Leading Zambian cable maker Neelkanth Cables has inaugurated its AED 130 million ($35 million) state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Tecom Group’s Dubai Industrial City, one of the region’s largest industrial and logistics hubs, a report said.

The 503,000 sq ft facility and will accommodate 200 employees, and manufacture low- and medium-voltage conductors and instrumentation cables, with a throughput of 20,000 metric tonnes (MT) per annum, Emirate News Agency, WAM, said.

This includes 13,000MT of copper and 7,000MT of aluminium power cables each year, by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as programmable logic controllers and supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada) systems to optimise production processes and enhance efficiency.

Neelkanth Cables said it aims to serve power transmission and distribution, oil and gas, construction, cement, steel, infrastructure, and metal industry customers across the UAE, GCC, South Asia, and Africa through the facility at Dubai Industrial City.

Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, said: “We welcome industrial sector investors and provide them with incentives and enablers to grow and thrive, as well as enhance their competitiveness under the Make it in the Emirates initiative, National ICV and Technology Transformation Programmes, among others.

“Their appetite for expansion in the UAE reflects the country’s attractiveness to international companies. The ministry cooperates with strategic partners to create a business environment that helps manufacturers grow and compete in local, regional and international markets.”

He called on investors and industrial companies to explore competitive advantages at the third edition of the Make it in the Emirates Forum, organised by the ministry in cooperation with Adnoc and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (Added), taking place from May 27-28 at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre under the theme ‘Invest. Innovate. Grow’.

Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at Tecom Group, said: “Local manufacturing capacity wields a profound economic impact by not only producing essential infrastructure, but also acting as catalysts for economic growth, job creation, and global expansion.

“We are proud to welcome Neelkanth Cables to our growing industrial community, and its facility aligns with our vision of nurturing a home-grown manufacturing ecosystem that enables the manufacturing of essential items like cables, thereby driving growth in the industrial sector.”

Sanjeev Dubey, Chief Operating Officer at Neelkanth Cables Manufacturing LLC, said: “We are committed to supporting the local community and the economic ecosystem of the UAE, intending to proudly contribute to Dubai’s growth and development for years to come.

“Dubai Industrial City was our first choice for the new facility due to its strategic location close to major transportation hubs facilitating efficient logistics and distribution, its modern infrastructure providing a conducive environment for various industrial activities, and excellent support services including business set-up assistance, licensing, and approvals.”

Neelkanth Cables’ new facility is implementing internationally recognised standards including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 for quality, environmental, and occupational health and safety management systems, respectively.

Neelkanth Cables joins a community of more than 1,000 local, regional, and international customers, in addition to over 300 operational factories at Dubai Industrial City.