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Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial organisation in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas sector, has officially inaugurated the nation’s largest aluminium recycling plant.

Located in Al Taweelah, this facility represents a vital milestone in EGA’s strategic expansion into low-carbon aluminium production and serves as a boost for the development of the UAE’s circular economy.

The inauguration ceremony welcomed dignitaries including Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, alongside Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD). Also in attendance were EGA’s Chairman Homaid Al Shimmari, Vice Chairman His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer, and various members of EGA’s Board and senior management.

During the event, Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak emphasised the broader implications:

“Recycling is the cornerstone of the UAE’s Circular Economy Policy which aims to transform the nation into a global hub for green development by shifting from linear to circular production and consumption, enhancing resource efficiency, and minimising waste. Aluminium represents one of our greatest opportunities to drive this transition from linear to circular model of production. It is infinitely recyclable, protecting our ecosystems while fuelling a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Recycling aluminium waste requires up to 95 per cent less energy compared to producing new primary aluminium from raw ore, saving significant energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

She further added:

“Emirates Global Aluminium has been a pioneer of our nation’s industry for decades, and today, they are leading the charge as our national champion in aluminium recycling. I congratulate EGA on the strategic growth of its recycling business both here in the UAE and globally, proving that industrial leadership and climate action go hand in hand.”

Capacity and Production Details

The Al Taweelah plant has a production capacity of 185,000 tonnes per year. It processes post-consumer and some pre-consumer aluminium scrap, transforming it into low-carbon premium aluminium billets and T-bars, marketed as RevivAL. EGA also blends recycled metal with primary aluminium produced using solar power, marketed as CelestiAL-R, and with nuclear power, sold as MinimAL-R.

Historically, the majority of aluminium scrap generated within the UAE has been exported for processing outside the country. The Al Taweelah facility rectifies this by offering local capacity, positioning EGA as the largest consumer of aluminium scrap in the UAE.

Construction and Operational Timeline

Constructing the plant required four million hours of work, completed with zero injuries requiring time off. The project utilised more than 26,300 cubic metres of concrete—exceeding the volume of ten Olympic-size swimming pools—and over 4,600 metric tonnes of structural steel, equivalent to two-thirds of the iron weight of the Eiffel Tower.

Initial production commenced in February. However, final commissioning was paused following an Iranian attack on Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi on 28 March. Commissioning resumed during April, and recycled cast metal production recommenced in early May. The ramp-up to full production will take up to six months, dependent on scrap availability.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, stated:

“The inauguration of Al Taweelah recycling plant is a major milestone in EGA’s development of a global aluminium recycling business. This new plant turns aluminium waste generated in the UAE and elsewhere into new aluminium that makes modern life possible around the world. With this project, we have added a new industrial activity to EGA’s operations in the UAE, in line with Make it in the Emirates and the UAE’s Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy.”

Global Expansion

The plant is part of EGA’s global ambitions. Including a planned acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in Italian company Eco Green, EGA’s total recycling capacity exceeds 400,000 tonnes per year across the UAE, Europe, and the United States, with an additional 200,000 tonnes under development.

This follows acquisitions in Germany and the United States in 2024. EGA Leichtmetall in Germany is expanding more than six-fold, adding a second plant near Hannover with 150,000 tonnes of capacity, expected during 2028. In Minnesota, EGA Spectro Alloys completed a 65,000 tonnes expansion in 2025 and is developing a second phase to add a further 35,000 tonnes by 2027.

The Middle East is rapidly advancing its utility infrastructure to meet growing demands for clean, safe water.

During the recent MENA Desalination exhibition, held from the 3rd to the 4th of June, EEIC (Emirates Electrical & Instrumentation Company) and Emerald Ecotechnologies LLC presented a major operational breakthrough. The showcase demonstrated massive disinfection cost savings for regional operators, fundamentally changing how facilities manage potable water and wastewater.

As the region focuses on sustainability, these companies are introducing advanced methods to minimise reliance on traditional, hazardous chemicals.

AQUACHLOR Mixed Oxidants Technology Explained

The core of this new operational efficiency lies in the AQUACHLOR® Mixed Oxidants technology. EEIC, a Ghobash Group Enterprise, partnered with UAE-based Emerald Ecotechnologies to bring this system to the forefront of the utility sector.

The joint presentation at the MENA Desalination exhibition highlighted several key operational improvements for desalination and wastewater applications. The AQUACHLOR® system is specifically designed to:

• Deliver safer and more sustainable water treatment processes across the region.
• Dramatically cut operating costs for utility providers.
• Minimise the industry's reliance on hazardous chlorine-based chemicals.
• Improve biofilm control within extensive water distribution networks.
• Enhance overall operational safety by reducing the handling, transportation, and storage of dangerous substances.

This technology presents a lower-cost alternative to conventional chlorine or chlorine dioxide-based disinfection systems.

The NAQAA SWRO Desalination Plant Project

A primary reference project highlighted during the exhibition was the NAQAA SWRO Desalination Plant, located in Umm Al Quwain. This massive facility promises a potable water treatment capacity of approximately 684,000 cubic metres per day.

Achieving Massive OPEX Reductions

The NAQAA facility has officially selected AQUACHLOR® as a chlorine dioxide replacement solution, with full deployment planned for later this year. Once implemented, the project is expected to deliver a reported 91% reduction in operating expenditure (OPEX).

Crucially, this cost reduction does not compromise water quality. The system maintains stable residual disinfection performance while ensuring WHO-compliant potable water. It achieves this without generating harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as bromate, chlorate, and chlorite.

The successful showcase allowed both companies to engage directly with industry stakeholders who are actively looking to optimise their current utility infrastructure. These efforts perfectly align with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036. This national programme prioritises:

• Long-term water sustainability.
• Robust infrastructure resilience.
• Improved operational efficiency.

The strategy is particularly relevant as the nation continues expanding its investment in large-scale desalination projects to secure future water supplies. Industry leaders from both organisations expressed strong confidence in the technology's potential to reshape regional water networks.

Petr Gnatyuk, the CEO of Emerald Ecotechnologies, added:

"Utilities today are looking for technologies that can deliver stronger disinfection performance while also simplifying operations and reducing lifecycle costs. Throughout the exhibition, we saw growing regional interest in solutions that are effective, cheap and reduce the demand in transportation and storage of hazardous chemicals."

Following this successful exhibition, EEIC and Emerald Ecotechnologies are well-positioned to accelerate the deployment of these sustainable solutions, driving the next generation of resilient utility infrastructure across the region.

HD Construction Equipment has strategically launched a new excavator tailored specifically for the rigorous demands and distinct price sensitivities of emerging markets.

On the 24th of June 2026, the company hosted a highly anticipated launch event for its 20-tonne DEVELON excavator. This pivotal event took place at the company’s dedicated production subsidiary located in Pune, India. It signals a robust, calculated effort to strengthen regional logistics and sales networks by effectively leveraging India's prominent, rapidly growing position as a global export hub for heavy machinery.

The launch programme was exclusively targeted at major dealers operating across the Middle East. Representatives and key stakeholders from influential Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman, were in attendance to witness the official unveiling of this specialised construction equipment.

The primary product introduced to these delegates is a 20-tonne excavator, a crucial size classification that currently represents the largest single segment among all heavy equipment supplied to emerging markets today. The overarching commercial strategy behind this new machine is directly aimed at maximising the overall value-to-cost ratio. It has been deliberately engineered to meet the stringent demands of regional customers who are demonstrably highly price-sensitive at the initial purchasing stage, yet who still require uncompromised operational reliability.

To achieve this fine balance of high performance and budget-friendly pricing, HD Construction Equipment has deeply integrated the highly efficient and systematic production lines of its Indian manufacturing facility. By carefully leveraging economies of scale, the organisation has successfully lowered the standard procurement costs of both key components and essential functional parts. Consequently, the firm has secured substantial price competitiveness. Furthermore, the company has thoroughly optimised the technological functions and the physical durability of its existing equipment line to ensure it performs flawlessly within the specific, and frequently harsh, local working environments of these emerging economies.

Through the targeted introduction of this 20-tonne model, HD Construction Equipment is executing a clear plan to aggressively respond to the influx of cost-reduction products that other major global construction equipment makers have recently been supplying. In particular, the organisation expects to effectively compete with various Chinese products that have aggressively entered these emerging markets using low prices as their primary competitive weapon. Following the formal introduction of the new product and comprehensive equipment demonstrations on the day of the launch, the company deliberately showcased the robust production competitiveness and superior quality assurance capabilities of the Pune plant to the visiting Middle Eastern dealers.

The Indian production plant remains at the very heart of this strategic global expansion. In direct response to the noticeably growing product demand across emerging markets, the facility has recently expanded its baseline annual production capacity to approximately 9,000 units. Alongside its well-established roster of existing HYUNDAI brand products, the Pune facility is now actively producing DEVELON equipment. Looking toward the future, the company has formally announced ambitious plans to build an extensive production system capable of delivering up to 12,000 units per year by 2030.

This strategic corporate pivot aligns perfectly with independent market forecasts. According to Off-Highway Research, a highly respected, United Kingdom-based construction equipment research firm, the commercial excavator market across the Middle East and Africa is showing a consistent, gradual annual growth trajectory. The research firm projects that the total market demand for such equipment will steadily expand, ultimately reaching approximately 23,000 units by the year 2030.

To complement this long-term outlook, HD Construction Equipment is already experiencing substantial current success within the region. In May 2026, the company recorded an impressive 20.5 per cent share of the Indian excavator market. This remarkable commercial achievement allowed the organisation to rise to the top position in monthly market share, successfully overtaking prominent international competitors such as Japan’s Hitachi and the United Kingdom’s JCB.

Concluding the launch event, an official from the organisation provided a definitive statement on their forward-looking commercial strategy, summarising the core intent behind the new product.

"The 20-ton DEVELON excavator will compete with low-cost equipment through 'value-for-cost' that goes beyond cost-effectiveness, with core performance optimized for the working environment, robust quality, and differentiated service," an HD Construction Equipment official said. "Using our Indian plant, which has grown into a global export hub, as a base, we will expand our sales channels in emerging markets where market share competition is fierce."

Dhofar Islamic has signed an agreement to support the development of Oman’s first underground copper mining project, reinforcing the Sultanate’s ambitions to expand its mining industry and strengthen economic diversification efforts under Oman Vision 2040.

The agreement will support the Al Ghuzayn copper project being developed by Mawarid Mining, the mining investment arm of Mohammed Al Barwani LLC. The initiative is regarded as an important milestone for Oman’s minerals sector as the country seeks to increase local value creation and establish a stronger presence within global copper supply chains.

Representatives from Dhofar Islamic, Mawarid Mining and Ahli Islamic attended the signing ceremony, alongside senior executives from the MB Group.

Copper demand has risen significantly in recent years due to its importance in renewable energy technologies, power infrastructure, electric vehicles and industrial manufacturing. The Al Ghuzayn development is expected to contribute to Oman’s long-term industrial growth while supporting the transition towards more sustainable industries globally.

Amor Al Amri said the project represented a major addition to Oman’s mining landscape.

“As Oman’s only underground copper mining development, Al Ghuzayn reflects both the forward-looking vision of MB Group and the structuring capabilities of Dhofar Islamic,” he said. “This project represents a significant addition to the Sultanate’s mining sector and aligns closely with Oman Vision 2040, supporting economic diversification and sustainable growth.”

Beyond increasing copper production, the project is expected to generate employment opportunities for Omani nationals across technical and operational fields, while also supporting local suppliers, skills development and community initiatives.

Mawarid Mining views the project as a strategic investment that will strengthen Oman’s role in supplying minerals required for global industrial and energy transition projects. The company said the development would contribute to expanding downstream mining activities and enhancing the country’s industrial capabilities.

The Al Ghuzayn project also reflects wider regional efforts to diversify Gulf economies beyond hydrocarbons by investing in critical minerals and industrial infrastructure. As countries accelerate renewable energy adoption and electrification programmes, copper has become one of the most sought-after resources worldwide due to its use in power transmission, battery systems and advanced manufacturing.

With construction and development progressing, the project is expected to play a key role in supporting Oman’s mining ambitions while contributing to broader economic growth and industrial resilience.

The management of building assets across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has reached a turning point. Facility management (FM) professionals have long grappled with unreliable data and time-consuming manual audits.

Addressing this challenge, Dubai-headquartered HITEK AI, an AI-driven enterprise solutions pioneer and part of the Farnek Group, has launched CONDTEK. This offering is the GCC’s first AI-powered asset capture and condition intelligence solution. It converts lengthy manual building asset surveys into an automatically connected, cost-efficient, and verified digital asset register.

The State of Facility Management and Data Accuracy

This breakthrough addresses stark industry statistics. A survey published in the State of FM Report 2025 by SFG20, the UK industry standard for building maintenance specifications. It highlighted that only 9% of FM professionals believed their asset registers were completely accurate and up to date. A further 37% stated their register is at most 50% accurate, with many still relying on spreadsheets or disconnected systems to manage critical asset data.

Manual surveys typically require specialist assessors and traditionally take weeks to complete. Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of HITEK AI, noted: “Without reliable data regarding asset condition, maintenance remains reactive and consequently, more costly. CONDTEK presents owners and operators with a single, accurate and up to date source of data for their entire asset base. From day one, that can form the foundation to their asset maintenance strategy,”

How CONDTEK Streamlines Asset Capture

CONDTEK acts as an asset capturing, verification, and condition assessment tool. Any qualified field technician can simply take a photograph of an asset and add a voice note in any language. In just a few minutes, the AI generates a structured, condition-graded asset record.

The AI identifies and classifies each asset, grades its condition, assigns a critical rating, and recommends any necessary maintenance to be carried out. Every record can be reviewed and approved by a supervisor before it enters a live asset register, keeping FM professionals in control at every step, benefiting from ethical AI as part of the process. Although manual capture and snagging work remains offline, the assessment report is generated automatically, sorted by zone, condition and asset type, ready for review on the same day.

A Fully Connected Asset Lifecycle

CONDTEK forms the foundation of a connected asset lifecycle, not a standalone survey tool. It runs on HITEK’s Maestro platform, a single, integrated stack that carries an asset from establishing its current actual condition, through to retirement and replacement, with the same asset record flowing consistently through every stage.

Aijaz further stated: “CONDTEK can capture, verify and assess the condition of every asset and builds a single, accurate, live asset register — the trusted foundation everything downstream depends on,”

The verified register then flows into HITEK’s CAFMTEK platform, where its condition and rating drive a planned maintenance strategy to produce PPM and CM work orders. Connected to BMS and other smart meters, it delivers Fault Detection & Diagnostics (FDD) as well as AI predictive maintenance — moving FM teams from reactive repair to actively preventing failures.

Furthermore, HITEK’s POWERTEK solution records consumption and performance against each asset's condition to pinpoint where a degraded asset may be driving energy waste, turning a maintenance question into a potential capital decision.

Empowering GCC Asset Owners

This technology meets the specific demands of regional real estate. "Asset owners across our region are managing more complex portfolios than ever before, often with incomplete data. CONDTEK gives an accurate and verified overview in a fraction of the time and cost of a manual survey, in any language, on any site, whether it’s for a handover, mobilisation, re-tendering, audit, valuation or CAFM-readiness."

“Being ISO 42001 certified, HITEK uses ethical AI with its full technology stack, ensuring verified data doesn't merely sit in a report, it flows straight into how the asset is maintained, how its energy is optimised, and how its replacement is planned. We're giving owners, developers and managing agents the intelligence to plan, not just react, across the entire asset lifecycle,” added Aijaz.

Global utilities and leading power equipment manufacturers have united to address escalating bottlenecks within grid supply chains.

In a joint statement released during London Climate Action Week, industry leaders outlined steps to harmonise fragmented equipment standards and provide enhanced demand visibility, aiming to de-risk international procurement.

By 2030, Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA) members will require nearly 90,000 kilometres of transmission cable; enough to wrap around the Earth over twice, alongside 273 high-voltage transformers, 12,000 medium- and low-voltage transformers, and 77 substations.

These requirements severely eclipse current manufacturing capacities, with transformer wait times now exceeding three years. Addressing these material constraints is critical to maintaining the pace of global grid expansion.

Co-led by UK utility SSE and Abu Dhabi-based TAQA, UNEZA operates under the guidance of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, working alongside the UK Government-led Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA).

UK Climate Minister Katie White stated: “This call from the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance shows that, by working with industry, governments can stop tying themselves in knots and start delivering the infrastructure needed to meet global demand – enough cable to wrap around the Earth more than twice. Through partnerships like the Global Clean Power Alliance, Britain is tackling long-standing barriers to clean energy. That will help us deliver the clean power mission, lower bills for good, and support other countries to reduce emissions and accelerate their own transition.”

Khalifa Al Mheiri, Chief Strategy & Investment Officer at TAQA Transmission, said: "As a utility investing in the next generation of electricity networks, TAQA recognises that delivering the energy transition at the pace the world requires depends not only on investment, but on our ability to strengthen and modernise global supply chains. Through UNEZA, utilities are taking practical action to improve coordination, harmonise technical approaches and explore pooled procurement models that provide greater certainty for suppliers while helping utilities deliver critical infrastructure faster, more efficiently and at lower cost. Collaboration across the value chain will be fundamental to building resilient electricity systems that support long-term energy security and net-zero ambitions.”

Glenn Barber, Director of Corporate Affairs at SSE, said: “We know from our experience in the UK that long-term visibility of demand is vital. It gives supply chain partners the certainty they need to invest in the manufacturing capacity and technical innovation needed to meet the demands of a monumental global energy transition. By bringing global utilities and supply chain partners together, UNEZA is not only helping to provide that visibility but tackling the practical barriers to supply chain development. The focus at London Climate Week on electrification of demand is welcome and necessary; at the same time, electrification will only be possible if grids can keep pace and the steps outlined today can plan an important role in that.”

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, said: “We have spent the past decade proving that renewables can be deployed at scale. That case is made. The challenge now is ensuring grids and supply chains keep pace to deliver clean power reliably to homes, industries and communities. As electrification takes center stage in the next phase of the transition, with IRENA calling for a global electrification target of 35% by 2035, resilient supply chains will be essential. Initiatives such as the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance and the Global Clean Power Alliance show the value of governments, utilities and industry working together to accelerate progress while enhancing energy security and system resilience.”

Following a roundtable co-hosted with the GCPA, the alliance underscored massive financial commitments. At COP30, UNEZA members raised their collective annual investment target for renewables, grids, and storage from USD 117 billion to USD 148 billion. Overall clean energy investments between COP28 and 2030 are on course to exceed USD 1 trillion.

To secure supply chain resilience, UNEZA launched a Delivery Mechanism focused on pooled procurement. Members committed to three priority actions: providing annual demand signals to spur capacity growth, advancing harmonised equipment standards to improve interoperability, and scaling coordinated procurement. Now comprising 85 member organisations, UNEZA will continue developing this supply chain roadmap ahead of COP31, driving practical action to build robust electricity systems globally.