Sika recently announced that it is expanding its production capacity in the United Arab Emirates with the commissioning of a new manufacturing facility in Dubai. In addition to concrete admixtures, epoxy resins are now being produced locally for the flooring target market. The site in Dubai was established in 2018 as a strategic distribution and sales center for the region.

Sika reports that it has decided to invest in the expansion of its manufacturing facilities at the Dubai site in order to increase flexibility in production, shorten delivery times, optimize cost structures, and reduce inventories. The locally produced epoxy resins are an important component of Sika’s flooring solutions. These products are used to seal the surfaces of industrial floors and flooring for private homes in order to ensure that the floor coverings are hard-wearing and resilient to mechanical and chemical exposure. 

“By producing epoxy products in Dubai for the states in the Gulf Cooperation Council, we are increasing our competitiveness and specifically strengthening our position in the region’s flooring solutions market,” said Ivo Schaedler, regional manager for EMEA. “We have clear growth targets in the Middle East, which we are systematically implementing with the expansion of our locally produced product portfolio.”

Sika reports that the economy of the United Arab Emirates is in decline due to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and the drop in the oil price. However, due to extensive investments in the transport infrastructure, the construction industry is expected to recover quickly. As early as 2021, the building sector should see growth of 1.8% and gain further momentum in subsequent years. 
 
Additional details are available at www.sika.com.