Al Ghurair Foods, part of the multibillion business conglomerate and one of the pioneers in building industry and commerce in the UAE, Al Ghurair Group, announced that it is targeting a phased completion of its corn starch plant, a first in the UAE, at Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) in the first quarter of 2026.
Speaking at the opening of the region’s leading B2B paper industry show in Dubai, Propaper 2025, Al Ghurair Foods spokesperson said that the project’s major civil and MEP works for the main process structure has now been substantially completed.
“Installation of the processing equipment is currently underway. We are targeting a phased completion in Q1 2026, with our flagship product set to launch during that quarter, followed by the introduction of additional products in subsequent phases,” said Hamad Al Ghurair, Vice President, Al Ghurair Foods.
While the paper industry is one of the several end-users—including food, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and chemicals—it plays a strategic role through its use of starch in papermaking, surface sizing, and coatings, he said, adding that this underscores corn starch’s importance in strengthening regional industrial supply chains and enhancing product performance across key manufacturing sectors.
The UAE imports an estimated US$20 million worth of corn starch per annum and Hamad Al Ghurair said that he is confident in the new company’s ability to replace the majority of imports currently entering the market, positioning local production as a reliable and competitive alternative. The project is coming up on a 13.6-hectare site at KEZAD.
“Our primary focus will be on the UAE and neighbouring GCC countries, while also exploring potential growth opportunities in South Asia and key African markets,” Hamad Al Ghurair said, adding that the corn starch market across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) stood at approximately USD 1.3 billion in 2024, with the UAE’s segment alone reaching nearly USD 30 million.
In the UAE, corn starch plays a pivotal role across diverse sectors—from food and pharmaceuticals to textiles, paper, adhesives, animal feed, eco-friendly materials, and personal care. Its versatility as a natural thickener, binder, coating agent, and biodegradable source makes it a key ingredient for both industrial applications and sustainable innovation.
Focus on reinforcing sustainability in paper industry
This year’s Propaper during October 13-15, 2025 has a special focus on reinforcing sustainability and circular economy initiatives in the paper industry to mitigate its carbon footprint with many key players in the region deploying investments in recycling projects.
“There is a steady rise in the number of paper mills investing in renewables and waste recycling to help mitigate climate impact across the region while the number of increasing Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) that include smaller sorting and processing units to feed paper mills also signify the serious intent with which this is pursued, “said Jeen Joshua, Managing Director, Verifair, organisers of Propaper 2025.
Across the region, paper mills in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are majorly spearheading these initiatives with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman leading the way. Cumulatively investments in paper recycling and innovation are estimated to be in the range of US$200 million across the region with a predominant share among Gulf countries.
These investments in recycling include US$54 million made by Star Paper Mills of the UAE, US$5.5 million by Kimfay East Africa, US$2.5 million by Tetrapak – Union paper Mills JV in Egypt, US$40 million by Oman’s Kreyas Paper, and a significant investment by Middle East Paper Company (MEPCO) of Saudi Arabia. According to ENF recycling data which lists recycling paper mills, there are now between 80-100 paper recycling plants across the MEA region.
Expert data also indicates the increasing share of the paper industry in the broader Middle East waste-recycling services market estimated at US$ 3.46 billion through 2033, according to Grand View Research. Estimates for recycled-paper markets in MEA is projected to be worth about USD 715.6 million by this time as per Sper Research.
