RAK FTZ starts 2010 in high gear
RAK FTZ is already up and running in high gear this year, with February alone seeing its involvement in three key events by the month’s end. Having just attended the recently held 2010 Cairo ICT and Gulf Food 2010, the free zone is getting ready for the upcoming Expo Pakistan, which it will also be sponsoring.
Participation in these high-profile exhibitions goes hand-in-hand with the free zone’s 2010 objective to reach out to a wider market and help revitalise the UAE economy with new businesses. These events also present RAK FTZ representatives with the opportunity to build their extensive networks and promote the free zone’s new products and value added services to business people from a wide variety of industries.
The primary focus of RAK FTZ’s marketing efforts, however, is small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and special offers, available only during the exhibitions, are specifically tailored for them: For only AED 28,000, clients can avail themselves of the standard office at the free zone’s Business Centre 5, or for only AED 50,000, an Executive Office in Business Centre 4, which comes with value added services, a general trading licence, and a 25sqm office.
“SMEs are vital elements of a growing economy, and the UAE Government is building support networks to help them flourish. However, as it is now, there is still not much support for SMEs, whether we are talking about licensing, visas or infrastructure,” shares Oussama El Omari, RAK FTZ CEO. “In RAK FTZ, we have business solutions that fit SMEs, and this is the reason why 95 per cent of our clientele comprises small and medium enterprises. Our special offers, which are only available and heavily promoted during these exhibitions, are ideal for SMEs – the costs are economical and very competitive, considering the facilities and services that will be made available to them. Even from the start, they prove to be the most efficient and effective ways to enter the UAE or Middle East market.”
RAK FTZ has long identified both Egypt and Pakistan as two of its top five markets, and has been progressively promoting its products and services in both Cairo and Karachi, during the last few years. In 2009, a total of 135 new companies from Egypt registered with the free zone, a good six per cent of the total new registrations worldwide, sealing its place as the top Middle Eastern country to enter the UAE market through RAK FTZ. In sponsoring Expo Pakistan, RAK FTZ hopes to strengthen its relationship with the country as it helps it expand its business operations internationally in fields like textiles, pharmaceuticals, canned food, leather goods and more.
“We are fortunate that two of our closest neighbors, Egypt and Pakistan, both key markets, are very receptive to new ideas and business opportunities,” El Omari shares. “Through the years we have built mutually-beneficial relationships with both of these countries, assisting each other in building our local economies and import/export markets.”
A team, led by Marwa Ibrahim represented RAK FTZ at the Cairo ICT Exhibition, which took place from 7-10 February. RAK FTZ has participated in this conference and other events in Egypt for the last seven years. To build on these efforts and further support the free zone’s increasing Egyptian clientele; RAK FTZ plans to set up a base in Cairo to directly liaise with prospective clients.
RAK FTZ also exhibited at Gulfood 2010, which was held from 21-24 February, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai UAE. A large team of RAK FTZ sales and marketing staff was on hand, at the largest food, drink, foodservice and hospitality event in the Middle East, to inform participants from those industries about the many opportunities available at RAK FTZ. During Gulf Food RAK FTZ also hosted a Lithuanian delegation at their head office in RAK comprised of seven companies mainly in food industry. The delegation participated at the exhibition and is looking into investment opportunities in UAE.
Closing out the month on a high note, a high-level delegation from RAK FTZ will attend Expo Pakistan, held in Karachi from 26-28 February, to educate the Pakistani business community on how the free zone can help them grow their businesses and expand their operations in the Middle East Region.
