JK Cement’s international construction chemicals venture has seen the launch of a new manufacturing plant in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, to boost its domestic manufacturing capability and act as a base for exporting its products regionally.
Through its subsidiary JK DryChem Industries LLC, JK Cement has launched a new construction chemicals manufacturing plant in the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) in the UAE. Spread over an area of 5,000 square meters, the plant will be manufacturing construction chemicals and building material solutions for its customers based in UAE and neighboring countries.
This move marks yet another step towards diversification from the conventional business in cement by JK Cement. The product range of the company will consist of liquid admixtures, prepared additives, dry-mixes, and coatings.
JK Cement Expands Local Manufacturing in Ras Al Khaimah
The new facility will give JK Cement a manufacturing base in the UAE that will not be dependent only on supplies from other manufacturing facilities. As per the company, the plant will cater to its customers in the UAE and in the wider Gulf Cooperation Council. The company intends to increase its export activity into Africa and other markets internationally.
The selection of this site at the Al Ghail Industrial Zone at RAKEZ will give it access to the industrial and logistics services available within the emirate. The fact that Ras Al Khaimah is a manufacturing and trading hub means that the company will have access to both its customers in the region and also to markets internationally. This has also followed the previous investment plans by the company. Back in November 2025, it was announced that JK DryChem intended to invest AED 6 million for setting up the 5,000 square meter facility.
Construction Chemicals Portfolio Targets Growing Building Activity
The facility will produce several categories of products used in modern construction.
The company’s product line consists of liquid admixtures, formulated additives, dry-mix systems, and coatings. They are employed in construction applications to enhance concrete properties, surface treatments, installation, finishing, and other aspects of construction.
This acquisition will also give JK Cement a chance to enhance its presence in value-added construction products. Construction chemicals have been becoming an increasingly significant element of the broader construction materials market as contractors and developers look for ways to make their construction processes more efficient and effective.
By manufacturing these products locally, JK Cement can place production closer to its customers in the region.
UAE Expansion Strengthens JK Cement's International Strategy
The UAE facility is part of JK Cement's broader effort to expand its international business.
The company’s current product range goes beyond cement, which includes such products as wall putties, tiles adhesives & grouts, gypsum plaster, construction chemicals, and paints. In the annual report, it is stated that among the company’s value-added products are construction chemicals and paints. Thus, the new JK DryChem production site becomes a part of the existing expansion of the product range rather than a separate step into the sphere of construction chemicals.
Moreover, the UAE becomes a good strategic location in terms of accessing the Middle Eastern market and markets beyond the region. As reported by JK Cement, the production site will be first used to produce for UAE and GCC countries and then for exports to Africa and other markets.
JK Cement Sees Local Production as a Supply-Chain Advantage
Local manufacturing can provide several advantages for construction-material suppliers, particularly in markets where project schedules depend on consistent availability of building products.
According to Dr. Raghavpat Singhania, Managing Director of JK Cement, the plant will enhance the presence of the company in UAE as well as facilitate the growth of its construction chemicals business globally. The nearness to the customers, as well as the improved logistics due to local production, was another advantage he mentioned.
Such a decision may become beneficial for JK Cement to meet the needs of the region more efficiently and to eliminate the complexity that comes up when construction chemicals have to be supplied from distant manufacturing facilities. Proximity may become important for the construction clients.
Ras Al Khaimah Strengthens Its Industrial Manufacturing Base
The investment also adds to Ras Al Khaimah's growing industrial ecosystem.
The company has made RAKEZ into an industrial and logistics destination for businesses engaged in manufacturing across various industries from construction material manufacturers to chemical companies among others. With the opening of the JK Cement facility, the business is bringing yet another manufacturing industry into the region.
Ramy Jallad, the CEO of the RAKEZ Group, has confirmed that the investment is aimed at increasing the production capacity in the industrial region of Ras Al Khaimah and is further going to help with regional and export logistics.
JK Profix and JK DryChem Expand the UAE Product Portfolio
JK Cement's UAE construction chemicals business has also been developing under the JK Profix brand.
September 2026 saw the official opening of the JK Profix Construction Chemicals division of JK Cement UAE and the start of manufacturing at the JK DryChem Industries factory in Ras Al Khaimah. This was also the time when the company rolled out its JKMaxx Paints textured coatings division in the UAE.
With this development, the company has managed to develop a platform of products for its local markets in construction chemicals and coatings. Thus, the expansion of JK Cement in the UAE has involved both manufacturing capabilities as well as diversified building solutions.
What the New Facility Means for the Construction Chemicals Market
Investment by JK Cement in its plant in the United Arab Emirates is an illustration of a trend towards localized production of construction chemicals. Construction chemicals are gradually becoming more and more related to the efficiency of the construction project in addition to being merely supportive products. Admixtures, dry mixes, paints, and other special chemicals may find application in the context of concrete performance, placement, finishing, and longevity.
For manufacturers, localization of production near large construction markets is also a way of becoming more responsive in terms of delivery of their products and developing closer ties with construction companies. JK Cement's UAE facility provides an example of this strategy in practice, combining local manufacturing with an export-oriented approach.
Outlook for JK Cement's UAE Expansion
The establishment of the construction chemicals facility for JK Cement provides the company with another option when it comes to the manufacture of products within a well-positioned region. In the near term, the company would aim to use this facility to service the UAE and GCC markets; however, the company has realized that Africa, among other overseas markets, could be export destinations in the future.
With construction activities creating an ongoing need for construction materials, local facilities may become a necessity for companies that manufacture such products. In view of the fact that JK DryChem is now in operation in the United Arab Emirates, Ras Al Khaimah, JK Cement has another plant that manufactures construction chemicals.
