of Sales Department; Abdul Aziz Dawood, Senior Sales Officer and senior members from Department of Seaports and Customs Sharjah formed the other members of the delegation.

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei addressing the seminar at Kuala Lumpur.

Saud Salim Al Mazrouei with other officials

Fact Box• Singapore is the first non-Middle East country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with the GCC nations • UAE is the largest trading partner of Singapore • Since 2008, UAE has become Malaysia’s biggest trading partner among the GCC countries with a total trade of AED 21.6 billion


BUSINESS ZONE 18

GOING GLOBAL

South Indian tour receivespositive response

Ali Al Jarwan addressing a seminar in Kochi, Kerala

A DELEGATION from Hamriyah Free Zone Authority highlighted its investment possibilities in three South Indian cities through seminars and road shows. The week-long road shows which were conducted in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode were in association with the Kerala Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Malabar Chamber of Commerce in Kerala. The seminars titled “An easy way to start business in Sharjah” received positive response.

“We expect a good number of entrepreneurs and investors to turn to HFZ in the near future. About 40 percent of our investors in HFZ are from India, which is a very important market for us,” said Saud Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone). Led by Ali Saeed Al Jarwan, Deputy Commercial Director of HFZA, the team interacted with the participants and elaborated on the various facilities of HFZA.

"Sharjah is the industrial hub of the UAE and our trade relations with Kerala go back to a long time,” Ali Saeed Al Jarwan said while addressing the business forum in Kozhikode. Al Jarwan noted that many joint projects have been


Audience in Kochi

Audience in Thiruvananthapuram

happening in collaboration with Kerala and he invited entrepreneurs to Sharjah. In Thiruvananthapuram, the seminar was inaugurated by Dr. V.S Senthil IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, General Education Department. He appreciated the idea of doing business in Hamriyah Free Zone and encouraged investors to start their businesses in Sharjah. In Kochi, while addressing the seminar, Al Jarwan said Hamriyah Free Zone has the efficient single window clearance set up. Those who reach the Free Zone with required documents will have the opportunity to get a license to start their business within two hours. Many top officials from Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry and government sector attended the event.

Moody's and Standard & Poor's accorded Sharjah sovereign credit ratings of A-3 and A with a stable outlook. Those ratings compare favourably with many other emerging markets with strong economic fundamentals, underlining Sharjah's position as an appealing destination for foreign investment.

The UAE is also quickly becoming a global transit point and gateway to India, Africa and Asia. Muhamed Basheer, Head of Overseas Promotion Department and KP Ashik, Sales Officer, were the other members in the HFZA team.

BUSINESS ZONE

SPECIAL FOCUS

19

Travel Across Time: Sharjah Light Festivaltakes one back to the olden days

THIS YEAR’S Sharjah Light Festival was remarkable as it was based on the theme - Travel Across Time. The theme-based show took place at University City Hall and the Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences – Planetarium.

The two locations were among the 10 new shows of the festival this year, which featured a total of 23 unique displays of light and music across the emirate, attracting families and visitors from all over the region.

University City Hall hosted the “In the Light of Science” show, a video mapping projection by Ocubo. During each show, lasting 10 minutes, the intricate details of the University City Hall’s architecture gets wrapped in a multi-layered video mapping, charting its history from the Golden Age of Arabic Science.

The show was a tribute to the Arab world’s era of scientific achievement, a journey through time with knowledge as the engine, travelling across the landscapes of algebra, trigonometry, optics, astronomy and several other scientific advances and inventions. As the show progresses,

viewers were able to relate to its every aspect instinctively as it narrates the story using the universal language of the art of geometry in Islamic Design. The stunning University City Hall building also provided the perfect backdrop for another show, which was taken straight from the pages of the H.G. Wells’ novel, “The Time Machine” and it used amazing imagery to highlight the author’s vision of travel and innovation. The Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences - Planetarium featured the “Celestial Wonderment” show, highlighting the orbits of the planets and creating a unique light sky.

Al Qasba, the premier tourism and entertainment landmark in Sharjah, hosted two shows this year. The Al Qasba restaurant promenade provided the canvas for the show, ‘Hemera’s Story of Light’, which described the story of the birth of light as visualised in Greek mythology, with Hermera as the personification of light.

The show also displayed amazing three dimensional digital images using the latest video and animation techniques. Sharjah

Light Festival put the spotlight on five of the most magnificent mosques in Sharjah - Masjid Al Noor beside Khalid Lagoon on Buhaira Corniche, Masjid Al Taqwa at Al Majaz Waterfront, Masjid Al Maghfira on the Sharjah Corniche Street, Masjid Al Qasimia University, and Al Dhaid's Masjid Ammar Bin Yasser as well. These mosques, which stand out for their exquisite architectural styles, shone even more each evening as the light created innovative three-dimensional designs on them during the Sharjah Light Festival.

Masjid Al Noor on Buhariah Corniche got wrapped in beautiful shapes by artist Mathilde Rouault, illustrating places and forms of art from around the world, while Masjid Al Taqwa featured a show of travel by artist Cindy Lo, exploring different locations and scenery from the windows of a train.

Sharjah Light Festival also drew attention to the exquisite architecture of Masjid Al Qasimia University, which hosted the show, 'Inspiring Islamic Architecture', and Masjid Ammar Bin Yasser at Al Dhaid with 'A World of Colour' show.


BUSINESS ZONE

MARKET

20

Unger Steel Middle East FZE builds megastorage warehouses for fertilizer factoryin Saudi Arabia

UNGER Steel Middle East is building six mega warehouses with conveyor systems for Spanish industry plant specialist, Intecsa Industrial.

In the north of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Umm Wu'al, an EPC project is currently being implemented to exploit and process the country's rich phosphate deposits. The Saudi Arabian Mining Company, Ma'aden, commissioned Spanish industrial plant specialists Intecsa Ingeniería Industrial with the development and construction of a new fertilizer plant at Ras Al Khair industrial complex.

In November 2014, the Unger Steel Middle East FZE was commissioned by Intecsa Ingeniería Industrial for steel construction work of six mega warehouses including conveyor systems.

The project construction started in May 2015 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016 with over 20,000 tons of steel fabricated at Unger Steel factory in Hamriyah Free Zone and installed by Unger Steel erection teams at Ras Al Khair.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is accelerating the expansion of the mining sector, which is to be developed in additon to the oil and petrochemical industry as the third pillar of the economy.

Austrian know-how with local expertise

For the completion of the warehouses with a total area of 103,760 sq m and an impressive total length of nearly 1.5 km, Intecsa Ingeniería Industrial relied on the Austrian Unger Steel Group's more than 60 years of experience in steel construction.

The Unger Steel Middle East FZE has been successfully operating in the UAE since 2007. From design through planning and fabrication to construction, all activities are performed by highly qualified and experienced personnel. The six large warehouses which have a length from 110 to 276 m and a clear span of over 70 m and a height of over 45 m are designed to create the maximum amount of storage space without restrictions.

After on-time completion and handover, the warehouses will be used for the storage of potash and phosphate. Sand trap louvers and roof ventilation openings will provide natural air circulation and conditioning.

The Unger Group is also entrusted with the construction of supporting steel for conveyors running under the warehouse roof ridges as well as with the steel fabrication for the conveyor system from the production facility to the new warehouses and further to the port itself.

Unger Steel Group – regional access worldwideUnger has already realized a number of prestigious projects in the Arab world including the Formula 1 race track in Abu Dhabi, the entrance gate of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, Etihad Museum in Dubai as well as multiple projects at the airports in Dubai and Doha. In Saudi Arabia, among other projects, the award winning KAPARC energy research centre was completed in 2014.

Competence creates confidence.

"Along with the UAE and Qatar, Saudi Arabia has become one of the central markets in the Arab region. Unger Steel Middle East is successful in winning over clients with superior expertise and highest levels of quality. For successful implementation of projects, we place particular importance on professional management," explains Matthias Unger, CEO of the Unger Steel Middle East FZE.

"As a one-stop shop, we excel in completing all works, ranging from consulting, through design and fabrication, to on-time completion. This is what the Unger Steel Group is known for worldwide. This helps to lay the foundation for a harmonious and efficient collaboration for the benefit of our valued clients," adds Larry Burke, Managing Director/CSO Unger Steel Middle East FZE.


BUSINESS ZONE 21

FACILITIES

HAMRIYAH Free Zone, the Middle East’s fastest growing free zone with its current two-hour license processing time which in itself is a record is planning to apply the latest technologies to streamline the process in 45 minutes. “Very soon, we will start issuing licenses within 45 minutes. We have carried out the necessary ground work and trial operations are currently being undertaken to launch this high quality operation. Those who arrive at the counter with the required documents will be able to start their company in 45 minutes.

We appreciate that in the current scenario of business competition, time is of the essence,” said Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, Director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF Zone). HFZ offers the best infrastructure and quality services to welcome foreign investments in various domains including industrial, commercial and services. These serve as growth catalysts for both multinational firms looking to expand their operations as well as


HFZA: A bustling businessdestination with top class facilitiesand investment attractions

emerging entrepreneurs with feasible business plans. The Free Zone currently houses over 6,500 companies from 155 countries, having attracted huge foreign direct investments spread over more than 500 industries in the key sectors of oil & gas, petrochemicals, maritime, steel, construction and food.

Full ownership of businesses, repatriation of capital and profits, exemption from corporate tax and personal income tax, effective utilization of one-stop shop concept for quick issuance of company incorporation and licensing documents as well as viable visa solutions for business owners and their employees have facilitated this sterling performance.

The ideal location of Hamriyah Free Zone with its unique Sharjah link which connects Hamriyah Port and Khalid Port on the west to Port Khorfakkan on the east, further reconnected by an extensive high quality road network throughout the UAE and GCC qualifies it to be the ideal transshipment hub for the Indian Subcontinent, North and East Africa and elsewhere.

“Since few years ago when we recognized

the pivotal role of SMEs in the overall business developments we have been building a strong SME sector.

Our commitment to this goal has resulted in huge success with the development of Hamriyah SME Zone, MB Zone and the E-office,” added Al Mazrouei. Mandated to facilitate a new generation Free Zone, HFZA is constantly ensuring that its management is dynamic and driven by innovations as it aspires to be the most investor-oriented business location.

Hamriyah Free Zone’sbusiness success madesimple

• A business license in 2 hours

• Starting from AED 25,000

• No minimum capital or bank deposit is required

• No restriction on hiring 100% foreign workforce

• Free Zone sponsorship of visas

Additional advantages

Cost–effective business set up22 million square meters of prime industrial landLand lease for 25 years renewable for a similar periodPre-built warehouses and office units for leaseOn-site accommodation for investor's personnel including recreation center and health clubHighly developed infrastructure, telecommunications links and an access to three sea ports in addition to Sharjah International Airport

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Marine access to a 14-16 meterdraft deep harbor and 7-9 meter draft inner harbor adjacent to it

Inexpensive energy and operation costsExtensive cargo and logistics supportStable currency linked to US dollarSafe and secure living environment

Trade activities allowedby the Free Zone

Almost any activity is permitted by HFZA as long as the activity is environmentally friendly and in

accordance with local rules and regulations.

Warehouses/factories,office units, plots, staffaccommodations for lease

Pre-built warehouses in sizes of 614 m², 416 m² and 275 m² and offices of various sizes are available for investors to operate their businesses, and for those who require tailor-made facilities, there are industrial plots available for lease. Staff accommodation is also available on-site with a choice of senior or junior suites.

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BUSINESS ZONE 22

SHARJAH BEAT

Shurooq, Emaar and Eagle Hillspartner for new venture

THE Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has signed a partnership agreement with Emaar Properties and Abu Dhabi-based developer Eagle Hills to establish a new real estate company in Sharjah called Omran Properties.

The new company will develop commercial, industrial and real estate projects in Sharjah and beyond. Sharjah’s real estate market has seen a transformation with the recent construction of large-scale master planned developments and changes to laws allowing foreigners to purchase 100-year leasehold properties. Under the Memorandum of Understanding

(MoU), Omran Properties will be headquartered in Sharjah. Shurooq will own 34 percent of the new company’s capital, while Emaar and Eagle Hills will own 33 percent each.

The MoU was signed by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Shurooq, and Mohammed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties and board member of Eagle Hills, on behalf of Emaar and Eagle Hills. The agreement follows the three parties’ intention to strengthen inter-cooperation and exchange expertise in the field of property investment and to further develop it in the emirate of Sharjah

and the UAE as a whole.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi said: “The agreement falls within Shurooq's commitment to strengthen cooperation between corporates and organizations in the UAE, widen channels of investment in the emirate's vital sectors, and apply the best practices pertaining to economic development and advancing vital facilities in Sharjah."

Sheikha Bodour added: "We will seek through the new company to solidify relations based on trust and help develop and grow investments in the UAE, and Sharjah in particular, capitalizing on Emaar's experience in property development and management of shopping malls, retail trade, and the hospitality and leisure industry."

Mohammed Alabbar said: “The emirate of Sharjah has made significant achievements and progress in diversifying its economic resources, which is reflected in the investments in seaports, free zones and industrial sectors. Shurooq has a powerful portfolio of investments that play a crucial role in advancing economic growth."

Sharjah’s Zora gas field brought on-stream

Fifth International GovernmentCommunication Forum makes important recommendations

SHARJAH-based energy company Dana Gas PJSC has started production from Sharjah’s Zora gas field from January, according to an investor presentation from the company. The Zora gas field forms part of the Sharjah Western Offshore Concession and is located in the waters off Sharjah and Ajman. The field, which was originally discovered in 1979, has an initial production capacity of about 40 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

The development project included the construction and installation of an unmanned offshore platform, the drilling of a Sharjah well with two lateral subsea and onshore pipelines that pump natural gas 25 kilometers to a new onshore gas processing plant at Hamriyah Free Zone. Dana Gas is expected to begin commercial production shortly, supplying gas directly to a Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) power station.


THE fifth International Government Communication Forum, IGCF 2016, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has emphasized that more attention to the Arabic language and the use of its rich and valuable vocabulary, in additon to calling things by their true names to reflect the Arabic identity and language, will contribute to the conservation of the language from distortion.

The forum, which was held at the Expo Centre Sharjah from March 20-21, has also recommended that governments should interact with youth in a more engaging way. They need to use the language of the youth and their tools of communication

A number of recommendations in various areas including education, facing violence, extremism and hatred, human rights and development, empowerment of women and crisis were also made during the forum.

In the area of government communication, the forum has recommended that government communication should focus on humanitarian principles to produce a social culture responsible for major issues like human rights, climate change and justice.

The two-day global media summit that was hosted by the Sharjah Media Centre (SMC) attracted more than 2500 world leaders, senior government figures, international media experts and members of the media and communication industry.

Documents

ISSUE 37 April to June 2016 BUSINESS ZONE · BUSINESS ZONEISSUE 37 April to June 2016 SHARJAH PORTS ... economic free zone with a royal decree ... Jebel Ali Free Zone