Khaberni - The President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Engineer Fathi Al-Jaghbeer, viewed the Umrah City project as a comprehensive economic platform that will drive the activation of the Jordanian industry, particularly the construction industries sector, which is one of the sectors most linked to major projects.
He told the Jordanian News Agency (Petra) today that the industrial sector sees the Umrah City project as a strategic step that reflects the kingdom's direction towards establishing modern and advanced cities managed on sustainable principles.
He added that the Umrah City project will open a wide window of demand for the industrial sector for various materials and products involved in construction operations, especially construction industries, including iron and cement manufacturing.
Al-Jaghbeer continued, "This means translating the demand into expansion in production, an increase in the exploitation of available capacities, and higher employment rates within industrial facilities, which will enhance the competitiveness of the Jordanian industry and support its role in the national economy."
He confirmed that the construction industries sector is capable of meeting the demand of the Umrah City project, as it possesses extensive production capabilities that qualify it to keep up with the expected level of demand from the Umrah City project, where production capacity exceeds 1.7 billion dinars annually.
He pointed out that about 82 percent of locally produced construction materials are directed to the local market, reflecting the readiness of the industries to meet large demand and affirming their active role in supporting the national economy.
He noted that the construction industries sector can benefit from the underutilized capabilities it possesses, which can easily double production while maintaining self-sufficiency in essential products such as cement, thus enhancing its readiness to effectively meet the growing demand.
According to Al-Jaghbeer, the construction industries sector forms a central axis for the industrial sector and includes a wide range of products such as cement, iron, bricks, blocks, stone, marble, ceramics, gypsum, doors, and windows, meaning there are many construction products that can benefit from the project.
He mentioned that other supporting industries will also benefit both directly and indirectly, especially in kitchens, office and residential furniture, and smart building fittings.
He also stated that the sector also covers metal and engineering industries, such as aluminum, electrical cables, pipes, infrastructure fittings, and chemical and plastic industries like paints, insulators, and chemical construction materials, reflecting the integration of production chains and the sector's ability to meet the large expected demand from the Umrah City project.
He explained that the Umrah City project aligns with the economic modernization vision that places the industry at the forefront of sectors capable of leading growth and creating jobs, and with the scale of the city and its modern planning nature, the project represents a qualitative opportunity for advanced industries such as renewable energy solutions, smart building systems, and green materials, giving Jordan a leading position in industries linked to sustainable cities.
He asserted that the industrial sector believes that the Umrah City project will be a main driver of industrial activity in the coming years, and an opportunity to expand the local production base and enhance national supply chains, thereby reinforcing the integration between urban development and industry and increasing the industry's contribution to the national economy.
He indicated that the Umrah City project requires factories to prepare existing production lines and get ready to meet the expected demand from the project while focusing on improving product quality and compliance with Jordanian standards, and developing the skills of the existing technical workforce to be ready to meet the project's requirements.
He emphasized the necessity for factories and facilities operating in the sector to obtain the necessary quality and compliance certifications to participate in tenders and contracts, and enhance competitiveness through cooperation with other factories within alliances to provide integrated products within effective supply chains.
He called on official authorities to give clear priority to local products in all project tenders, and facilitate access to financing to support factories in preparing production lines, in addition to supporting training programs for the existing technical workforce to directly qualify them for the project's requirements.
He affirmed the importance of enhancing control over imports to ensure they comply with Jordanian standards, and exploiting free trade agreements to open additional export markets, this cooperation ensures an immediate and effective response to the large expected demand from the Umrah City project and enhances the sector's contribution to the national economy.
He pointed out that the construction industries sector is one of the most strategic sectors in the kingdom, directly contributing 2.2 percent to the GDP with a high added value reaching 43.8 percent, while employing more than 15,000 workers through 2,203 facilities, with registered capital amounting to 269 million dinars.
