Oman Cables Industry has laid the foundation stone for a third manufacturing plant at Al Rusayl Industrial City, with an investment exceeding RO10 million ($26 million), as it seeks to expand production capacity to meet growing demand from the energy and infrastructure sectors.

The project was inaugurated under the auspices of Energy and Minerals Minister Salim Nasser Al Aufi and forms part of the company's investment programme of more than RO15 million in recent years.

The new facility will incorporate artificial intelligence-powered technologies, digital manufacturing systems and predictive maintenance tools to improve operational efficiency, product quality and workplace safety, reported ONA.

The plant will house Oman's first cable manufacturing tower, standing 42 m tall, and will be equipped to handle cable drums exceeding four metres in diameter and weighing up to 50 tonnes.

The investment comes as Oman expands its electricity networks and advances renewable energy and green hydrogen projects, alongside urban and industrial development, it stated.

The Omani minister said the project would strengthen local manufacturing capabilities, help meet domestic demand and improve the competitiveness of Omani products in international markets.

Developing local industrial technologies and skills would help convert rising demand into greater in-country value and support economic diversification under Oman's Vision 2040 strategy, he added.

Oman Cables Industry Chairperson Cinzia Farisè said the expansion would help the company move beyond cable manufacturing towards more integrated solutions combining products, technology and expertise for energy and infrastructure customers.

The plant is expected to create more than 60 jobs and support the development of Omani technical and leadership skills, she stated.

The facility will use an integrated digital system covering manufacturing operations, AI-assisted quality control and predictive maintenance. The company also plans to incorporate energy-efficiency and circular-economy initiatives into its operations.

The Omani group's strategic partnership with Italy's Prysmian Group, a global cable manufacturer with more than 30 research and development centres, is expected to support technology transfer and skills development.

It has more than 40 years of manufacturing experience in Oman and has operations in the sultanate and India, including Oman Aluminium Processing Industries and Associated Cables Private Limited.