Many people think that Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZ) will be dwarfed by Jebel Ali Free Zone, its giant counterpart in the neighbouring emirate of Dubai.

But that’s not the case, as HFZ staff like to repeat every now and then. HFZ is pushing ahead on its own steam, and it has done quite well so far, in fact so well that the progress it achieved last year was characterised as “nothing short of a miracle” by its director-general, Dr Rashid Al Leem.
HFZ had 130 new companies in 2003, bringing the total there to 380, according to Dr Al Leem.
The increase came despite a pall of gloom from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the general business uncertainty that made investors cautious about investments in the Middle East.
But the UAE presented a picture of stability in the general turmoil, encouraging businessmen to set up ventures in the country, particularly in the free zones, and Hamriyah was among the main beneficiaries.
Dr Al Leem said HFZ presented incentives common to free zones worldwide, but free zones differed in certain specifics. Even when they officially flaunted their benefits, not many showed up well in terms of a genuine attitude of helpfulness
“We’re a customer-driven organisation. Anything that will bring satisfaction to customers at the least cost, we won’t hesitate to do,” says Dr Al Leem.
“That’s the reason why we have won international awards for our marketing efforts. They reflect our commitment to quality, excellence and customer satisfaction.”
To attract more business parties to Hamriyah, the free zone authority has initiated an expansion. Dr Al Leem said phase three of the road network in addition to 45 units of warehousing, 100 executive offices and accommodation for 500 labourers would be taken up soon. A $75 million project to improve the port was recently completed.
Hamriyah Free Zone currently has among its tenants LPG firms, refineries and fuel storage operators. “We’re mainly targeting heavy industries including oil and gas firms, petrochemical companies and steel plants. We would like Hamriyah to be identified with those three categories,” said the director-general. Some of the well known names figuring in the zone are Sharjah Oil Refinery, Larsen & Toubro, Mammut, Nimr Chemicals, Specialty Chemicals, Integrated Petroleum, Belleli  Energy, Seaspray and Zosil.  Nearly a fourth of the companies are classified as factories, with the remainder listed as commercial or service firms.
The Gulf has no shortage of industrial cities and incentives to draw in entrepreneurs, so Hamriyah executives have to work harder than their counterparts in similar organisations in the region to bring home to potential investors the salient aspects of their free zone, which means they have to underline its cost-effectiveness, the general infrastructure and the flexible approach that seems to be its hallmark. Red tape is being cut to the minimum and every effort is being made to have the transportation sector in top shape so raw materials can reach those to whom they are intended and manufactured goods leave the factory as quickly as they come out of the production lines.
Hamriyah marketing officials have visited key markets to promote the zone, and have succeeded in communicating the advantages of doing business there. That accounts for the expanding list of tenants from time to time and the 35 per cent spurt in tenants witnessed in 2003. They have taken road shows to the Indian subcontinent, Turkey, Iran and further afield to Italy, Germany and France.
It does not bother Dr Al Leem that he might have to compete with other free zones in the UAE itself for business that every one is struggling to obtain. With a shrug, he says: “Every free zone has is selling points.”  In Sharjah itself, where Hamriyah is located, there is the Sharjah International Airport Free Zone (Saif), which has also been energetic in pursuing new tenants. But Dr Al Leem explains to all who might ask him that SAIF has been primarily developed to accommodate light and medium-sized industries while Hamriyah has been targeting the heavier projects and has a deep-water port abutting it with all the advantages that facility brings.
One of the secrets of HFZ’s success is the kind of man who leads it..  Dr Al Leem, a US-educated petroleum engineer who once worked as many as 12 hours a day in the sweltering heat of the desert while in the service of Amoco Oil, is passionate about sound leadership. “It is part of my values and principles to motivate and encourage others to shine,” he says. In his dealings with staff, he seems to be constantly exploring ways to unlock their hidden potential so they will be an asset to the organisation and to their families.
If for some reason they have failed to get the point, he recommends they read his books. He’s written five - “Successful Marketing”, “Inspirational Stories”, “Is Success a Sin”, “My leadership Secrets” and “Important Business Definitions.”
When he leaves the premises of HFZ, some of his time is taken up with social work. He is a board member of Charity International.