Next year’s Make it in the Emirates Forum is set to be even grander and more lucrative, with anticipated purchasing opportunities surpassing Dh165 billion, up from Dh45 billion last year. The event will showcase over 5,000 locally produced items, including crafts and textiles, with the aim of broadening the national industrial base across multiple sectors.

“This time, we are highlighting national crafts and locally manufactured products with the involvement of 150 craftsmen,” stated Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT). The fourth edition of the forum will be held in May 2025 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, featuring the participation of over 50 companies.

Since its inception three years ago, Make it in the Emirates has been fostering an industrial hub for local innovators and manufacturers, offering a platform for local companies to showcase their services and advance business opportunities with fellow participants and visiting investors.

Marwan Al Serkal, founder of the Emirati clothing brand Carter & White, is eager to forge strategic partnerships at the event. His high-end smart-casual wear, reflecting the Emirati 'coastal lifestyle', is currently available in eight stores across the UAE, Gulf, and Europe, with plans to open six new stores next year and 100 stores globally by 2030.

Al Serkal decided to participate in Make it in the Emirates after hearing “wonderful feedback from previous participants about the substantial support provided through the forum”. From his experience with Carter & White, he noted that UAE products are increasingly recognized internationally for their high standards.

“I have a shop in Italy – the fashion capital of the world – with clothes tagged as ‘Made in the UAE’, and 60 percent of my customers are Italian; this shows that the UAE has become a global destination for quality,” he said. “Our mission is to present our fashion industry to the world,” he added, “I am participating this year to explore potential opportunities; I am optimistic that it will be a fruitful engagement.”

The value of deals signed during last May’s forum reached Dh20 billion, a substantial increase from the Dh6 billion achieved the previous year. “We are continuously growing, making efforts to expand opportunities and attract more investments; this year, we aim to surpass previous figures,” said Al Suwaidi.

“Make it in the Emirates Forum has demonstrated its economic and industrial impact, generating over 2,000 potentially produced products with a purchasing value of Dh143 billion, and providing financing solutions worth Dh16 billion,” he added. MOIAT’s Industrialists Programme has also created more than 2,500 jobs for Emiratis in the industrial sector.

Spanning 50,000 sqm at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the upcoming forum is expected to draw over 20,000 visitors. The previous three smaller-scale exhibitions at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre attracted a total of 13,000 visitors.

“I encourage all local factories and businesses to join this exhibition to benefit from the extensive opportunities offered at Make it in the Emirates,” concluded the undersecretary.

Trux, a truck-taxi app that has served over 1,000 customers since its launch last December, will be among the numerous businesses exhibiting at the forum. “We are like Uber; we provide trucks for recovery pick-ups and house-moving services,” explained Qamar Shahzad, operations coordinator at Trux. “So far, we’ve processed more than 1,200 orders and have over 1,000 drivers serving across the UAE.”

Trux has been downloaded by 8,000 users, with 80 percent of orders coming from repeat clients. Through their participation in the forum and fleet expansion, Shahzad anticipates a 200 percent growth in business next year. “We are eager to form collaborations with participating companies and investors; we have already initiated preliminary deal discussions with two fellow exhibitors today.”

Several companies present during the press briefing announcing the event have already registered for Make it in the Emirates 2025.

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