Industrial City Abu Dhabi (ICAD) is an important free trade zone in the UAE. It is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. It is strategically located about 40 kilometers from the center of Abu Dhabi and has easy access to major transportation hubs, ports and airports. ICAD aims to promote industrial and economic growth by providing a series of benefits and incentives. With its strategic location, sound infrastructure, diversified industries and favorable tax environment, Industrial City Abu Dhabi provides numerous investment opportunities for companies seeking to expand their presence in the Middle East and explore growth markets in the UAE and the wider Gulf region. For Chinese companies, it is also an ideal choice to enter the Middle East market and expand international business.

Table of Contents

1. Regional division 2. Preferential policies and investment environment 3. Industry positioning 4. Abu Dhabi Industrial City Company Registration Process 5. Investment opportunities and prospects

1. Regional division

Abu Dhabi Industrial City is mainly composed of commercial center, residential area and industrial park:

Commercial center: covers an area of ​​0.25 square kilometers, including industrial city management agencies, banks, hospitals, restaurants, shopping centers and other buildings and facilities, providing comprehensive services for enterprises and employees in the industrial city.

Residential area: a number of buildings of different sizes will be built, with a total construction area of ​​hundreds of thousands of square meters, which can accommodate a large number of people to meet the living needs of employees in the industrial city.

Industrial park: It is the main part of Abu Dhabi Industrial City. The park is divided into several blocks with different focuses, such as small factory blocks, food and textile blocks, wood engineering construction blocks, chemical plastics blocks, building materials blocks, high-tech blocks, standard factory blocks, etc. These blocks provide a variety of choices for investors in different industries.

2. Preferential policies and investment environment

Abu Dhabi Industrial City provides investors with many benefits and conveniences:

Tax incentives: No business tax and personal income tax are levied on enterprises; machines, equipment and raw materials used in factories in the industrial city can be imported tax-free.

Industrial licenses: Various industrial licenses are issued and updated within one day, saving time costs for investors.

Infrastructure: Water, electricity, gas and communication facilities are complete, and various supporting infrastructures are provided, with a voltage of 220~240 volts. In addition, ISO9000 and ISO14000 certificates can be issued, and natural gas prices are preferential.

Land leasing: The land leasing period is up to 30 years, and the rent is relatively low.

Product promotion: The industrial city can promote products for enterprises and expand market influence.

Capital flow: There are no restrictions on the remittance of funds, which provides convenience for the capital operation of enterprises.

3. Industry positioning

Abu Dhabi Industrial City is strategically positioned to cater to a wide range of industries, making it a versatile and dynamic free zone. Industry sectors that thrive at ICAD include, but are not limited to:

Manufacturing:

ICAD hosts a variety of manufacturing facilities, ranging from heavy industry, metalworking, machinery manufacturing and more.

Petrochemicals and Chemicals:

This free zone houses petrochemical and chemical manufacturing plants, benefiting from its proximity to the UAE’s abundant energy resources.

Logistics and Warehousing:

Due to its excellent connectivity, ICAD is an ideal location for logistics and warehousing businesses that require efficient distribution channels.

Renewable Energy:

ICAD actively promotes the development of renewable energy projects, including solar and wind projects.

Automotive:

The automotive sector is also well represented, including vehicle assembly, component manufacturing and related industries.

Food Processing:

Food processing companies find ICAD an attractive location due to its strategic location and access to key markets in the UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

4. Abu Dhabi Industrial City Company Registration Process

1. Name application: Submit a pre-qualification application for the company name to the Department of Economic Development (DED) to ensure that the company name does not overlap with existing companies and complies with local laws and regulations.

2. Determine business activities: Select the appropriate business license category based on the business activities that the company intends to carry out.

3. Submit application: Submit a business license application to the DED and attach the required documents.

4. Pay fees: Pay the corresponding license fees based on the selected business activities.

5. Submit registration documents: Submit the documents required for company registration to the DED and pay the company registration fee.

6. Receive registration certificate: After registration is completed, receive the company registration certificate.

5. Investment opportunities and prospects

With its strategic location, well-developed infrastructure, diversified industries and favorable tax environment, Abu Dhabi Industrial City offers numerous investment opportunities for companies seeking to expand their presence in the Middle East and tap into growth markets in the UAE and the wider Gulf region. For Chinese companies, it is also an ideal choice to enter the Middle East market and expand international business.