Strata, Mubadala Investment Company’s aerospace unit, has said it plans to expand into advanced manufacturing technology, to attract new companies to the UAE, create jobs and draw highly skilled talent.
The idea is to use advanced technology such as robotics and AI to develop local manufacturing industries, Ismail Abdulla, chief executive of Strata, told The National at the Dubai Airshow on Tuesday.
Details of the company's new strategy, part of efforts to diversify beyond its aerospace expertise, will be revealed early next year, he said.
"From a strategy perspective, we have been given a new mandate to look at advanced manufacturing and this aligns with what the UAE government wants to do in terms of building a knowledge-based economy and aligns with what the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology wants to do in terms of increasing the contribution of manufacturing to the GDP," Mr Abdulla said.
Strata's aim to develop advanced manufacturing technology is in line with the UAE's strategy to double its industrial sector's contribution to national gross domestic product to Dh300 billion ($81.67bn) by 2031 from Dh133bn currently.
"We are going to look at verticals beyond aerospace, we are in discussion and we're developing our new strategy right now, which will hopefully be announced early next year," Mr Abdulla said.
Healthcare, automation and digitalisation will be among the new verticals under consideration.
"This means using the Fourth Industrial Revolution to enhance the performance of a number industries in the UAE," he said.
"Robotics, AI and connectivity are the three key sectors for 4IR. What we want to do is scan the local market and look at industries where there is a heavy dependence on low-skilled jobs and see if there's an opportunity to introduce robotics and take these industries into the 4IR."
Benefits will include establishing new specialties within the UAE economy, providing high-skill jobs for Emiratis, attracting more companies to carry out their activities from the Emirates and offering SMEs new opportunities to work with Strata within these areas, he said.
Strata will also "double down" on its aerospace activities, according to Mr Abdulla.
The Mubadala unit, which already has six work packages with Swiss plane maker Pilatus Aircraft, will announce four more work packages with the company during the Dubai Airshow to supply composite parts for their twin-engine business jets, Mr Abdulla said.
"During the pandemic, we have seen that business jet demand actually increased, which supported us to navigate through the most difficult time," he said.
Strata is also currently in discussions with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre for more contracts after it delivered the first shipset of satellite parts, with the aim of becoming their strategic partner on the job, he said.
Strata expects to close the year with revenue of $80 million to $100m, similar to the levels of 2020, before recording higher levels next year as the industry continues to recover, Mr Abdulla said.
Set up by Mubadala in Al Ain a decade ago to position the UAE in the global aerospace supply chain, Strata has billion-dollar contracts with Boeing, Airbus, Leonardo in Italy and Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland.
It is currently in discussions at different levels with various other original equipment manufacturers to explore opportunities, Mr Abdulla said.
Strata, which makes composite parts on wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 777X and the 787 Dreamliner, is continuing to seek opportunities for work on narrow body jets, he said.
The company has an Emiratisation rate of 46 per cent. Nine out of 10 Emirati workers are women and Strata is working with specialised centres to hire more people of determination.
Since it began operations in 2010, the company has exported 86,000 plane parts.
Dubai Airshow 2021: in pictures
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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More from Neighbourhood Watch
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m; Winner: AF Al Baher, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m; Winner: Talento Puma, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,950m; Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Stakes Listed (TB) Dh500,000 1,950m; Winner: Mark Of Approval, Patrick Cosgrave, Mahmood Hussain.
4pm: Conditions (TB) Dh125,000 1,400m; Winner: Dead-heat Raakez, Jim Crowley, Nicholas Bachalard/Attribution, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Jebel Ali Sprint (TB) Dh500,000 1,000m; Winner: AlKaraama, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m; Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
