6 November 2026
India’s Jindal SAW will build a seamless pipe plant with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes a year on a 400,000 square metre site at ICAD-II in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, The Hindu reported on 6 November 2026. Completion is targeted for 2027. The company says it will be the UAE’s first seamless pipe plant using PQF rolling technology and the second of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. The new statement gives no investment figure, but on its 19 October 2026 investor call the company estimated the project at about USD 330 million (about AED 1.21 billion) and put commercial operations in its financial year 2028-29.
What Jindal SAW announced
The plant is being developed through Jindal Seamless Pipe Manufacturing LLC, a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of the listed Indian parent. It will make line pipes, oil country tubular goods (OCTG) and drill pipes for the energy sector.
| Term | Jindal SAW seamless pipe plant |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 300,000 tonnes a year |
| Site | about 400,000 square metres of leased land, ICAD-II, KEZAD Musaffah, Abu Dhabi |
| Developer | Jindal Seamless Pipe Manufacturing LLC, wholly owned step-down subsidiary |
| Technology | PQF rolling |
| Products | line pipes, OCTG, drill pipes |
| Completion target | 2027, according to The Hindu |
| Commercial production | financial year 2028-29, according to company filings |
| Estimated investment | about USD 330 million, investor call of 19 October 2026; not stated in the new announcement |
| Jobs | about 1,000, according to AD Ports Group |
Managing Director Sminu Jindal said the company’s priority is “disciplined execution and lasting commercial relationships built on accountability, engineering expertise and a clear understanding of what customers need from their manufacturing partners”.
What seamless pipe and PQF mean
A seamless pipe has no longitudinal weld. A hot steel billet is pierced into a hollow shell, then rolled to its final diameter and wall thickness. Line pipes carry oil and gas, while OCTG covers the casing and tubing used inside wells, and drill pipes are used to drill them.
PQF stands for Premium Quality Finishing, the name used by the German equipment maker SMS group for its continuous mandrel mill with three-roll stands. The Hindu spells it out as Precision Quality Finishing. The sources we reviewed do not name the equipment supplier for the Abu Dhabi plant.
The report does not name the first PQF plant in the region. ArcelorMittal Tubular Products states on its website that its facility in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, runs on PQF technology.
How the figures and dates have moved
The project has been public for 17 months, and the published figures differ:
- June 2025: a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange, as reported by AGBI, cites USD 105 million (about AED 386 million), 300,000 tonnes a year and about three years to complete.
- 21 November 2025: KEZAD Group, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, signs the land lease in Mumbai during its visit for the Abu Dhabi Investment Forum. AD Ports describes an expansion of about AED 1 billion on about 400,000 square metres, with about 1,000 new jobs.
- January 2026: AGBI reports an initial equity infusion of USD 20 million (about AED 73 million), land secured near the existing Abu Dhabi plant, talks with banks on financial closure and commissioning in around 24 months.
- 19 October 2026: on the investor call, the company estimates about USD 330 million and says financial closure is projected in the coming months, with commercial operations in FY28-29.
- 6 November 2026: The Hindu reports completion targeted for 2027 and states that the investment amount has not been disclosed.
Two points need care. First, the sources do not say whether USD 105 million, AED 1 billion and USD 330 million cover the same scope, so we do not present them as a rise in the budget. Second, completion in 2027 and commercial production in FY2028-29 are different statements. The company’s financial year runs from April to March, so FY2028-29 means April 2028 to March 2029. The sources do not explain the gap between the two. AED equivalents here are our own conversions at the official peg of AED 3.6725 per US dollar.
Where the project stands
According to the company’s October filings, the land is leased, Jindal SAW has injected equity for the land, capital advances and project expenses, and orders have been placed for critical long-lead items, supported by letters of credit and initial cash advances. Financial closure is still ahead.
Management told investors that taking developed leasehold land with existing civil infrastructure accelerated the construction timeline.
Jindal SAW’s existing plant in Abu Dhabi
This is not the group’s first plant in the emirate. Jindal SAW Gulf LLC already makes ductile iron pipes there, with annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes, for water transmission and distribution. The company describes the combination as a dual platform: seamless steel pipes for oil and gas, and ductile iron pipes for water infrastructure.
The company told investors the existing plant is underutilised. It delivered 29,000 tonnes in the July to September 2026 quarter, against 34,000 tonnes in the previous quarter, and sales are restricted to customers within trucking range because of the regional conflict. Its order book stood at about USD 195 million (about AED 716 million), or about 177,000 tonnes, on 30 September 2026.
What it means for companies in the UAE
This is one company’s factory project. It does not change rules, fees or licensing for other businesses, and the plant does not produce anything yet.
The practical interest is for two groups. For manufacturers planning a plant in the UAE, Jindal SAW’s own account shows that the type of plot affects the schedule: serviced land with civil infrastructure against a bare site. KEZAD Group offers both Free Zone and Domestic Economic Zone facilities, so the licensing route should be checked for the specific plot before signing a lease.
For contractors and suppliers, a project at this stage buys through its developer and main contractors. Our report on ADIPEC 2026 and its record USD 67 billion in deals covers the wider energy market. A foreign company that wants to work on UAE industrial projects usually needs:
- a UAE trade licence with the business activity that matches the contract scope;
- a choice between mainland and free zone that fits where the work is done and who the client is;
- registration in the vendor system of the developer or the main contractor;
- a corporate bank account in the UAE to receive payments and post guarantees;
- VAT and corporate tax registration where thresholds apply;
- work visas for engineers and site staff.
How Atlant Capital can help
We help international manufacturers, contractors and suppliers enter the UAE market: choosing the jurisdiction and business activities, company setup on the mainland or in a free zone, opening a corporate bank account, visas for founders and staff, and tax registration. Our guide to company formation in the UAE sets out the steps, documents and typical timelines.
Conclusion
Jindal SAW is adding a 300,000-tonne seamless pipe plant to its existing Abu Dhabi operations, on about 400,000 square metres at ICAD-II in Musaffah. The latest report targets completion in 2027, while company filings put commercial production in FY2028-29 and estimate the investment at about USD 330 million. Land and long-lead orders are in place, and financial closure is the next milestone to watch.
Source: The Hindu, Jindal SAW investor call transcript, AD Ports Group, AGBI.
FAQ
Where will Jindal SAW build its seamless pipe plant in the UAE?
At ICAD-II in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, on a leased site of about 400,000 square metres in the KEZAD area. The plant will have a capacity of 300,000 tonnes a year and is being developed by Jindal Seamless Pipe Manufacturing LLC, a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of Jindal SAW.
How much will the Jindal SAW plant in Abu Dhabi cost?
The 6 November 2026 report gives no figure. On its 19 October 2026 investor call, the company estimated about USD 330 million (about AED 1.21 billion). Earlier figures were USD 105 million in June 2025 and about AED 1 billion in November 2025, and the sources do not say whether they cover the same scope.
When will the Jindal SAW plant start production?
The Hindu reports completion targeted for 2027. Company filings from October 2026 schedule commercial production for the financial year 2028-29, which runs from April 2028 to March 2029. The sources do not explain the difference between the two dates.
What will the plant make and what is PQF?
It will make seamless line pipes, oil country tubular goods and drill pipes for the energy sector. PQF, or Premium Quality Finishing, is a continuous rolling process with three-roll stands. The company says this will be the first seamless pipe plant in the UAE to use it and the second of its kind in the region.
