Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) welcomed Royal Gulf Industries to its dynamic industrial ecosystem. A subsidiary of Hyderabad Castings Limited and part of Nakhat Group, the new company is set to invest AED 62.4 million (USD 17 million) to construct the UAE’s first environment-friendly automotive battery recycling centre on approximately 1,10,000 sq. ft. of land at Al Ghail Industrial Zone.
Royal Gulf Industries will employ more than 150 people in its facility, which is set to be ready in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The company aims to recycle up to 35,000 metric tonnes of used lead acid batteries annually. This will produce 21,500 tonnes of lead ingots and 2,400 metric tonnes of plastic granules. Both of these materials will be largely exported to India, Japan, Korea, China and Europe for the manufacturing of new lead acid batteries and cases. This activity accounts for recycling around 58% of the lead acid battery scrap generated in the UAE.
Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, and Yogesh Nakhat Jain, Managing Director of Royal Gulf Industries, marked the beginning of the recycling unit’s construction during a recent signing ceremony held between the two parties at the RAKEZ Compass Coworking Centre.
“We aim to collect waste batteries not just from the UAE, but also import from around the world to make Ras Al Khaimah a hub for recycling,” said Hanuman Mal Nakhat, Chairman of Royal Gulf Industries.
Jallad said: “These companies boost the country’s non-oil GDP and advance the national sustainability agenda. We are committed to supporting their goal of making an impact on the planet through our nurturing and collaborative industrial ecosystem.”
In its second phase spanning three years, Royal Gulf Industries plans to invest about AED 125 million and create 350 jobs in Ras Al Khaimah. The company also aims to make the UAE a hub for recycling metals, creating global supply chains.