Abu Dhabi’s industrial ambitions are increasingly being measured not just by the scale of its investments, but by how effectively it connects the different links of the manufacturing value chain. The launch of GalvaHub’s hot-dip galvanising facility at Metal Park in KEZAD marks another step in that journey, bringing what the company describes as the region’s largest galvanising kettle into operation and strengthening the emirate’s downstream metals offering.

The milestone follows a commissioning phase that began in August, when Galva Hub Metal Coating received 825 tonnes of zinc at its facility, paving the way for the activation of the UAE’s largest hot-dip galvanising kettle. Weeks later, nearly 900 metric tonnes of zinc had been charged and melted, forming the working bath that now powers active production.

Located within Metal Park’s integrated industrial hub, the facility introduces a major new capability for steel fabricators, processors and project suppliers serving sectors ranging from construction and infrastructure to energy, transportation and oil and gas. Its arrival comes at a time when demand is growing for durable, corrosion-resistant steel products capable of withstanding the Gulf’s harsh operating environments.

At the centre of the plant is a 16.2-metre-long galvanising kettle with the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of steel annually. Designed to handle large and complex structures such as bridges, telecommunications towers, transmission poles, port infrastructure, beams and columns, the facility significantly expands the range of steel components that can be galvanised within the UAE.

The scale of the installation is expected to deliver tangible operational benefits. The kettle’s double-dipping capability allows structures of up to 5.5 metres to be galvanised efficiently, reducing the need to cut oversized components into sections or transport them to facilities outside Abu Dhabi for treatment.

The hub aims to reduce supply-chain movements, simplify operations and improve efficiency across the metals value chain

As Gulf governments continue investing in large-scale infrastructure, industrial and energy projects, retaining more of that processing capability locally is becoming increasingly important. The facility’s location within Metal Park allows galvanising services to sit alongside fabrication, logistics, processing, storage and trading activities, creating a more connected industrial environment.

“GalvaHub becoming operational represents another important step in building a complete downstream metals ecosystem in Abu Dhabi,” a Metal Park spokesperson said. “Bringing a major galvanising capability directly into Metal Park allows manufacturers, fabricators and project suppliers to access another critical process within the same industrial environment.”

That integrated approach has been central to Metal Park’s growth strategy. By clustering complementary services in one location, the hub aims to reduce supply-chain movements, simplify operations and improve efficiency across the metals value chain.

The project also supports broader efforts to strengthen domestic industrial capabilities and create greater local value. Prior to commissioning, Metal Park Chief Executive Vahid Fouladkar highlighted the practical impact the facility would have on manufacturers operating within the hub, noting that it would enable large steel structures to be galvanised locally, reducing transport and handling requirements for fabricators operating within the industrial hub.

For GalvaHub, the investment is as much about capability as capacity. According to Chief Executive Shadi Nemeh, the facility combines more than two decades of galvanising experience with a larger kettle designed to process bigger and more complex steel structures in fewer dips. The result is greater efficiency, improved throughput and the ability to serve increasingly sophisticated project requirements across the region.

Sustainability has also been built into the operation. The plant utilises lead-free zinc, zinc recycling systems, fume-treatment technology and heat-recovery solutions that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent, aligning production efficiency with environmental considerations.

Now operational and serving customers across KEZAD, the UAE and the wider GCC, GalvaHub reinforces Abu Dhabi’s ambition to become a regional centre for advanced industrial manufacturing. More importantly, it fills a critical gap in the metals value chain, bringing a previously limited capability closer to the projects and industries that depend on it.