Ras Al Khaimah, Feb. 15th, 2007 (WAM)--- The first Ras Al Khaimah Conferenceended on an upbeat note, with RAK-based companies sharing their successstories and regional and global operators expressing interest in the emirate'simmense business and industrial potential.

The two-day RAK Conference focused on the emirate's infrastructure offeringson the second day, with sessions dedicated to ports, logistics and freezones, real estate, manufacturing, energy and petrochemicals. RAK veteransand newcomers alike testified to the growth opportunities and advantagesof operating in the emirate.

Khater Massad, CEO of RAK Ceramics, said successful businesses operatingin the emirate have thrived because of the emirate's infrastructure andlogistics capacity, its energy, labor and real estate supply, tax-friendlystatus and the RAK government's pro-business and pro-investment outlook.

RAK Ceramics, which began operations in 1991, is currently the singlelargest ceramic manufacturing entity in the world and a business modelfor the emirate. The publicly listed company produces more than 100 millionsquare meters of ceramic tile and three million pieces of sanitary wareannually, and has a distribution network spread across 128 countries.

The company has achieved a return on investment 200 times its initialcapital, Dr. Massad added.

"Production capacity is only one accomplishment," Dr. Massad said. "Ourquality is rated as one of the best in the world. We are confident theseachievements could not have been replicated outside of Ras Al Khaimah." The company, he added, was far from alone in its success story, with otherRAK manufacturers reporting more than 30 per cent cost reduction in comparisonwith other plants located outside the emirate.

In the last two years, the emirate has attracted more than 140 industriesand more than USD 1 bn in FDI. The industries range from small glass bottleand truck and bus manufacturing plants to commodity and polystyrene factories.

Riyadh Bsaibes, Chief Operating Officer of Amana Contracting and SteelBuildings, and Carlo Capellano, General Manager of Domopan Gulf, alsotestified to the advantages of establishing their GCC operations in theemirate.

"What Ras Al Khaimah offers is a lower cost base plus the same good infrastructureas the UAE, and a government that is fast to act and committed to gettingthings done," said Bsaibes.

Izzat Dajani, Chief Executive of the emirate's IDO, cautioned againstusing cost advantage as the sole deciding factor.

"It is not enough to compete solely on price," Dr. Dajani said. "In RasAl Khaimah, quality remains a primary consideration in every sphere ofactivity. We are committed to maintaining a reasonable cost base and improvingour living and lifestyle offerings." The RAK Conference, he added, provided a valuable insight into marketexpectations and awareness of the emirate. "We are listening hard andhave learned a great deal from listening to the points raised in the lasttwo days," Dr. Dajani said. "Our next step will be to produce a workingdocument encompassing all the issues that have been raised here." The RAK conference, he added, also looks set to become an annual event,owing to the level of interest generated in the last few days.

The 2007 Ras Al Khaimah Conference was organized by the emirate's Investmentand Development Office in association with regional business magazineMEED. More than 30 high profile international speakers and over 200 entrepreneursand business leaders attended the two-day conference and its specializedsessions on tourism, real estate, free zones, manufacturing, energy andpetrochemicals, and other growth sectors.