The Middle East Industry

Falling sales and rising costs are pushing segments of Jordan’s mining industry to broaden their client base and expand value-added activities.

While cement manufacturers in Oman are expanding operations to meet new domestic and international demand, they continue to face a challenging business environment due to intense foreign competition. However, the outlook for future growth remains positive as the government rolls out infrastructure projects as part of its current five-year economic development plan.

Rising competition and the threat of higher costs at home could see Saudi Arabia’s petrochemicals industry come under increased pressure. However, these impending challenges have so far failed to slow the progress of new projects being rolled out across the Kingdom.

Plans to roll out full car production in Saudi Arabia, part of a broader programme to expand the kingdom’s industrial base, appear set to pick up a gear, with one of the world’s best known marques moving to establish a local manufacturing facility at a time when sales of imported vehicles are rising.

Despite an improved performance so far in 2013, Turkey’s automotive sector is expected to continue to face hurdles over the coming years. The economies in some of its main export markets are underperforming and new challenges are arising from other producers looking to launch a drive into Europe, potentially raising the level of competition at home and abroad.

The government is moving to boost Oman’s mining industry, announcing plans to review additional licence applications in 2014. However, any new concessions are likely to be tied to amended investment conditions that will require raw materials to be processed before export. Such stipulations create local employment and add value to the exports.