Austrian small arms maker Glock plans to set up a pistol assembly line in Dubai, the company announced yesterday.
"We are working on a technology transfer programme with the Government of Dubai and private companies for an assembly line [geared to produce] Glock's pistols," said Marcus Klausner, Director of Glock Middle East, FZE.
Currently, the company has a sales and after-sales service office in the Dubai Airport Free Zone.
"We are in negotiations with a private company to strike a strategic alliance," Klausner said.
The prime motive for setting up an assembly line facility in Dubai is to serve the regional market, Klausner said.
"We are seeing increased demand for Glock pistols. Many countries in this region already have these pistols.
"The political environment, Dubai's strategic location and the support of the local government are the other factors [conducive to] setting up such a facility," Klausner said.
Glock manufactures roughly 4.2 million pistols annually. About 27 models are available.
Demand for some 30,000 to 40,000 pistols per annum is forecast in this region in the coming years, Klausner said.
"If we at a later stage actually go beyond an assembly line, we will become the first pistol producer in this region," he said.
Glock has already sold thousands of its 9mm pistols to several countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Jordan. "We are currently negotiating with Kuwait," Klausner said.
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