's vision is to build a diverse economy that
enjoys strong, sustainable growth, by attracting investments from the domestic
and foreign markets that will create wealth and raise the standard of living for
the people of Ras Al Khaimah.
RAKIA's mission is to offer complete solutions to the
needs of every investor and provide value and customer satisfaction, ensure
minimum transaction & conversion cost, enable businesses to flourish in the
quickest possible time and to make investment in Ras Al Khaimah simple, easy and
a pleasant experience. The growth is driven by increased focus on manufacturing,
services, real estate, construction and tourism.
The mandate of RAKIA is to develop and manage the industrial parks which
includes the free zones and industrial zones in the Al Hamra and Al Ghail areas
of Ras Al Khaimah. Across this region free trade zones have traditionally been
viewed as real estate ventures, primarily issuing licenses, however, RAKIA went
the extra mile not only being a facility provider but also offering investment
advisory services and equity participation on selected projects. This has
resulted in an atmosphere of trust among investors and generated a solid network
of opportunities. As a result of that within a span of 3 to 4 years of its
inception, RAKIA has been instrumental and attracted over US$2.5 billion in
industrial investments alone, powering an unprecedented economic surge that has
made Ras Al Khaimah as one of the fastest growing emirates in the UAE and the
region.
After successfully running industrial parks in Ras Al Khaimah, RAKIA is setting
up a Free Industrial zone in Georgia (Eastern Europe), under the aegis of a
subsidiary company of RAKIA. This is the first free zone in the Caucasus Region
and is strategically located for easy access to the EU, Central Asia and
Caucasus/ Eastern European markets. The free zone is being established next to
the Poti Sea Port, which is also a subsidiary of RAKIA, the largest sea port in
the Black Sea region and offers tremendous supply chain cost advantage for
movement of goods.
Apart from Industrial Parks, RAKIA has structured itself along several other
strategic business units.
STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNITS
RAKIA is an investment behemoth which has structured itself along 8 strategic
business units viz;
Industrial Parks
Education/ Technology
Real
Estate
Transportation
Investments
Manufacturing & Energy
RAK
Offshore and
RERA.
Each business unit is headed by an experienced
professional who is ultimately responsible for the overall performance of all
the companies under their business units. They are empowered to act
independently and possess the necessary authority to make executive decisions
that are in the best interest of RAKIA. The primary mandate of the investment
committee is to formulate investment strategy, investment criteria and
investment guidelines for investments undertaken by RAKIA.
LOCATION
With a favourable geographical location at the crossroad of trade between the
East and West, the excellent infrastructure, strong government support towards
the private sector, and not to mention its unmatched natural beauty, it is no
surprise that the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has emerged as a destination of
choice for investors and leisure travellers alike. Ideally positioned to service
and access markets like the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and the
CIS countries, Ras Al Khaimah has become a growth-driven emirate with an
increased focus on manufacturing, services, real estate, construction and
tourism.
MANUFACTURING
Although the drive to attract foreign companies has been a recent development,
RAK has long been one of the industrial centres of the UAE. The industrial
sector has been dominated by the three main industries of Cement, Ceramics and
Pharmaceuticals. The sector has diversified in the recent years especially since
the creation of free zones as well as partnerships between government and
foreign investors.
RAK INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES
Ras Al Khaimah has a natural advantage when it comes to the production of cement
as the Al Hajar mountain range holds vast supplies of high quality limestone,
which is a key raw material for cement manufacturing. The emirate is also rich
in other raw materials such as clay, quartz and other minerals.
The pharmaceutical industry in RAK is about 30 years old and has been one of the
key focus areas of government plans since several years. The industry in RAK is
dominated by the Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, known as Julphar. The company
has grown into a pharmaceuticals giant by Middle East standards and now exports
to over 80 countries. Julphar is the biggest pharmaceuticals manufacturer in the
UAE.
What RAK lacks in oil is somewhat compensated for by its natural mineral water
resources. RAK is the origin of Masafi mineral water brand, the region's leading
mineral water brand, with its source lying in several rich underground springs
in the mountainous city of Masafi. Masafi water, has developed into an
international brand which exports bottled water and fruit juices to more than 20
countries.
RAK Ceramics is the single largest, state-of-the-art, ceramic tile manufacturer
in the world with its 12 plants spread across the UAE, India, Bangladesh, Sudan,
Iran and China, producing over one hundred million square meter of tiles and 3
million pieces of sanitary-ware annually, exporting to 135 countries. The UAE
operation is the largest single location ceramic manufacturing facility in the
world with more than 6,000 active models in the ceramic and porcelain tiles
segment, and an exclusive range of more than 600 active models of sanitary ware
to offer with a wide choice in designer bathroom sets, wash basins, bathtubs and
related items. RAK Ceramics has diversified horizontally by forming several
joint ventures including Kludi RAK LLC, RAK Porcelain LLC, Laticrete RAK LLC and
many more in Ras Al Khaimah.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The Government of Ras Al Khaimah’s constant endeavor to enhance infrastructure
facilities across the emirate has been a major factor in attracting major
foreign investments to Ras Al Khaimah. With a well-planned road network, an
international airport, fully equipped seaports, and advanced communications
network, Ras Al Khaimah is well-positioned for rapid socio-economic growth.
