The key facts
- A delegation of more than 16 Welsh companies is working at Adipec in Abu Dhabi with support from the Welsh government
- Holyhead Towing receives 70–75% of its revenue from the Middle East, with eight vessels in the region
- Tomoe Valve exports about half of its British plant's output to the Middle East, with the UAE as its largest market
The Welsh delegation at Adipec
More than 16 Welsh companies representing electric power, marine vessels and industrial equipment are exhibiting at Adipec in Abu Dhabi. According to The National, the Welsh government is supporting participants through an export programme that helps them find customers and grow their business abroad. For some companies, the Middle East has already become their main sales market.
Dependence on the region is already high
The shipping company Holyhead Towing operates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. Managing director Dylan Jones told The National that the region brings the company 70–75% of its revenue; eight of its vessels serve the energy sector, mainly oil and gas, as well as infrastructure projects such as land reclamation around Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He called Adipec a convenient opportunity to meet clients in one place.
Tomoe Valve: the largest market is the UAE
The valve manufacturer Tomoe Valve exports about half of the output of its British plant to the Middle East, with the UAE being the largest regional market. Business development director Clive Jones noted that the products were originally designed for the oil and gas industry, which makes the region a natural market, and called Adipec 'a place to do business across the whole Middle East, not just the UAE'; he further plans to develop operations in Oman, Kuwait and Iraq. The company entered the year with a strong order book, but, according to Jones, regional uncertainty has slowed the receipt of final investment approvals for projects. Amid the UAE's growing focus on localisation, the company is considering transferring assembly and testing to local partners — building its own plant would be expensive, but, as Jones said, they 'definitely want to work with local Emirati companies'.
Clenergy EV and charging infrastructure
For Clenergy EV, the region's growth has created opportunities in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Chief executive William David described the target market as 'any building that needs EV charging infrastructure'; the priority at the exhibition is finding partners who understand local customers. He linked the profile of the Welsh energy business to the region's industrial history — from coal mines to the transition to renewable energy — and said the company intends to establish itself in the UAE's expanding transport and property market.
