RAK Ports and Jianhua Holdings Group has announced the next phase of their strategic collaboration, marking Jianhua’s official entry into the UAE market and the commencement of construction on the region’s first Prestressed High Strength Concrete (PHC) Piles Factory at RAK Maritime City Free Zone.

The agreement was signed in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and following the signing of a MoU in September 2024. 

Sheikh Saud said that the agreement strengthens the robust partnership and cooperation between Ras Al Khaimah and Chinese provinces and cities, further solidifying the emirate’s position as a leading industrial and commercial hub in the region.

This collaboration embodies the optimal integration of Chinese expertise with the UAE’s advanced industrial and investment ecosystem, in line with the nation’s future development ambitions, it stated.

"We continue to advance Ras Al Khaimah’s development journey through strategic partnerships that create new opportunities, promote knowledge exchange, and drive sustainable industrial growth for mutual benefit," he added.

Under the agreement, signed by Wang Guihua, Chairman of Jianhua Holdings Group and Roy Cummins, CEO of RAK Ports, the new facility will leverage Saqr 2.0’s deep-water berths, unobstructed access to the quayside, and integrated logistics infrastructure to efficiently serve regional and international markets.

In partnership with PHC Technologies, Jianhua’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant will specialise in the production and export of large-diameter prestressed concrete piles, addressing the growing demand for sustainable and high-performance foundation solutions across the GCC and beyond.

The AED120 million ($33 million) investment will create up to 500 new jobs in Ras Al Khaimah and is projected to generate annual port revenues in excess of AED20 million. 

The plant will be spread over 540,000 sq ft of Freezone land, with up to 1 million metric tonnes in raw material sourcing from the adjoining quarries, cement and concrete complex.

RAK Ports said this agreement marks a new chapter in the partnership between Ras Al Khaimah and Guangdong Province, following last year’s memorandum of cooperation covering key sectors such as transport, education, research, healthcare, medical sciences, arts, culture, and industry, all of which have expanded the scope of collaboration and opened new horizons for joint development and investment.”

The landmark project represents a key milestone in Ras Al Khaimah’s industrial growth strategy and is being supported by RAK Ports’ greenfield port development, designed to enhance the Emirate’s export capabilities for heavy and oversized industrial products.

Ras Al Khaimah’s established ecosystem of concrete, cement, and limestone quarries, combined with its strategic deep-water ports, makes the Emirate an ideal hub for the precast and construction materials industry, said the statement. 

This collaboration further cements Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a preferred destination for advanced manufacturing and sustainable infrastructure development, it added.-TradeArabia News Service