Industry
From The Report: Bahrain 2022
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The manufacturing sector is the second-largest contributor to non-oil GDP, behind financial services. Some of the kingdom’s key industrial players have expanded their production capacity in recent years, significantly bolstering heavy industry and downstream potential, most notably in the aluminium segment. Aluminium is Bahrain’s biggest non-oil export, and Aluminium Bahrain is integral to overall industrial performance. Strong logistics infrastructure is integrated with a network of industrial and free zones, where foreign and local investors enjoy a range of regionally competitive incentives.

This chapter contains interviews with Ali Al Baqali, CEO, Aluminium Bahrain; and Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, Secretary-General, Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Modern diversification: Investment in emerging segments to build upon established aluminium and downstream industries
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The manufacturing sector is the second-largest contributor to non-oil GDP, behind financial services. Some of the kingdom’s key industrial players have expanded their production capacity in recent years, significantly bolstering heavy industry and downstream potential, most notably in the aluminium segment. Aluminium is Bahrain’s biggest non-oil export, and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) is integral to overall industrial performance. Strong logistics infrastructure is integrated with a network of…

Interview

Planning for the future: Ali Al Baqali, CEO, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), on facilitating sustainable business operations and developing human resources
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Interview:Ali Al Baqali How do you assess the prospects for economic recovery, and what will be the main growth drivers for the aluminium segment? ALI AL BAQALI: In October 2021 the government, led by the crown prince and prime minister, released an Economic Recovery Plan to help Bahrain bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. It included more than $30bn worth of investment opportunities in strategic projects spanning the oil and gas, tourism, logistics, ICT, manufacturing and financial services…

Analysis

Making strides: A new strategy seeks to achieve economic growth and recovery by accelerating the expansion of key sectors
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The Industrial Sector Strategy 2022-26 was launched in late December 2021 as part of the national Economic Recovery Plan to help Bahrain recover from the economic slowdown brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. The strategy focuses on increasing the sector’s contribution to GDP, expanding domestically produced exports and creating job opportunities. It is supported by efforts to adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, develop a circular carbon economy, attract investment in digitalisation and…

Analysis

Chemical reaction: Catalysing investment in the region’s downstream chemicals and petrochemicals production and export capacity
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With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reigniting international debate about the pace of the global energy transition and the risks of relying on oil and gas imports from countries with opposing agendas, discussion in the Gulf is largely framed around how to extract maximum benefit from the remaining hydrocarbons wealth while also playing a responsible role in global efforts to both mitigate climate change and maintain stability in international energy supply. The UAE has pledged to reach net-zero…

Analysis

Chemical reaction: Catalysing investment in the region’s downstream chemicals and petrochemicals production and export capacity
OBG
plus

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reigniting international debate about the pace of the global energy transition and the risks of relying on oil and gas imports from countries with opposing agendas, discussion in the Gulf is largely framed around how to extract maximum benefit from the remaining hydrocarbons wealth while also playing a responsible role in global efforts to both mitigate climate change and maintain stability in international energy supply. The UAE has pledged to reach net-zero…

Interview

Recipe for success: Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, Secretary-General, Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), on the industry’s role in the GCC’s ongoing pursuit of economic diversification
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Interview:Abdulwahab Al Sadoun How was the GCC petrochemical industry affected by the Covid-19 pandemic? ABDULWAHAB AL SADOUN: The health crisis had a significant effect: in the first half of 2020 demand collapsed and prices plunged, compounded by supply chain disruptions related to port closures in China and freight rates as much as three times higher than before the pandemic. These factors eroded the profits of producers in the GCC that were already paying high supply chain costs. Business…