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
Racecard
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
NEW ARRIVALS
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco) - £51.75m (Dh247.94m)
Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) - £45.9m
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) - £45m
Ederson Moraes (Benfica) - £36m
Danilo (Real Madrid) - £27m
Douglas Luiz (Vasco de Gama) - £10.8m
GRAN%20TURISMO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Neill%20Blomkamp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Harbour%2C%20Orlando%20Bloom%2C%20Archie%20Madekwe%2C%20Darren%20Barnet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
%3Cp%3ESylhet%2C%20Bangladesh%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20results%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ELost%20to%20Sri%20Lanka%20by%2011%20runs%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20fixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ETue%20Oct%204%2C%20v%20India%3Cbr%3EWed%20Oct%205%2C%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EFri%20Oct%207%2C%20v%20Thailand%3Cbr%3ESun%20Oct%209%2C%20v%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3ETue%20Oct%2011%2C%20v%20Bangladesh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key findings
- Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
- Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
- People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
- Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
- But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
