The GCC has built an industrial investment base worth USD 426 billion across nearly 22,000 factories, according to data from the Statistical Centre for the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC-Stat).
Manufacturing accounted for approximately 13% of the bloc’s gross domestic product in 2025, underlining the sector’s role in economic diversification and non-oil growth. About 40% of industrial investment is concentrated in five key industries: plastics, refined petroleum products, aluminium, gaseous fuels, and iron and steel.
The sector employs more than 1.7 million people as of July 2026. Industrial products make up roughly 69% of total GCC exports, led by petroleum gases, petroleum oils, motor vehicles and aluminium.
China is the region’s largest source of imports, supplying around 20% of GCC imports, mainly equipment, machinery and motor vehicles.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer