Industry

Oman preserving copper crafts and industries

The Public Authority for Craft Industries (Paci) opened a training and production center for copper industries in Oman. The center aims at preserving the copper industries, developing it to enable craftsmen to produce high-quality copper works and providing them with the necessary knowledge about methods of developing brass products while preserving the identity of the national craft industries. The center comprises a number of units and technical and training workshops for copper works, besides theoretical and practical training halls and an exhibition to promote copper products. The center is equipped with the latest devices for producing brass works. The training center also includes administrative and service units and locations designated for copper designing and shaping. As many as 20 women will be trained initially in production of brass works as part of the Paci program. The trainees will be also familiarized with various principles of managing small enterprises, planning and developing latest initiatives in copper production, modern trends in promoting craft industries and raising the purchasing power. The program also includes educational topics in English language and computer skills. Source: Oman News Agency

Kayan, Sinopec to build $130m plant

Saudi Kayan Petrochemical, a unit of Saudi Basic Industries Corp, signed a SR488 million ($130 million) contract with China's Sinopec to build a natural alcohol plant in Saudi Arabia, Kayan said. “Kayan signed… a contract to build a natural alcohol plant (detergents) with China's Sinopec... The production capacity of the plant will be 50,000 tons annually and is expected to start during the second half of 2013,” Kayan said in a statement. Sabic owns a 35% stake in Kayan. Source: TradeArabia News

Iraq relaunches tender to rehabilitate 18 government factories

An Iraqi official has said that the government has relaunched a tender to rehabilitate 18 of its idle factories, for the second time this year. In the first time, the Iraqi government failed to attract enough interest from foreign investors. Abdul-Ghani Fakhri, director general of the investment department at the Ministry of Industry and Minerals has explained that investors continue to shy away from Iraq due to shaky security and low profitability. Source: Reuters

Saudi Arabia’s Modon to establish 40 industrial cities by 2015

The Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon) aims to establish 40 industrial cities throughout the Kingdom by 2015, according to director general Tawfiq bin Fawzan Alrabiah. The number of its industrial cities has mushroomed from 14 in 2007 to 22 at present. Alrabiah attributed the rapid growth to the growing demand for industrial projects in the Kingdom from both local and international entrepreneurs. “The government is setting up new towns and expanding existing cities located in the neighborhood of the industrial cities to boost local industry.” Alrabiah said that these industrial cities would include infrastructure such as roads, electricity and water, lighting and drainage systems, sanitation and water projects and wastewater treatment plants. Source: ConstructionWeekOnline