RAK Ceramics to invest Dh735m to raise capacity

In September, the Ras Al Khaimah plant of RAK Ceramics will become the world's largest single ceramic products plant.

The company will invest Dh735 million ($200 million) to boost its combined annual capacity to 100 million square metres of ceramic tiles, Dr Khater Massaad, chief executive officer of RAK Ceramics and advisor to Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, told Gulf News.

"We are going to set up new plants as well as increase the capacity of the existing plants within the next few months," Dr Massaad said.

By September, it will account for five per cent of the global production of ceramic tiles.

RAK Ceramics is also floating another company to produce ceramic tableware with an investment of Dh75 million.

The new company with a capacity to produce 15 million pieces of ceramic tableware will be 50 per cent owned by RAK Ceramics. The remainder will be owned by the other partners, mostly from the UAE.

The capacity of the Ras Al Khaimah plant, which now produces 120,000 square metres of ceramic tiles per day and 7,000 pieces of sanitaryware, will be increased to 200,000 square metres of ceramic tiles and 9,000 pieces of sanitaryware by September.

"Its output will be equivalent to half the ceramic tile production of India, which has 216 companies," Dr Massaad added.

He said the company is also setting up a plant in India's Kakinada at an investment of $60 million (Dh221 million).