Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), part of Abu Dhabi Ports, has reported a solid performance in 2016, completing yet another successful year for the facility that serves as the trade, logistics, and industrial hub of Abu Dhabi and the gateway to the world’s fastest-growing economies.

The total value of Kizad’s contribution amounted to 3.2 per cent of Abu Dhabi emirate’s non-oil GDP, reinforcing the industrial zone’s status as a key facilitator of economic diversification, said a statement.

2016 also marked a year of important agreements and partnerships for Kizad, which registered stable growth in leasing activity that resulted in 20 new standard Musataha agreements (SMAs) with local, regional, and international customers, increasing the total number of investors to over 130 to date.

From the 130 investors, 88 investors have leased land through Musataha agreements, 21 invested in Kizad’s Logistics Park, and 25 are free zone companies in different sectors.

New investors in 2016 have each leased an average land size of 70,000 sq m, which brings the total areas leased in 2016 to more than two million square metres, increasing the total size of prime industrial leased areas since inception to 14.5 million sq m.

Capt Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, said: “We are delighted with the impressive growth Kizad achieved in 2016. The success of the industrial zone can be attributed to the new robust partnerships and the ability to stay ahead of the competition by consistently investing in its facilities, technology, and processes. This has enabled us to deliver outstanding performance and enhance our service offering. We have also capitalised on the growth opportunities created through the ongoing expansion of Khalifa Port.”

Kizad’s objectives are in line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 that aims to diversify the emirate’s economy away from hydrocarbon resources. Since its launch in November 2010, the industrial zone has attracted investments valued at over Dh55 billion ($15 billion) across a variety of sectors.

Mana Al Mulla, CEO of Kizad, said: “In 2016, we made great strides in building Kizad’s capabilities towards positioning it as one of the foremost port-integrated industrial zones in the region. We have expanded our client base significantly across a diverse range of sectors and industries, through building long-term relationships with our tenants and catering to their dynamic requirements, demonstrating that our strategy for growth is delivering robust results.”

In 2016, Kizad also achieved significant growth in its Emiratisation drive, which increased from 45 per cent in January 2016 to 64 per cent in Dec 2016.