Kuwait invests $49.3 billion in industrial sector; 932 factories provide 158,000 jobs
Kuwait’s industrial sector continued its steady expansion during the first half of 2026, with industrial investments reaching $49.32 billion across 932 factories, according to the latest data released by the Gulf Industrial Platform, affiliated with the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting under the GCC General Secretariat.
The sector employs approximately 158,380 workers, reflecting the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its manufacturing base and diversify the economy.
Ready-Mix Concrete Leads Investment
The ready-mix concrete industry remained Kuwait’s largest industrial investment sector, attracting $13.17 billion, or 26.7 percent of total industrial investments.
It was followed by aluminium manufacturing workshops with $9.32 billion (18.9 percent), while investments classified under other industrial activities totaled $8.25 billion.
Other major sectors included the manufacture of pipes, tubes and fittings ($4.53 billion), sulfate-resistant cement ($4.38 billion), blacksmith workshops ($2.45 billion), furniture manufacturing, hollow cement blocks and bricks, and air-conditioning duct production.
India Tops Export Markets
India emerged as Kuwait’s largest destination for industrial exports, accounting for 9.78 percent of total exports.
The UAE ranked second with 7.2 percent, followed by China (7.07 percent), Turkey (4.43 percent), Saudi Arabia (4.29 percent), Iraq (4.07 percent), South Korea (3.9 percent), Switzerland (3.25 percent) and Hong Kong (3.1 percent).
On the import side, China remained Kuwait’s leading supplier, accounting for 19.66 percent of imports, ahead of the United States (6.94 percent), India (6.71 percent), UAE (3.77 percent), Japan (3.74 percent), Germany (3.23 percent), Turkey (3.12 percent), Italy (3 percent), Switzerland (2.77 percent) and France (2.18 percent).
Among the country’s leading imports were large-capacity four-wheel-drive vehicles, smartphones, medicines, gold jewellery, gold bullion, aircraft parts and immunological products.
GCC Industry Continues to Expand
Across the Gulf, the industrial sector maintained solid growth, with the number of factories reaching 22,046 during the first half of 2026.
Total industrial investments exceeded $450.3 billion, while the sector employed around 1.76 million workers.
Manufacturing contributed 13.13 percent to the GCC’s gross domestic product in 2025, compared with 22.14 percent for mining, quarrying and oil, 11.9 percent for trade, restaurants and hotels, and 8.39 percent for construction.
Saudi Arabia led the region with 9,094 factories, followed by the UAE (7,328), Oman (1,932), Qatar (989), Kuwait (932) and Bahrain (930).
Saudi Arabia also recorded the highest industrial investment value at $245.2 billion, followed by Qatar ($62.7 billion), Kuwait ($49.32 billion), UAE ($42.4 billion), Bahrain ($26.2 billion) and Oman ($25.3 billion).
Regionally, the plastics and synthetic rubber industry accounted for the largest share of industrial investments at $66 billion, followed by refined petroleum products ($44.5 billion), primary aluminium production ($22.66 billion), gas fuel production ($20.62 billion) and iron and steel ($18.17 billion).
The report underscores the GCC’s continued focus on expanding industrial capacity and strengthening manufacturing as a key pillar of economic diversification and long-term sustainable growth.
