Sur Industrial City Reveals Prospects for Nanotechnology-related Industries

Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim Al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and Dr Saleh bin Said Masan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry visited recently Sur Industrial City, which falls under the umbrella of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates – Madayn.

The visit aimed at highlighting the efforts made to link the academic and industrial sectors, bridge the outputs of higher education institutions with the needs of the investing companies in the industrial cities of Madayn, encourage cooperation in the fields of scientific research and innovation between the ministry and the industrial cities and facilitate training opportunities for higher education students in the companies and factories based in Madayn’s industrial cities.

During the visit, Eng. Abdulqadir bin Salim Al Balushi, Director General of Sur Industrial City, stated that the industrial city is situated on a strategic location on a total area of 36,100,000 million sqm and is home to major projects as well as Small and Medium Enterprises in various sectors.

Sur Industrial City also enjoys the presence of several service projects such as Sur Gate, Hay Al Sharooq Residential Complex, and Hay Al Sharooq International School. “The masterplan of Sur Industrial City comprises key sectors and projects such as the commercial port (5 million sqm), warehouse and logistics sector (2.63 million sqm), heavy industries sector (2.65 million sqm), light and medium industries sector (2.61 million sqm), commercial activities sector (0.9 million sqm), residential sector (3.26 million sqm), and IT sector (1.10 million sqm),” Al Balushi pointed out.

The delegation was introduced to the Nano City project which will comprise nanotechnology-related industries on an area of one million sqm focusing on 11 sectors which are cosmetics and personal care; raw materials and chemicals; agriculture, pesticides and biocides; electrical and electronic equipment; healthcare; recycling and waste; textile industry; polymer industry; food industries; building materials; and machinery and metrology, in addition to commercial and residential projects. The Nano City project aims at attracting sustainable projects and foreign investments, creating job opportunities, and providing an ideal environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.

The delegation then visited several companies in Sur Industrial City, namely Oman India Fertiliser Company (OMIFCO), Al Shorooq Cement Products, Khat Al Itqan Factory, and Sur Ceramic to discuss the challenges they are facing and ways to overcome them. Al Mahrouqiyah hailed the efforts undertaken by the companies mainly in the field of higher education, research and innovation, and emphasised the significance of further cooperation between the higher education, research and innovation sector and the industrial sector to qualify national cadres with capabilities to compete locally and internationally.

Read the original article on Times of Oman.