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DMCC Zone to Serve as Macsteel Intl’s ME Base

DUBAI — Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority, or DMCCA, announced that Macsteel International, a subsidiary of global steel trading, distribution and shipping giant Macsteel Holdings Group, will begin operations from AG Tower as a DMCC-registered company, following awarding of its licence in 
October this year.

Macsteel International will use the DMCCA’s Jumeirah Lakes Towers, or JLT, free zone in Dubai as its Middle East base to further develop and establish new regional business opportunities.

Macsteel International is a 50:50 joint venture between Macsteel Holdings and Arcelor Mittal South Africa. It has a strong worldwide infrastructure with offices in major centers in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Middle East and Africa for marketing and distribution of its products.

With a turnover of over $10 billion and more than 140 offices and sites globally, Macsteel Holdings Group is amongst the largest steel trading distribution and shipping companies worldwide.

“The steel industry in the Middle East has witnessed significant growth in recent years, and approximately 50 million tonnes of steel is now traded and consumed in the region annually,” said Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, DMCC. “Driven by the region’s infrastructure projects, the GCC’s annual per capita steel consumption is, at 380 kilogrammes, among the highest in the world. Dubai alone annually consumes in excess of 500 kilogrammes of steel per capita, against the global average of 182 kilogrammes.

“Dubai imports nearly 6 million tonnes of steel per annum and stands at the crossroads of the world’s two dominant long product steel trade flows. Given such abundant business opportunities and excellent infrastructure, DMCC’s free-zone facilities offer an extremely attractive value proposition for steel and base metal companies to establish their regional headquarters here. We are confident that companies such as Macsteel Holdings Group aiming to tap into region’s strong business potential, will find Dubai and DMCC’s established and well regulated environment conducive for growth and expansion.”

Last year, DMCC established the DMCC Steel Club, a dedicated networking association to support the UAE steel industry by identifying business opportunities and facilitating the development of global best practices. Based on the three pillars of networking, education and industry recognition, the DMCC Steel Club engages key stakeholders of the steel industry, a DMCC Press statement said.

Purpose-built to cater to the specific needs of the commodities industry, DMCC’s JLT free zone accommodates hi-tech security systems and industry-specific infrastructure for its occupants. DMCC offers resident companies highly attractive benefits, including a 50-year guaranteed tax holiday, 100 per cent business ownership, and full ownership of business premises under a free zone status, the statement added.

The JLT Free zone is currently home to over 1,800 licenced firms, ranging from commodities to legal, information technology, management consultancy, marketing, medical, tourism and architecture. In addition to being a commodities and energy hub in the region, DMCCA also offers a conducive business environment to all types of other licensed activities within its Jumeirah Lakes Towers free zone.

business@khaleejtimes.com