High-tech facility opens in Kizad, to provide quality testing services

A high-tech facility at Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) was launched on Tuesday, set out to provide a full suite of quality, conformity and HSE testing services for a wide ranges of sectors.

Aman Integrated Solutions Lab was inaugurated by Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Tarek Al Goweiny, CEO of NCC Group, and Muhammad Nassar, COO of AMAN Integrated Solutions.

A subsidiary of NCC Group, the new purpose-built facility spreads over an area of 11,000 square feet and comprises specialised lab sections for physical, chemical, biological and environmental tests. Featuring state-of-the-art information systems, sophisticated equipment and technical expertise, it also provides trainings, consultancy and auditing for quality standards, conformity verification and health, safety and environment compliance across the construction and building, oil and gas, F&B, industrial, agricultural, health, tourism, education, and government sectors.

The inauguration marks a step towards the UAE government’s vision to raise the quality of the exports and locally traded products while protecting the interests of consumers and supporting the UAE’s competitive economy.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, said, “As the UAE continues to diversify its economy, we are witnessing a growing influx of global manufacturing and scientific organisations that are keen to benefit from the country’s enabling legislations and establish their regional base here. Building our credentials as a leading scientific and research hub mandates the presence of reliable and high-quality lab facilities that can measure and ensure excellence on a sustained basis.”

“Highly reliable testing facilities, such as Aman integrated Solutions Lab, contribute to raising consumer confidence in the quality and safety of products made and available in the UAE, and provide an example of how the private sector contributes to improving quality standards in the country,” the minister added.

Industrial testing services holds a major market share driven by a growing manufacturing, F&B, oil and gas, chemical and fertilisers, metal and building material sectors, covering mechanical testing, metallurgic testing, chemical analysis, environmental and corrosion testing, endurance testing, electromagnetic compatibility testing, functional testing, non-destruction testing, and calibration testing.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the professional, scientific, and technical services industry is one of the largest industries in the United Arab Emirates, accounting for 2.6 per cent of the national GDP, and is expected to register a CAGR of 3.81 per cent over the next five years.

For his part, Tarek Al Goweiny said, “Quality and excellence sits at the heart of driving an advanced, competitive, knowledge-based economy in the UAE. Aman Integrated Solution lab aims to cater to the rapidly growing demand for providing highest standards of testing services across multiple disciplines under one roof.”

“Bringing the best in innovative technology and first-rate expertise,” he explained, “this holistic approach ensures all products, raw materials and components, available in Abu Dhabi comply with the highest quality standards and regulatory framework specified by the government authorities.”

The lab is working towards adopting a 100 per cent paperless process with the upcoming launch of an integrated mobile app through which customers can raise inquiry, track samples, process payment, and access analysis reports.

The number of companies operating out of Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad) more than doubled in the last 12 months on the back of new government policies aimed at boosting investment into the emirate, a senior Kizad executive said.

“Currently, we have 600 tenants including small and medium enterprise (SMEs), and big industries. The number has more than doubled in the last one year due to the drive of Abu Dhabi to grow their industrialisation base and attract more companies to set up their operations in the emirate,” said Edwin Lammers, vice president of commercial at Kizad.

Abu Dhabi is implementing a number of new measures to boost industrialisation in the emirate as part of Dhs50 billion Ghadan 21 economic stimulus programme. Earlier this year, the government reduced electricity bills for businesses and is also implementing a dual license policy allowing free zone companies to operate on mainland. The government of Abu Dhabi also signed an agreement with the First Abu Dhabi Bank, the country’s biggest lender by assets, to extend state-backed loans to SMEs as it looks to open up more avenues of financing for the cash-strapped sector.

WAM/ Agencies