The already busy glass industry in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is set to expand even further in 2013 with yet another overseas company setting up production facilities in the emirate. RAK's central location and low costs have become desirable for numerous companies looking to set up in the region. The industrial sector is one of the pillars of the emirate's economy, contributing around 30% of GDP in 2011, well up on the 23% at the end of the last decade. France's Saverglass is the latest entry into the emirate's industrial sector, announcing recently that it would be investing US$ 93M to build a new production facility in RAK. The plant, which will cover 100,000 sq/m, and have a staff of 180, will be located in one of the industrial zones managed by the RAK Investment Authority. Saverglass expects its new facility to be operational by the beginning of 2013 and when at full capacity. the plant will have a production output of around 150M bottles annually. Saverglass intends to use its new Middle East base to better access markets in the region, as well as in Asia and Africa. Tableware producer Arc International began production in RAK in 2004, and doubled its capacity in 2011 when it commissioned a new furnace. Another glass producer new to the region is RAK Ghani Glass, which has manufactured a range of items for the pharmaceutical industry from its site in Jazeera Al Hamra since 2010. RAK Ghani Glass is a joint venture among Pakistan-based Ghani Glass, RAKIA, the Pakistani JS Group and Saudi-based Swicorp. The facility has capacity of 44,000/tpa (600,000/bottles).
