Ajman Chamber has launched an Industrial Facilities Visitation Programme aimed at widening government procurement from factories in the emirate and giving public-sector purchasing teams direct access to local production capabilities.The initiative, developed with the Ajman Department of Finance and the Ajman Transport Authority, is designed to strengthen cooperation between government entities and national manufacturers by taking procurement officials inside factories to examine product quality, production standards, efficiency levels and innovation practices before purchasing decisions are made.
Its launch marks a practical step in Ajman’s effort to connect industrial policy with public spending, allowing manufacturers to demonstrate their capacity while helping government buyers identify locally made products that can meet official requirements. The programme is expected to focus on leading factories across key industrial segments, giving companies a clearer route into the government procurement system and supporting broader efforts to deepen local supply chains.
The first visit under the programme was held at Al Rahi Foodstuff Factory, where a delegation inspected production lines, reviewed technologies used in manufacturing and assessed the quality of products. The delegation included Jameela Al Nuaimi, Director of Member Relations and Support Department at Ajman Chamber, Abdullah Abdul Mohsen Al Nuaimi, Director of Government Communication at the Chamber, and procurement officials from government entities in Ajman.
Discussions during the visit centred on direct cooperation between public bodies and the factory, including ways to increase the presence of its products within government procurement channels. The food industry is one of the sectors Ajman has been promoting as part of its wider manufacturing agenda, alongside health products, agricultural products, refining, chemicals and petrochemicals.
Jameela Al Nuaimi said the programme would organise a series of field visits to leading factories in Ajman to support their competitiveness in the local market and improve their access to government purchasing opportunities. Abdullah Al Nuaimi said the initiative was aligned with the objectives of Make it in the Emirates, the national industrial strategy aimed at raising the contribution of manufacturing to the wider economy.
Ajman’s industrial sector has been expanding steadily, supported by infrastructure, free zone facilities, logistics links and a business environment aimed at smaller and mid-sized manufacturers as well as larger industrial operators. Membership of industrial establishments in the emirate reached about 460 during the first quarter of 2026, reflecting continuing investment interest and the Chamber’s push to promote manufacturing as a central pillar of economic diversification.
The manufacturing sector accounts for 18.8 per cent of Ajman’s gross domestic product, underlining its importance to the emirate’s non-oil economy. The number of industrial establishments rose to about 1,549 in 2024 from 1,444 a year earlier, while factory numbers continued to show growth into 2025. Iron, steel and metal industries remain among the most active segments, with 190 factories operating in that field in 2025 and new factory registrations in the segment rising by 28 per cent.
The visitation programme gives Ajman Chamber a more direct role in bridging a long-standing gap between producers and public buyers. For factories, the challenge is not only production capacity but visibility, certification, pricing competitiveness and the ability to satisfy government standards. For procurement officials, the programme offers a structured way to evaluate local suppliers beyond catalogues and tenders, by viewing operations, technology and quality systems first-hand.
Ajman has also been using exhibitions and investment platforms to promote its industrial base. Its participation in Make it in the Emirates highlighted the emirate’s manufacturing strengths and opened discussions with investors, government bodies and private-sector partners. The new visitation programme builds on that outreach by moving engagement from exhibition halls to factory floors.
The initiative comes at a time when Gulf economies are seeking to expand domestic manufacturing, reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities and increase the share of local products in public and private procurement. Ajman’s model places emphasis on practical market access rather than broad promotional campaigns alone, using government purchasing power to support factories that meet required standards.
Topics
UAE