Aldar acquires integrated logistics assets in Almarkaz from Waha Capital for AED 530mln
The transaction builds on the success of Aldar's growing UAE logistics platform, increasing net leasable area to more than 600,000 sqm – including operational assets and projects under development
It also supports Aldar's broader strategy to expand and diversify its income-generating portfolio, capitalising on accelerating demand for logistics infrastructure
Abu Dhabi, UAE – Aldar has acquired high-quality warehousing and light industrial real estate assets in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi from Waha for AED 530 million. The assets, which are located at ALMARKAZ Industrial Park - a flagship Industrial and Business Park Development - add 182,500 sqm of net leasable area (NLA) to Aldar Investment's income-generating logistics portfolio.
The freehold assets are located at the 6 million sqm ALMARKAZ Industrial Park, which was developed by Waha Land – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waha Capital – and enjoys special economic zone status. With further development potential at AL MARKAZ, the transaction provides an opportunity for Aldar and Waha to explore future collaboration at the site.
AL MARKAZ benefits from high quality infrastructure and the growing demand for logistics space driven by increasing intra-regional trade, e-commerce and population growth. The flexible design of the buildings acquired by Aldar allow for tenants to select from a range of unit sizes and building heights, offering excellent modularity.
The assets, which are at near full occupancy with a diverse base of international, regional and government related tenants, add to Aldar's growing portfolio of logistics assets including Abu Dhabi Business Hub and 7 Central in Dubai Investments Park, as well as upcoming assets at National Industries Park in Jebel Ali and sites in Dubai South.
Jassem Salah Busaibe, Chief Executive Officer of Aldar Investment, commented:"The acquisition of assets at ALMARKAZ from Waha is another step in Aldar's ongoing expansion within the UAE's logistics sector, aligning with our strategy to scale and diversify our recurring income streams. Our logistics platform continues to grow across Abu Dhabi and Dubai – capitalising on demand for well-located premium logistics and industrial space – and the assets at ALMARKAZ provide well-established and high-quality warehousing with strong fundamentals and growth potential.'
The transaction marks a strategic milestone for Waha, reflecting over a decade of investment into ALMARKAZ and the successful transformation of a greenfield site granted by the Abu Dhabi Government into a thriving logistics and industrial hub.
Mohamed Hussain Al Nowais, Managing Director of Waha Capital, said: 'Waha Capital is proud to have supported Waha Land's transformation of ALMARKAZ into a key pillar of Abu Dhabi's logistics and industrial landscape. Over more than a decade, our backing has enabled the creation of a high-quality, income-generating platform that directly contributes to the diversification of the Emirate's economy. This transaction is a testament to the strength and scalability of the platform we have built, and to our commitment to long-term value creation across our portfolio. We are pleased to collaborate with Aldar on this milestone as we continue to unlock value and deliver strong returns for our shareholders.'
The logistics segment of Aldar's investment properties portfolio represents a priority area for expansion. Aldar's portfolio includes Abu Dhabi Business Hub and 7 Central logistics hub in Dubai – both of which were acquired in 2024. Aldar is also developing multiple logistics facilities in Dubai South has entered a partnership with DP World to develop a 146,000 sqm logistics park at National Industries Park (NIP) in Jebel Ali.
For further information, please contact:
Media
Obaid Al Yammahi
Aldar Properties
Sarah Abdelbary
Brunswick
aldar@brunswickgroup.com
About Aldar
Aldar is the leading real estate developer, manager, and investor in Abu Dhabi, with a growing presence across the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East North Africa, and Europe. The company has two core business segments, Aldar Development and Aldar Investment.
Aldar Development is a master developer of a 62 million sqm strategic landbank, creating integrated and thriving communities across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah's most desirable destinations. The delivery of Aldar's developments is managed by Aldar Projects, which is also a key partner of the Abu Dhabi government in delivering housing and infrastructure projects across the UAE's capital. Internationally, Aldar Development wholly owns UK real estate developer London Square, as well as a majority stake in leading Egyptian real estate development company, SODIC.
Aldar Investment houses a core asset management business comprising a portfolio of more than AED 46 billion worth of investment grade and income-generating real estate assets diversified across retail, residential, commercial, logistics, and hospitality segments. It manages four core platforms: Aldar Investment Properties, Aldar Hospitality, Aldar Education, and Aldar Estates.
For more information on Aldar please visit www.aldar.com or follow us on:
About Waha Capital
Waha Capital is an Abu Dhabi-listed investment management company that leverages its emerging markets expertise, business networks and research capabilities to deliver attractive returns to shareholders and investors in its funds.
Founded in 1997, Waha Capital is one of the Emirate's leading private sector investment houses, providing a world-class platform for investment and growth. The company has a long-established track record of investing in public and private markets, deploying proprietary capital in alignment with third-party investors.
The Public Markets business (operated by Waha Investment PrJSC, a wholly owned subsidiary) offers sophisticated investors actively managed emerging markets credit and equities funds, via a disciplined approach to investment and implementing distinctive strategies to deliver consistent market-leading returns.
The Private Investments business pursues a multi-asset investment approach focused on direct investments, with the flexibility to deploy capital across diverse sectors and geographies. The business leverages extensive international business networks to source deals and form co-investment partnerships.
The Waha Land business develops and leases industrial and logistics facilities at ALMARKAZ in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region, strategically leveraging the UAE's expanding industrial infrastructure, to grow its institutional-grade assets and contribute to portfolio diversification and long-term value creation.
Counting Mubadala Investment Company as an anchor shareholder, Waha Capital is at the forefront of Abu Dhabi's increasingly dynamic and entrepreneurial ecosystem, creating long-term value for shareholders, fund investors, employees, and communities.
About ALMARKAZ Industrial Park
Located in Al Dhafra, 35 kms west of the city of Abu Dhabi, ALMARKAZ has been developed by Waha Land as an integrated mixed-use industrial development with Grade 'A' industrial and logistics facilities and first-class infrastructure. The development is perfectly situated to capitalise on easy access to the UAE's growing industrial and logistics infrastructure, including major land, sea, air and rail routes.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ameera Khalid
Head of Investor Relations & External Communications
Waha Capital
E-mail: communications@wahacapital.ae
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
4 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Sharjah, Canada discuss waysto explore business partnership
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) discussed with the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai ways to expand economic cooperation and elevate current trade and investment ties into a strategic partnership. The discussions highlighted the institutional frameworks to support the business communities in both Sharjah and Canada, including joint participation in trade exhibitions and a proposal to formalize collaboration through memorandums of understanding between private sector entities. This took place as Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, received Anthony Finch, Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner of the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai. The meeting was attended by several officials from both sides. The meeting focused on reinforcing the robust economic relationship between the UAE and Canada by strengthening communication channels among business stakeholders. The Sharjah Chamber outlined its strategic vision to attract value-driven investments in key knowledge-based sectors, including AI, healthcare, and education. The Chamber also recognised the valuable contributions of Canadian businesses in Sharjah's economy, noting that they form a solid foundation for advancing the shared development goals of both sides. Al Owais affirmed that UAE-Canada ties exemplify a well-developed partnership, with the UAE ranking among Canada's top regional export markets. He also acknowledged the UAE-Canada Business Council's contribution to supporting major enterprises. "The Chamber aspires to sign a memorandum of understanding with a counterpart regional chamber in Canada. This would help unlock new opportunities, establish a legal framework for joint forums, and expand on ongoing success stories across high-potential sectors, in collaboration with government stakeholders in the emirate,' Al Owais added. For their part, the Canadian delegation praised the Sharjah Chamber for its proactive efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation and for its strategic approach to empowering business communities to access opportunities in both Canadian and Emirati markets. They emphasised that Canada considers Sharjah a compelling investment hub, supported by its modern business ecosystem, world-class infrastructure, strategic geographic positioning, and extensive regional and global trade networks. As part of its drive to strengthen bilateral ties and attract Canadian investment, the Sharjah Chamber shared the upcoming events' calendar of Expo Centre Sharjah with the Canadian delegation during the meeting. The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming the deep historical ties between the UAE and Canada and agreeing to maintain close coordination to turn shared strategic visions into actionable initiatives that advance business collaboration. Last week, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) recorded a strong performance and significant growth across key metrics during the first half of 2025, reporting more than 37,000 new memberships and membership renewals, marking a growth of over 12 percent compared to the same period in 2024, which registered 33,000 memberships. The combined export and re-export values of registered member companies reached approximately Dhs11 billion in the first half of 2025, as reported by SCCI. The Chamber also issued 41,294 certificates of origin during the same period, marking a 6 percent increase compared to the previous year. This reflects SCCI's leading efforts to support the business and investment environment in the emirate of Sharjah. SCCI's certificates of origin for H1 2025 showed that Saudi Arabia topped the list of importers from Sharjah, with export and re-export values exceeding Dhs5.9 billion, reinforcing strong bilateral trade ties and Sharjah's position as a key supplier to Gulf markets. Oman ranked second with more than Dhs1.6 billion, followed by Iraq with over Dhs1.5 billion. Other prominent export destinations included Qatar, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kuwait, and India. In his remarks, Abdallah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of SCCI, stated that the surge in memberships during the first half of 2025 is a testament to the growing investor confidence in Sharjah's business ecosystem. He emphasised that the emirate's favorable investment environment and its array of competitive advantages and incentives have positioned Sharjah as a major business hub and investment destination. For his part, Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of SCCI, noted that the Chamber's strong performance in H1 2025 reflects the effective rollout of its 2025-2027 strategic plan. The strategy focuses on Sharjah's economic empowerment, entrepreneurial development, private sector competitiveness, and the creation of a growth-oriented investment climate. During the first half of this year, the Sharjah Chamber remained committed to diversifying its initiatives and launching strategic economic and trade events, programs, and exhibitions aimed at advancing the emirate's ongoing economic development. The Chamber engaged in a series of business meetings with official, diplomatic, and trade delegations to foster strategic partnerships between Sharjah's private sector and global counterparts. It also facilitated targeted discussions with sectoral business groups and key entrepreneurs. As part of its efforts to expand international cooperation and open new market opportunities for Sharjah's business community, the Sharjah Chamber organized two successful trade missions to India and Mauritius the first half of 2025. These missions featured high-level meetings with government representatives, entrepreneurs, and investors to foster cross-border business engagement. Last month, Abdallah Sultan Al Owais affirmed that Sharjah holds a strategic position for Indian companies as a preferred investment destination, thanks to its fully integrated competitive advantages. He noted that Indian investors form a key component of Sharjah's business landscape, with nearly 2,000 new Indian companies joining the Chamber in 2024. This growth brought the total number of Indian businesses operating in the emirate to around 20,000, reflecting a 30 per cent increase compared to 2023. Furthermore, Sharjah's export and re-export volume to India totaled approximately Dhs576 million, as documented through certificates of origin issued by the Chamber. These remarks were made during the Sharjah-India Business Forum, which was organised by the Sharjah Chamber in Mumbai, the first stop of its trade mission to the Republic of India, led by the Sharjah Exports Development Centre (SEDC). The delegation comprises 15 companies from Sharjah, representing a range of economic sectors. WAM
Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Watch: Sheikh Mohammed waves at humanoid robot during live demonstration
When was the last time you saw a humanoid robot wave and walk towards you? Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, had an experience that not many residents get to have during a meeting with local dignitaries at the Union House in Dubai today, August 6. In a video posted by Wam, the leader could be seen waving back at the humanoid robot. The robot also showcased its speed by running inside the majlis as the dignitaries looked on. The robot was present as part of a live demonstration of the Unitree G1 by Dubai Future Labs. The lightweight, highly balanced robot mimics human movement and represents the latest in robotics and AI. Watch the clip below: It will soon be featured in the Museum of the Future's interactive displays, welcoming visitors and showcasing advanced technology, allowing residents and tourists to watch it in action too. The Unitree G1 is a humanoid robot that stands 130cm tall and weighs around 35kg. Its onboard computing includes an 8-core high-performance CPU, with sensory hardware like a depth camera, 3D LiDAR, microphone array, speaker, Wi‑Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. The robot runs for about two hours on a 13‑string lithium battery. Meeting at Al Mudaif Majlis During the gathering, Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the UAE's continued progress in building a distinctive development model based on openness, competitiveness, and support for entrepreneurship. He noted that the country's success stems from ambitious goals, a people-centred approach, and strong public-private partnerships. The achievements of recent decades, he added, reflect a clear vision driven by planning, determination, and collaboration. He added that the UAE remains committed to being a land of opportunity, a hub for prosperity, and a welcoming home for all who contribute to its growth. He also said that at every stage, the UAE has set new benchmarks for progress and established a model economy rooted in innovation. The outcomes of this journey are evident today in the country's stability, social cohesion, and the resilience and growth of its economy. The Ruler also highlighted Dubai's vital role in the UAE's broader development journey, as it continues to strengthen its position as a leading global economic centre. Driven by investor confidence, market maturity, and its ability to attract top talent and opportunities, the emirate continues to advance the goals of Dubai Economic Agenda D33, he highlighted.
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Smart Nol card top-ups see 20% rise as less commuters rely on ticket machines
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced a 20 per cent increase in nol card top-up transactions through digital channels during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. This reflects ongoing efforts to advance digital transformation in public transport services and enhance customer satisfaction. The authority explained that the improvements included the provision of digital machines for ticket sales and top-ups, public awareness initiatives encouraging the use of digital channels such as the website and mobile payment applications, in addition to raising the minimum top-up amount for nol cards through machines and ticket sales offices. Statistics showed a 28 per cent decrease in the total number of top-up transactions via ticket vending machines, while digital transactions via these machines increased by 20 per cent. Meanwhile, cash transactions at ticket sales offices declined by 37 per cent, and digital transactions by six per cent, resulting in an overall 26 per cent drop in transactions at ticket offices. The RTA affirmed that this shift contributed to shorter queues and lower operating costs related to cash handling, along with an 80 per cent decrease in vending machine malfunctions due to fewer cash-based transactions.
