At the end of March, M Glory Group laid the foundation stone for the United Arab Emirate’s first industrial facility to manufacture electric vehicles (EV) at Dubai Industrial City, one of the largest industrial hubs in the region, and worth an investment of $408 million.
The factory’s official opening on 28 March was presided over by His Excellency Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, undersecretary at MoIAT, Dr Magda Al-Azazi, chair of the Board of Directors of M Glory Holding Group, and Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, managing director of Industrial City.
The sustainable industrial facility, with advanced capabilities will be the UAE’s first plant of its kind and is expected to produce 55,000 cars per year to meet a rising demand for green mobility to reduce global carbon emissions.
M Glory Holding aims to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and sustainability by employing future technologies and robotics in the manufacture of EVs. The corporation’s new facility will be an extension to their portfolio, which includes robotics engineering and artificial intelligence as well as sustainable real estate.
The new factory at Dubai Industrial City will create more than 1,000 jobs and is built on a total land area of 1 million sqft to accommodate future expansion plans. The electric cars will be exported to the wider GCC region, Egypt, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali and Kenya. Dubai Industrial City, part of TECOM Group, is one of the most prominent industrial and logistics hubs in the region with more than 280 factories and 750 business partners across several strategic sectors.
It is a major contributor to achieving several national strategies including the “Operations 300 billion”. Dubai Industrial City and The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) recently have signed a deal designed to further enhance the UAE’s industrial sector while facilitating decarbonisation efforts. The Memorandum of Understanding was focused on three core elements, including enabling the UAE’s Industry 4.0 programme, attracting foreign investors as part of “Make It In The Emirates” campaign, and facilitating decarbonisation across the industrial sector. The partnership’s objectives are in line with the UAE’s industrial strategy, which aims to develop the nation’s industrial sector and raise its contribution to the GDP.
At the event, M Glory unveiled their first fully electric car called “Al Damani” DMV300. With two different models built using European specifications, the car has a battery capacity of 52.7 kWh and can cover more than 405km on a single charge.
His Excellency Omar Al-Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, said: “The ministry, in coordination with partners from the UAE’s industrial sector, is implementing a package of projects and initiatives under the UAE’s national industrial strategy. The aim of these projects is to make vital sectors in the UAE, including the industrial and technological sectors, even more attractive to investors. They will also help industries of the future to develop new competitive advantages and consolidate the position of the UAE as a hub for global companies, investments and talents.”
His Excellency continued: “The ministry is focused on encouraging local manufacturers to diversify and develop their production to support the growth of national industries and enhance their competitiveness. The establishment of a factory to produce electric vehicles in the country is in line with the ministry’s efforts to create new competitive advantages for advanced industries. It is also in line with the goals of the ’Make in the Emirates‘ campaign, launched by the ministry, which focuses on enhancing the future and sustainability of industries.”
Reflecting on the occasion, Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, managing director of Industrial City, said, “Sustainability is a global responsibility and transitioning to alternative, low emission energy sources is an integral part of achieving a greener future. The manufacturing industry can play an essential role in enabling the national net zero strategy by delivering innovative, technology-backed solutions in line with Operation 300bn and powered by our partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. M Glory’s addition to our community demonstrates our commitment to boosting the manufacturing industry, as well as supportive environment that empowers local manufacturers like M Glory to set up operations and fuel the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ initiative.”
Dr Magda Al-Azazi, chair of the Board of Directors of M Glory Holding Group, said: “Today we are laying the foundation stone to inaugurate an Emirati industrial facility with international specifications where we will manufacture environmentally-friendly electric cars, contributing to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainable development.”
She added: “The M Glory factory for the manufacture of electric cars will be the first of its kind in the UAE and it will operate through two production cycles per year. It will employ the technologies and techniques of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including a welding line, a dyeing line and a final assembly line using the latest robots in the manufacturing processes.”
She stated that the factory will produce a variety of electric cars, the types and details of which will be revealed during the coming period. She added that these cars will be competitive and durable as they are compatible with the environment and atmosphere of the Gulf region and will constitute a qualitative addition to the electric car sector.
Dr Al-Azazi continued: “The announcement of the new facility comes in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai and carries forward the momentum achieved by this international event, which has strengthened the country’s position regionally and globally. It has helped define the emirate’s ability to attract business and investments, thanks to its world-class infrastructure, security and stability, as well as legislation and laws that keep pace with the country’s advancement. This has enabled the UAE to become a global economic center, topping international economic indicators in terms of competitiveness and business environment.
She emphasised that the industrial sector in the UAE is on the verge of a great renaissance thanks to the 50 principles announced by the national government. Such foresight has accelerated the development of the sector by boosting national industrial institutions and companies, developing their businesses and capabilities, and opening new markets for them to expand globally.
She concluded: “I value the support and facilities provided by Dubai Industrial City to launch this first industrial facility of its kind in the Middle East, as it provides the ideal ecosystem for launching and expanding our ambitions and future expansion plans.”
The UAE is gearing up sustainability efforts under the UAE Road to Net Zero Strategy.
Transportation is one of the main producers of greenhouse gases globally. The shift to public and private electric transport is quickly gaining momentum with consumer spending on EVs reaching US$120 billion in 2020 according to the International Energy Agency. Even local initiatives such as Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) goal to make public transport emission-free by 2050 demonstrating shifting mentality towards environmentally friendly transportation.
Covering more than 550 million sq. ft., Dubai Industrial City is designed around a world-class masterplan that divides the massive business district into strategic sector-focused zones.
It serves as a catalyst for the growth and expansion of the industrial sector in the UAE and is committed to enabling projects in renewable energy and sustainability in line with Operation 300bn and the UAE Road to Net Zero by 2050.
