ZonesCorp — Industrial City of Abu Dhabi

Overview

ZonesCorp, formally known as the Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones, manages multiple industrial cities across Abu Dhabi emirate under a unified governance structure. Established in 2002, the organisation oversees the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) — a network of industrial zones that together provide Abu Dhabi’s most extensive ecosystem for manufacturing, light industrial, and workshop-based businesses at accessible price points.

The ICAD zones are spread across several strategic locations in Abu Dhabi, including ICAD I, ICAD II, ICAD III, and the Mohammed Bin Zayed City Industrial Area, providing industrial land and facilities to businesses engaged in manufacturing, fabrication, food processing, construction materials, and a wide range of other industrial activities. This geographic distribution gives businesses flexibility in choosing a location that aligns with their supply chain, workforce, and logistical requirements.

ZonesCorp operates under Abu Dhabi’s free zone framework, offering 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate income tax, and full repatriation of profits and capital. The organisation’s focus on industrial development aligns with Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification agenda, which seeks to build a significant manufacturing base that reduces the emirate’s dependence on hydrocarbon revenues. As a government-backed entity, ZonesCorp provides a stable and reliable operating environment for long-term industrial investments.

Key Benefits

ZonesCorp’s most compelling advantage is its cost structure. Among industrial free zones in the UAE, ICAD offers some of the most competitive land-lease and facility-rental rates, making it accessible to SMEs and medium-scale manufacturers that would face prohibitive costs in higher-profile industrial zones. This affordability, combined with Abu Dhabi’s well-developed utilities infrastructure, creates a practical environment for cost-sensitive manufacturing operations.

The range of industrial activities permitted in ZonesCorp zones is extensive, covering light manufacturing, heavy industrial processes, food and beverage production, metal fabrication, chemicals, and numerous other sectors. This breadth of eligible activities means that businesses with diverse manufacturing portfolios can consolidate operations within a single zone rather than operating across multiple locations.

Who Should Choose ZonesCorp?

ZonesCorp is the right choice for manufacturing companies, metal fabricators, food processors, construction material suppliers, and other industrial businesses that need affordable, well-serviced industrial land and facilities in Abu Dhabi. It is particularly suitable for SMEs entering the UAE manufacturing market who need a cost-effective starting point, and for established industrial businesses seeking to expand production capacity at competitive rates. Service businesses, consultancies, and knowledge-economy companies will find ZonesCorp’s industrial focus inappropriate for their operations.