UAE: Ras Al Khaimah

The already busy glass industry in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is set to expand even further in 2013 with yet another overseas company setting up production facilities in the emirate. Indeed, RAK’s central location and low costs have become desirable for numerous companies looking to set up in the region.

The limestone deposits of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), along with the emirate’s five ports, an airport and good road links to the rest of the UAE and GCC, have enabled the emirate to develop a substantial industrial sector, most notably in ceramics. Indeed, despite facing rising costs and uncertainty in overseas markets, RAK’s flagship industrial manufacturer recently reached a major milestone.

With the economy continuing to expand, retailers in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) are hoping for a period of sustained growth, benefitting from rising local incomes and an increasing number of tourists, but they are also mindful of the competition from neighbouring emirates.

With passenger traffic on the rise and new routes earmarked for its flag carrier, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is strengthening its foothold in the regional aviation market despite facing tough competition from the other emirates.

Despite difficult conditions in the real estate market following the global economic downturn during 2009 and 2010, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) has held up relatively well, and a number of developments are being pushed ahead.

Ras Al Khaimah’s (RAK) economy is on track to post a second year of solid growth. The emirate, however, is also keeping an eye on any signs of economic slowdown or political instability elsewhere in the region, which could impact its overall expansion.