Industry

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.

With the first phase of the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) projected for completion in the fourth quarter of 2012, Abu Dhabi’s manufacturing base looks set to expand significantly over the next few years. Authorities from Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC), the state-owned entity that is developing KIZAD and other manufacturing zones and ports in the emirate, are confident that KIZAD’s low-cost business environment and links to transportation infrastructure will help ensure its success.

Unexpected fluctuations in cashmere prices in 2012 have dampened optimism in Mongolia’s textiles sector, despite the introduction of incentives from the government aimed at streamlining the industry. However, industry players say a planned commodities exchange will resolve the issue.

While the automotive segment has been boosted by a solid rise in sales, driven by increased economic growth and consumer spending power, there is rising uncertainty over the long-term viability of domestic production, as regional rivals and a still-narrow market eat away at cost efficiency.

A flurry of new regulations in the mining sector over the past several months has made foreign investors cautious and threatened Indonesia’s status as a darling of emerging-market analysts. Although financial data suggests that macroeconomic risks stemming from the new protectionist stance will be limited, the government has made clear its desire to shift towards more local control of the economy.

As the economy of resource-dependent Brunei Darussalam prepares for a future when its oil and gas reserves are depleted, policy makers are putting more emphasis on innovative areas of industry that aim to capitalise on the Sultanate’s heritage and culture.