Singapore-based Petroleum Specialties Pte. Ltd, a fully-owned subsidiary of India-based Apar Industries Ltd., announced it plans to set up a transformer oil manufacturing facility at Hamriyah Free Zone Authority, Sharjah, UAE.

“We are keen to set up a manufacturing unit at HFZA, which can cater to the African/MENA market and help in expanding our reach to the CIS countries,” said Kushal Desai, managing director of Apar Industries. “We will set up this manufacturing facility through our Singapore-based subsidiary Petroleum Specialties Pte Ltd,” he added.

When asked about the investment, he said: “The project is huge and still on the drawing board. Once detailed engineering is done we will be able to furnish further information about the project cost, working capital, etc.”

Sanjay Abhyankar, senior vice president of Apar Industries said: “HFZA has extended extensive support to us and PSPL has been awarded 30,000 square meters of land in HFZA to develop the facility and we plan to complete the project by December 2015." He said: "“We are moving to HFZA due to its strategic location and as per the recommendation of our business associates Rchemie International FZC that already has a base in HFZA."

While evaluating their current market presence in the MENA/Africa region, Abhyankar said that Apar Industries Ltd. has decent market and sales in Africa, including MENA, and PSPL has strengthened the business of its customers through proactive product development.

“Currently, Apar Industries exports specialty oils to more than 70 countries,” Abhyankar said.

Hamriyah Free Zone houses 6,000 companies from across 155 nations, welcoming foreign investment from more than 500 industries in the key sectors of oil and gas, petrochemicals, maritime, steel, construction, and food.

Note: CIS countries, or Commonwealth of Independent States, is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union.