UK-based Morgan Advanced Materials, one of the largest manufacturers of carbon and ceramic products for industrial use, said work has started on its first dedicated facility in the Middle East located at Kizad in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The company had earlier this month broken ground on the flagship facility along with the officials of Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC).

The project, which is expected to start operations in 2015, will initially focus on the production of high-temperature fibre products for use in sectors including oil and gas, aluminium, steel, energy, petrochemicals and fire protection, with expansion into other product areas planned for the future, said a statement from Morgan.

Through an initial 30-year agreement, Morgan has committed to an initial investment of Dh50 million ($13.6 million) in a 400,000- sq-ft facility at Kizad.

Morgan has had a presence in the region since 2001 when it established a sales office in the UAE to service customers in the Middle East and North Africa.-TradeArabia News Service