Jordan’s industrial sector continues to grow, with phosphates and potash, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and textiles and garments all seeing expansion in both net profits and volume in 2015. That these segments have grown in the face of global economic headwinds and in a region directly affected by major geopolitical tensions demonstrates the sector’s resilience and ability to adapt. The government,…
Garments, accessories and textiles trade has been one of the kingdom’s great success stories, with exports continuing to grow despite the global economic slowdown and enduring regional challenges. Industry players hope that the years ahead will see a major breakthrough in trade with the EU, a development that will not only be good for Jordan’s economy, but will also provide some relief for some…
By leveraging its strategic location on the Red Sea, a short distance from the Israeli, Egyptian and Saudi Arabian borders, Aqaba has become a lively base for manufacturing industries, as well as a transport and tourism centre. The rail and road network for the rest of the kingdom also begins here, connecting industries with the main domestic markets of Amman and the north, as well as a range of other…
How developed is Jordan’s logistics and supply chain sector for export-oriented companies, and what measures could be taken to improve and streamline processes? MICHAEL SAYEGH: The transport sector is still quite traditional and relies on trucks for the movement of goods between the production location and the port of export. At present, the shipping lines that link the port of Aqaba to other…
What do you identify as the main obstacles holding Jordanian industry back from moving up the value chain? SALIM KARADSHEH: Industry in Jordan is facing a number of challenges, which is impacting its performance. On the local level, energy is the main challenge. However, I believe that the government is taking steps towards resolving this issue for the sector. Regionally, the turbulence in many…
Interview:Brent Heimann How have electricity and water tariff increases — both important inputs for the sector — affected Jordanian industry? BRENT HEIMANN: The increase of these tariffs has had different effects on the various companies within the industry sector. With regard to potash, the production process is intensive in its use of water and energy. In 2014, the cost of energy and…
Producing a diverse range of industrial goods, from phosphates to processed food and packaging to steel billets, Jordan’s industrial sector is a mainstay of the nation’s economy. The country’s location, supported by myriad free trade agreements (FTAs) offering access to 1.5bn consumers, enables the kingdom to be a strategic trade route to many of its neighbouring countries and regions, and businesses…
On the back of 2014, when a major expansion in mall supply was executed in Jordan’s capital city, Amman, the kingdom’s organised retail sector has continued to move forward. Meanwhile, sustained economic and population growth have also meant increasing demand. In the food and beverage segment, traditional retail has held its ground in a cost-sensitive market. According to Nabil Rassam, Chairman…
As the seventh-largest producer of potash in the world, Jordan is producing around 2m tonnes per annum of this vital fertiliser ingredient. The country is also home to one of the world’s largest phosphate rock sectors, making minerals extraction one of the country’s top industrial sectors and a major support for the Jordanian economy. Global competition has increased in the past decade, with the…
The dissolution of Jordan’s Parliament in May 2016 led to the appointment of Hani Al Mulki, a prime minister who is widely considered to be pro-business and who is expected to accelerate ongoing economic reforms aimed at boosting investment and private participation in a number of major planned infrastructure projects. Meanwhile the EU’s move to relax rules-of-origin regulations for Jordan wil
