No authentication fee yet

The UAE Finance and Industry Ministry has not introduced new authentication fees for import documents, a top ministry official said. "We have not introduced any new authentication fees. We only added a new method of payment through the banks," said Khalid Al Bustani, ministry assistant under-secretary for revenues and the budget.

Date set for Arabal

The 10th Arab Aluminium Conference (Arabal) will be held in Dubai from November 11.The theme of the four-day conference, organised by Dubai Aluminium, will be 'Competitive Advantage in Aluminium - the Gulf Edge'.

This is the third time the event, held every two years, is being held in Dubai. The conference is expected to draw more than 400 delegates from 40 countries.

Heidelberg's open house

Heidelberg Middle East FZCO, the newly-set up regional subsidiary of the Germany-based printing and publishing industry giant, has announced the opening of an open house in Dubai. The company also disclosed its total investment in the region has crossed Dh80 million ($21.8 million).

Dr Joachim Englisch, general manager of Heidelberg Middle East, said the company now accounted for more than 60 per cent of the market share in the Middle East and was aiming for an even higher turnover.

This year, Heidelberg Middle East is expected to register Dh150 million in sales in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, he told a press conference, reported in Khaleej Times.

Waeco invests in warehousing

Waeco International of Germany, a world leader in battery-powered accessories for the automotive industry, has invested Dh1 million ($272,330) in a parts and warehousing facility at the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, UAE.

The $200 million-a-year company unveiled the new complex at Autoparts Dubai 2001.

Waeco also announced the appointment of its first UAE distributor, the Sharjah-based Al Rehat Trading.