Dr. Iyad Abu Hlatem, Chairman of the East Amman Industrial Investors Association, confirmed that the exports of industries in the region reached 255 million Jordanian Dinars last year, characterized by geographical and product diversity. This allows them to access multiple global markets and ensures the stability of the "export basket."
اضافة اعلان
In an interview with the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Abu Hlatem explained that the East Amman industrial areas are home to industries that have contributed to the localization of technology, enhancing added value, generating job opportunities, and developing manufacturing capacities, which range from intermediary to transformative and complementary industries.
He added that the East Amman industrial areas have witnessed significant development during the reign of His Majesty King Abdullah II, which reflected positively on the role of the vital industrial sector. This contributed to strengthening the industry’s ability to achieve self-reliance and meet the needs of both the local and international markets.
Abu Hlatem emphasized that His Majesty the King has opened the doors of the world to Jordanian industrial products, which now reach nearly 150 markets globally, thanks to trade agreements signed with various international economic blocs, especially the United States, the European Union, and Canada.
Dr. Abu Hlatem pointed out that the food industries sector is the largest industrial sector in East Amman, with 232 establishments, accounting for 25% of the total number of factories in the region. This sector provided 10,000 job opportunities, with exports amounting to approximately 88 million Jordanian Dinars last year.
According to the chairman, the engineering industries sector, especially metal, aluminum, and metal recycling industries, ranks second, with 185 establishments employing 1,633 workers. This sector's exports amounted to 71 million Jordanian Dinars last year.
He noted that East Amman is rich in established factories in the chemical industries sector, particularly cleaning products, chemicals, mineral oils, and paints, with 74 establishments providing 1,159 job opportunities and exports amounting to 34 million Jordanian Dinars last year.
Abu Hlatem also highlighted that East Amman is the cradle of the plastic industries in Jordan, which began in the 1950s. Most of its products, especially household items, are exported to neighboring countries, especially Iraq, with 103 establishments employing 2,494 workers. The sector’s exports reached 25 million Jordanian Dinars last year.
He mentioned that the Marka area, which is part of East Amman, is the oldest industrial area in Jordan. The first factory was established in the 1950s, and it now houses around 900 establishments, ranging from artisanal, medium, small, to large factories.
Abu Hlatem added that East Amman is distinguished by the diversity of industries present in the region, including printing, packaging, plastic, chemical, food, construction, woodworking, textiles, and various engineering industries.
The industrial areas of East Amman also include the regions of Al-Ud, Al-Tareq, Abu Alanda, the Circular Belt, Al-Nasr, and Basmane, with a total of 1,800 small, medium, and large companies that employ more than 30,000 workers, the majority of whom are Jordanians.
Dr. Abu Hlatem explained that the East Amman industrial areas are known for their dense industries, export of labor, and service to the surrounding local communities. These areas greatly help in the localization of technology, with 1,067 of their companies exporting their products abroad.
He also pointed out that the East Amman industrial areas today include third- and fourth-generation factories through extended family industrial companies that have significantly helped in localizing technology, making these industries high in added value.
He mentioned that East Amman has a highly integrated industrial sector, with intermediary industries, primarily plastics, and packaging, thriving in the region. These industries help increase the added value of local components and enhance the competitiveness of other sectors.
Abu Hlatem concluded by emphasizing that the industrial sector in Jordan is highly relied upon in the Economic Modernization Vision, which is based on eight growth drivers in 35 sub-sectors and 360 initiatives. The aim is to attract approximately 41 billion Jordanian Dinars by 2033 to achieve a growth rate of 5.6%, create one million job opportunities for youth, and enable Jordan to achieve high rankings in global indices.
He described the Economic Modernization Vision as a cross-governmental plan and an "economic roadmap" for the state of Jordan, to which everyone, including the private sector, is committed to attracting a large share of investments.
Dr. Abu Hlatem mentioned that the East Amman Industrial Investors Association was established in 2010 with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of industrial companies, representing them before official entities, facilitating industrial connections, promoting products, opening new export markets, and providing qualified and trained labor to industrial companies.
He added that the association works on developing human resources, providing a wide range of services to member companies and those in the East Amman industrial areas, including support, consulting, training, human resource development, and improving worker efficiency.
