RIYADH — As of July 2026, industrial investments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states reached $426 billion, with the number of factories standing at nearly 22,000. The industrial sector in the Gulf has employed more than 1.7 million people, according to the latest statistical data released by the GCC Statistical Center (GCC-Stat). The report showed continued growth and expansion of the GCC’s industrial base, with manufacturing contributing approximately 13 percent of the GCC states’ gross domestic product in 2025. This underscores the sector’s importance in supporting the economies of the member states, advancing economic diversification, and increasing the contribution of non-oil activities. Around 40 percent of industrial investments are concentrated in a group of key industries, including plastics, refined petroleum products, aluminum, gaseous fuels, and iron and steel. These industries form an important foundation for manufacturing and intermediate industries and support the integration of industrial value chains. In foreign trade, industrial products account for approximately 69 percent of total GCC exports. Key exports include petroleum gases and hydrocarbons, petroleum oils, motor vehicles, organic compounds, aluminum, ships and boats, and electrical machinery and equipment. Regarding imports, China accounts for around 20 percent of total GCC imports, making it the region’s largest source of imports. Major imported goods include equipment and machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, and plastics, with supplies sourced from a diverse range of markets. These indicators reflect the expanding and diversifying industrial base across the GCC, as well as differences in the scale of industrial activity among the member states in terms of investment and factory numbers. Against a backdrop of expanding production capacity, growing investment, and broader trade networks, industry is playing an increasingly important role in supporting economic growth and developing value chains and production. This also creates greater opportunities to strengthen GCC industrial integration, localize value chains, diversify the economic base, and enhance the competitiveness of Gulf products and industries.
