Adipec: Welsh companies look to UAE for energy sector growth

Welsh companies are actively seeking to expand their presence in the UAE's energy sector, with many already generating more than half of their sales from the Middle Eastern market. A delegation of over 16 Welsh firms is participating in Adipec, the UAE's energy exhibition, in Abu Dhabi. Holyhead Towing, a Welsh company with operations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, reports that the region now accounts for 70 to 75 percent of its revenue.

This revenue comes primarily from oil and gas operations, as well as infrastructure projects like land reclamation in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Welsh government is providing support to these companies by facilitating meetings with potential customers and aiding in the development of overseas business.

Tomoe Valve, another Welsh firm, has a significant portion of its UK factory output exported to the Middle East, with the UAE being its largest regional market. This market is driven by the demand for Tomoe Valve's butterfly valves, which are used to control the flow of liquids and gases in pipes. Originally designed for the oil and gas industry, the company sees the Middle East as a natural market for its products.

The Welsh government has been instrumental in building these connections in the region. Tomoe Valve hopes to expand its business into Oman, Kuwait, and Iraq, though regional uncertainty has slowed some projects.

Clenergy EV, a Welsh electric vehicle charging infrastructure company, is also participating in Adipec to find partners who understand the domestic market and can represent Clenergy in the UAE. The company's growth in the region has been driven by the increasing focus on localisation and the expansion of its target market to include any building requiring electric-vehicle charging infrastructure.

With Wales's industrial history, Clenergy EV intends to establish its business in the UAE's expanding transport and property markets.