The building and construction sector in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), a DP World Company and the UAE’s flagship trade and logistics hub, posted a solid growth in the number of registered companies, from June 2015 to June 2016.

The construction and building material sector in Jafza is among the country’s leading employment generators with a workforce of over 18,800, occupying an area of 3.56 million sq m of combined facilities.

The 14 per cent jump in registeration is largely driven by the continued focus of the GCC countries on developing infrastructure and by the economic stimulus generated by Expo 2020 projects, said a senior official ahead of the Big 5 expo to be held in Dubai.

Jafza is also participating in the top construction industry event in the Middle East to highlight opportunities in the GCC’s rapidly growing construction market and in Jafza’s position as the region’s leading business and logistics hub.

"Infrastructure development in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is undergoing tremendous change with governments allocating significant budgets towards upgrading their facilities. Jafza provides a world-class business platform for construction conglomerates looking to expand in the region," remarked Ibrahim Mohamed Aljanahi, the deputy chief executive and chief commercial officer.
 
"The Big 5 Dubai has grown remarkably over the years and the exhibition is attracting leading multinationals from the construction and building material industry, which bodes well for the UAE’s Expo 2020 infrastructure plans Jafza’s integrated and seamless trade corridor, supported by a one-stop online trade portal for ease of doing business, provides businesses with the best in what logistics parks have to offer globally," he added.

According to a recent industry report by BMI Research, the construction sector in the Mena region is expected to accelerate over the next 10 years, propelling regional industry from an estimated $215 billion in 2016 to $313 billion by 2020 and $467 billion by 2025.

Jafza’s evolution as a global business hub hinges around its commitment to excellence in terms of products, services and overall business ecosystem, said Al Janahi.

The free zone has once again set-up a ‘Jafza Pavilion’ at Concourse 1 in Dubai World Trade Centre for the exhibition to support its customers in achieving their business goals with a platform to interact with key consumers in local and regional markets.

Steel manufacturer Conares, building materials supplier Duke International, facilities management provider Imdaad, steel supplier Steel Mart and firefighting solutions provider Naffco are among the Jafza-based companies that will be featured in the pavilion, he added.-TradeArabia News Service