Aerospace manufacturing Excelling in Ajman

Ajman is the smallest of the emirates that make up the UAE. The city of Ajman is close to Sharjah International Airport and the growing offices and busy streets is an indicator of how the emirate is using its close proximity to its Dubai and Sharjah neighbours to its best advantage.

On the outskirts of the city and close to the major Emirates Highway, there lie a number of industrial areas.

From furniture makers to automotive repair stations, this is the industrial heartland of the UAE. Rows of power cables from the emirate’s power station hang overhead the industrial zone and there is a constant background noise of hammering and hissing and a buzz as thousands of workers go about their daily business.

In the heart of the zone there is one company making great strides in one of the least-best served industries – aerospace manufacturing.

A decade or two ago, while Etihad and Qatar Airways were not even thought of and Emirates was barely heard of, there was hardly any support at all. Even an MRO facility was a rarity.

But today, with the busiest international hubs in the world, a growing MRO network and rapidly expanding airlines, there is a clear need for a local provision of equipment and services.

And Excel Industries in Ajman is happy to provide it.

Back in May, Emirates contracted the fabrication business to develop and construct a multi-aircraft system for the airline’s hangar E. This was a follow-up to the four docking systems already in place in four of Emirates’ eight hangars built by the Ajman company.

Excel operates with its German partner, Gunzburger Steigtechnik, and has worked with Emirates for the past 15 years. It won the latest contract against other international bids.

At the fabrication yard at the rear of the Ajman facility, Excel was working hard to build the fuselage, tail and infill docks for the airline.

“The increase in the heavy maintenance plan of the Emirates fleet necessitates the requirement to expand our facility to meet our future maintenance capability requirement,” explained Adel Al Redha, executive vice-president of Emirates engineering and operations.

“Working with reliable, professional organisations in the UAE like Excel provides us with the confidence required to support our need to the timeframe and standard required.”

Excel also has offices in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Hamriya Free Zone and Abu Dhabi, as well as having a branch operating in North America.

The facility covers more than 700,000sqft and boasts a highly experienced workforce of more than 800.

For some time Excel has been involved in the design, engineering and construction of major projects, including airports, oil and gas projects, and civil construction.

With the growth in numbers passing through the region, the company has seen a growing demand for its ground support equipment, such as baggage dollies and trucks.

As well as Emirates, other customers include DNATA in Dubai, Air Arabia in Sharjah and JorAMCo in Jordan.