RAKEZ: Launchpad of champions in UAE manufacturing rise

Ras Al Khaimah is actively contributing to the UAE’s industrial transformation, with Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), playing a key role in advancing the Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) initiative. As the nation pushes toward building a globally competitive industrial sector, RAKEZ is delivering the infrastructure, policy support, and business environment needed to turn this vision into reality.

Functioning as a fully integrated industrial ecosystem, RAKEZ goes beyond providing business facilities. It empowers manufacturers at every stage, from setup to scale, with access to affordable licences, plug-and-play warehouses, customisable production spaces, and ongoing support. These advantages resonate with MIITE’s goals of boosting local manufacturing, attracting investment, and enhancing the UAE’s industrial self-reliance.

Ras Al Khaimah’s strategic location, coupled with RAKEZ’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, has attracted global industrial players and emerging regional champions alike. By easing access to world-class infrastructure, logistics, talent, financing, and by embedding green industrial practices, RAKEZ continues to transform bold industrial ambitions into sustainable legacies, solidifying Ras Al Khaimah’s role as a vital pillar in the UAE’s non-oil economic future.

Fuelling the UAE’s manufacturing vision

RAKEZ plays a crucial role in aligning with the UAE's national strategy to build a robust industrial base independent of oil revenues. The zone actively fosters industrial self-reliance, enabling companies to produce locally and export globally, contributing to the country’s GDP.

One of the standout examples of this vision is Hira Industries, a leader in manufacturing building materials and electrical insulation products. The company expanded its operations for the fourth time within RAKEZ since 2008 with the launch of a cutting-edge global R&D centre, a facility inaugurated in the presence of Ras Al Khaimah’s leadership, a testament to the government's commitment to industrial innovation.

For Hira, Ras Al Khaimah provide more than just land or infrastructure. It offers an environment that fosters continuous R&D, operational efficiency, and strategic positioning to meet regional demands. As a result, Hira now not only services the UAE market but exports to over 30 countries from its base in RAKEZ. The synergy between the economic zone’s ecosystem and Hira’s expansion goals has made the company a benchmark for UAE-based industrial players.

Similarly, Glass Technology FZC, a global solar glass manufacturer, chose Ras Al Khaimah to set up a high-tech facility valued at Dh350 million. Specialising in the production of ultra-clear glass used in solar panels, the company benefits from RAKEZ’s tech-ready infrastructure and sustainability-forward approach. By being located in a zone committed to clean manufacturing, Glass Technology supports the UAE’s renewable energy goals while cementing its regional footprint.

Making market entry seamless for entrepreneurs

One of the most significant advantages RAKEZ offers to new entrants is the ease of setting up operations. The zone streamlines company formation, offering affordable industrial licences, ready-to-use warehouses, and scalable solutions, especially valuable for new entrants in the UAE market.

Ashok Leyland, the flagship automotive company of the Hinduja Group and one of the largest commercial vehicle manufacturers in the world, is a powerful example. The company established a bus assembly plant within RAKEZ, marking its first regional plant, which supplies 4,000 buses to the GCC market every year.

What made RAKEZ ideal for Ashok Leyland was its speed of setup, cost-effectiveness, and proximity to key MENA markets — benefits that also encouraged four of its suppliers to set up operations within the zone. Additionally, seamless access to Ras Al Khaimah’s ports and connectivity infrastructure allows Ashok Leyland to manage supply chains efficiently, a major competitive advantage in the post-pandemic world of distributed manufacturing.

For Ahmad Tea, a globally renowned British tea brand, Ras Al Khaimah served as the perfect stepping stone into the Middle East. The company set up its regional headquarters and production facility in RAKEZ, attracted by its central location, cost advantages, and efficient customs and logistics support.

From this base, Ahmad Tea produces 22 million tea bags daily and exports to over 80 countries. Its Ras Al Khaimah facility handles significant volumes of tea packaging and distribution, giving the company tighter control over quality and timelines, while simultaneously benefiting from the UAE’s strong IP laws and trade agreements.

Empowering expansion from local base to global reach

RAKEZ’s built-to-grow infrastructure has become a magnet for ambitious manufacturers who envision scaling from a single unit to a multi-country presence. The economic zone supports this journey through a mix of expansion-ready land plots, tailor-made industrial spaces, and strategic logistics channels.

Ahmad Tea’s trajectory is a case in point. After starting with a modest setup, the brand rapidly expanded its footprint within RAKEZ, leveraging the ease of accessing more land and facilities without the need to relocate. Today, their plant is a major contributor to regional distribution and their UAE operations have evolved into a critical node in their global supply chain.

Another standout is Glass Technology, which moved from concept to large-scale production within just months thanks to RAKEZ’s customised support. The firm’s rapid expansion was facilitated by on-ground experts, one-window government services, and a business-friendly regulatory framework.

This infrastructure scalability is essential not only for fast-moving brands but also for businesses with niche operations like Sparklo, a tech-driven manufacturer of reverse vending machines that promote recycling through innovative reward mechanisms. The brand found a perfect partner in RAKEZ, which supported its facility expansion as demand for sustainable solutions surged across the Middle East.

A complete manufacturing-centric ecosystem

Ras Al Khaimah government has a clear vision for the emirate’s future under the RAK Vision 2030. This strategic plan aims to drive sustainable economic growth, build happy and cohesive communities, secure a sustainable future, and safeguard the environment.

Within this framework, RAKEZ offers more than just infrastructure, it provides a complete manufacturing-centric ecosystem tailored to foster industrial excellence. From support with customs, visas, and permits to strategic partnerships with banks, insurers, and talent providers, RAKEZ ensures that manufacturers have the resources and support they need at every stage of growth.

Sparklo leveraged RAKEZ’s collaborative ecosystem to fast-track its vision of revolutionising recycling. Within two years of its establishment, Sparklo has turned Ras Al Khaimah into a base for regional sustainability innovation. Today, its smart recycling machines are deployed across multiple UAE locations, and it is working toward entering GCC markets.

Another sustainability-driven success story is Uterra Middle East Agro Industries, which recently inaugurated Ras Al Khaimah’s first organic fertiliser facility in RAKEZ’s Al Ghail Industrial Zone, following a $20 million investment. Spanning 33,000 m², the plant pioneers microbiological organic fertilisers and advanced cultivation methods for indoor and vertical farming. The facility is a perfect example of sustainable innovation that supports the UAE’s food security and sustainability goals, reaffirming RAKEZ’s commitment to empowering green enterprises.

Driving innovation and sustainability across sectors

RAKEZ is deeply aligned with the UAE’s national strategy for climate action and green industrialisation. It actively encourages sustainable manufacturing, invests in Industry 4.0 infrastructure, and facilitates knowledge sharing around energy efficiency and resource optimisation. The zone’s policies are enabling companies like Glass Technology to implement smart manufacturing processes for solar energy infrastructure, reinforcing the country’s ambitions under the UAE Energy Strategy 2050.

Likewise, Sparklo’s entire business model - built on rewarding sustainable behaviour – is underpinned by RAKEZ’s support for circular economy start-ups. The company has scaled both its manufacturing and smart software development within the zone, thanks to tech-ready facilities, access to skilled developers, and a forward-thinking governance framework.

Uterra is perfectly in sync with RAKEZ’s green industrialization initiatives as well, with its plant using organic matter from within the region to produce high-yield fertilizer, reducing the need for chemical alternatives while aligning perfectly with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 target.

A partner for every stage of the industrial journey

Perhaps the greatest strength of RAKEZ lies in its long-term commitment to its industrial partners. It doesn't stop at business setup. The zone provides end-to-end mentorship, growth advisory, and government liaison services that companies typically struggle with in other regions.

Whether it’s supporting Hira Industries through continued R&D growth, helping Ahmad Tea unlock new markets, enabling Ashok Leyland to navigate regulatory landscapes, or assisting Sparklo and Uterra with green tech and partnerships, RAKEZ is always on hand as a strategic ally. Regular networking events, investor forums, innovation challenges, and sector-focused exhibitions hosted by RAKEZ create continuous opportunities for business development. These interactions connect manufacturers with peers, policymakers, and capital, ensuring innovation never stagnates.

Industrial ambition meets execution at RAKEZ

From electrical equipment and solar glass to buses, tea, fertiliser, and smart recycling solutions, RAKEZ is home to a wide spectrum of industrial players, all united by one common thread: empowered growth. Through its unmatched infrastructure, forward-looking policies, and hands-on support, RAKEZ is not only catalysing the UAE’s manufacturing ascent but also helping shape the future of the industry for the wider region.

In a world where industrial success depends on speed, scale, sustainability, and support, RAKEZ continues to deliver, all from one strategic address in Ras Al Khaimah.