Industry

  • The Report: Saudi Arabia 2014: Industry

    Following two years of double-digit industrial growth in 2010 and 2011, non-oil output rose by 4.9% in 2012 and 4.7% in 2013. The Kingdom may still have a negative trade balance for industry – with exports of $35.08bn and imports of $103.35bn in 2012 – but with access to raw materials set to expand, foreign investors are showing interest in lighter segments. With the government making room for new segments in the industrial sector, expansion of capacity for fertilisers and phosphates, as well as new production plans for pharmaceuticals, the sector looks set to see considerable …
  • The Report: Mexico 2014: Industry & Mining

    At 17% of GDP, manufacturing is a pillar of the Mexican economy. More than at any point in the past 15 years, Mexican industry is today able to compete with China as a low-cost manufacturing alternative and with other high-income markets as a viable location for outsourcing sophisticated manufacturing. This is perhaps the most promising time for Mexican manufacturing since NAFTA was implemented 20 years ago. The story of the moment is Mexico’s surpassing China in labour cost competitiveness, a phenomenon that is hard to precisely quantify but whose consequences should be easy to see in the …
  • The Report: Qatar 2014: Industry

    Building on Qatar’s comparative advantages, the government has focused on developing industrial sectors that support or leverage its energy resources and industry. Developing downstream facilities that add value to energy by-products, for example, has helped build a portfolio of petrochemicals, chemicals and fertiliser companies. Other investments include developing energy-intensive industries in steel and aluminium that can benefit from Qatar’s low-cost gas supplies. Shipbuilding is another growing segment that contributes to industrial output and supports the energy sector. While …
  • The Report: Abu Dhabi 2014: Industry & Retail

    In a bid to develop a sustainable and diversified economy, non-hydrocarbons industry is becoming increasingly important, and the government of Abu Dhabi has set ambitious growth targets for the sector over the coming two decades. The emirate is developing the infrastructure to achieve these aims, with the objective of creating an attractive environment for industrial investment across a range of sectors. Rising wages are supporting growth in the retail market, with workers paid a total of $44.67bn in 2012. Consumer lending is also on the rise, increasing by $4.16bn across the UAE in the …
  • The Report: Myanmar 2014: Industry

    Myanmar is seeking to build upon the growing and steady contribution of industry to GDP. This figure rose from 12% to 15.3% between 1970 and 1995 even as international sanctions affected the garment industry, with clothing exports falling by 60% and a loss of 80,000 jobs. However, with reform has come optimism of a turnaround in the making. As of 2012 the country had around 200 garment factories, having peaked at 300 in 1999. In addition, there are five steel plants, as well as hundreds of smaller steel workshops and four cement factories. In many ways, Myanmar has very suitable conditions …
  • The Report: Dubai 2014: Industry

    Easy access to air and sea transport, combined with expansions at the Jebel Ali Port and of the national airline, has helped establish Dubai’s position as both a trans-shipment hub and a destination for export industries. The industrial sector continues to provide a major contribution to non-oil GDP, with heavy industries able to take advantage of low energy prices. The emirate’s free zones are perhaps the most important driver of manufacturing growth, responsible for around 75% of exports and more than 25% of Dubai’s GDP in 2012. Key outputs, including refined petrochemicals products …
  • The Report: Oman 2014: Industry & Mining

    As oil reserves continue to draw down, the government is focusing on downstream processing and developing a complementary port infrastructure and transport net- work. By 2020, the government aims for industry to contribute 30% of GDP and to reduce oil’s share of GDP from 50% to 19%. The discovery of mineral resources presents further opportunity in mining growth. This chapter contains interviews with Gert Hoefman, CEO, Oman Cables; and Said Al Masoudi, Acting CEO, Sohar Aluminium.
  • The Report: Peru 2014: Industry

    Like many Latin American countries, Peru is prioritising industrial development, moving away from primary product dependency and working to establish a healthy balance between manufacturing and commodity exports. One of the most important economic activities in Peru, the manufacturing sector contributed 15.98% to GDP in 2012, displaying year-on-year growth of 1.32%, and continued to expand at a rate of 1.42% during the first half of 2013. Despite unfavourable external conditions that have to some extent reduced demand for primary products, the steadiness of non-traditional manufacturing has …
  • The Report: The Philippines 2014: Industry & Retail

    Despite growing at an average rate of 2.7% between 2002 and 2012, the manufacturing sector’s share of GDP has been eroded by the rapid growth of other sectors, such as construction and services. Hampered by high energy costs, expensive logistics and low infrastructure investment, the manufacturing’s share of GDP has been declining since 2002 in what the Asian Development Bank has warned could be a premature shift away from industrialisation. The government has, however, been increasing its efforts to attract investment and accelerate manufacturing growth, resulting in the country earning …
  • The Report: Nigeria 2013: Industry

    As manufacturers scour the globe for new growth opportunities, few markets offer greater long-term potential than Nigeria, which boasts an enormous domestic population, plentiful feedstock and limited market penetration. The total value of Nigeria’s manufacturing sector increased 7.55% in 2012, reaching N761bn ($4.8bn) at current base prices, up from N634bn ($3.9bn) in 2011. A globally competitive manufacturing sector is integral to Vision 20:2020, which aims to transform the country into one of the world’s top 20 economies by 2020. With production under capacity, Nigerian industry is …