UAE Light Gauge Steel Framing Market Overview, 2030

The United Arab Emirates light gauge steel framing market has witnessed a remarkable transformation since the early establishment of the federation, evolving from traditional construction methodologies predominantly reliant on concrete and masonry to embracing advanced steel framing technologies that align with the nation's ambitious infrastructure development goals. The level of automation within UAE fabrication facilities represents a sophisticated blend of advanced manufacturing technologies and strategic human oversight, reflecting the nation's commitment to maintaining competitive advantage in global construction markets. Modern facilities incorporate computer-controlled cutting systems, automated material handling equipment, and integrated quality control mechanisms that monitor dimensional accuracy throughout the production process. Robotic welding systems have been implemented for specialized applications requiring high-strength connections, while automated packaging and inventory management systems streamline distribution processes. Local adaptation of global production technologies has been particularly noteworthy in the UAE context, where international equipment suppliers have customized their systems to accommodate the specific requirements of regional construction practices and climatic conditions. Temperature-controlled manufacturing environments ensure consistent steel properties despite extreme external heat conditions, while specialized coating application systems provide enhanced corrosion resistance suitable for coastal environments with high salinity exposure. Key manufacturing hubs have emerged strategically throughout the UAE, with significant concentrations in Dubai Industrial Park, Abu Dhabi Industrial Zone, and Sharjah Industrial Area, leveraging proximity to major ports, international airports, and primary construction markets. These industrial clusters benefit from shared infrastructure, specialized logistics networks, and concentrated technical expertise, creating synergistic environments that enhance overall sector competitiveness.

According to the research report ""UAE Light Gauge Steel Framing Market Outlook, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the UAE Light Gauge Steel Framing market is anticipated to grow at more than 7.10% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. National building codes governing light gauge steel framing within the UAE represent a comprehensive regulatory framework that harmonizes international best practices with local environmental and structural requirements, ensuring construction safety and performance standards appropriate for regional conditions. Local municipalities ensure the safety of buildings in the UAE by implementing the unified building codes, which deal with construction safety and fire protection among other issues. The Dubai Building Code, Abu Dhabi International Building Code, and federal construction regulations establish detailed specifications for steel framing applications, covering structural design criteria, connection requirements, fire safety provisions, and seismic considerations relevant to regional geological conditions. The merger between Abu Dhabi-listed Construction Company Arkan Building Materials and Emirates Steel, which legally completed in 2021 following shareholder approval and regulatory approvals, creating the UAE's largest steel and building materials company. This transformative merger resulted in the formation of EMSTEEL, which combines tradition and technology and has become the UAE's largest steel and building materials manufacturer, incorporating the latest innovative technologies in manufacturing, efficiency and sustainability. International strategic partnerships have emerged through companies like Jindal Shadeed, which established a partnership with ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Jubail to procure round steel bars worth one billion dollars within two years, while Jindal SAW Limited has invested one hundred and eighteen million dollars through joint ventures including a fifty-one percent stake partnership with Buhur for Investment Company to establish a helically spiral welded pipe plant.

In the UAE the structural type mix for light gauge steel framing reflects both the appetite for high performance buildings and the drive for speed in construction. Among structural types, wall bearing steel framing is currently the dominant form. This is because many UAE projects especially residential villas, townhouses, low rise clusters, and even some smaller commercial buildings prefer systems where walls carry loads. Wall bearing steel framing gives easier integration with architectural facades, insulation, finishes, and regulatory compliance, particularly in areas with strict building codes. It offers a relatively simpler design path, less complicated detailing, easier maintenance, and familiarity among contractors, which helps in controlling costs and risk. In high rise residential towers, mixed use developments, hotels or premium office projects skeleton framing is preferred because it allows open plan interiors, easier running of services, more façades with glazing, and fewer load bearing walls interfering with aesthetics or layout. The demand in places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and emerging emirates is pushing skeleton systems more and more, especially where rapid build cycles, modular components, and design prestige matter. Long span steel framing is less common but plays an important niche in industrial facilities, warehouses, logistics centers, large sheds, and sometimes in event halls. These structures need large clear spaces without many interior columns. Long span framing meets that requirement but comes with higher engineering, more structural steel, more precise fabrication and erection demands, and generally higher cost. Because of that long span is not the mainstream of UAE’s general construction but is essential wherever the building function demands large uninterrupted spaces.

The end use pattern for light gauge steel framing in the UAE shows clear leaders and growing niches. Residential remains the largest market in sheer number of projects. Villas, low and mid rise apartment blocks, gated communities, and off plan housing are built often with steel framing for certain components or fully where developers aim for speed, durability and less maintenance. Steel framing helps address issues like termites, moisture, heat load, plus speed of finishing, which are very relevant in the UAE climate and high labor cost environment. Shopping malls, hotels, high end retail, mixed use towers, premium office towers those projects increasingly demand steel systems to allow for higher ceiling heights, grand lobbies, expansive frontage, glass curtain walls, and complex architectural forms. Commercial developers value the flexibility, the ability to prefab components, and faster schedule, which reduces financing cost and time to market. Institutional end use also shows steady uptake. As public investment continues in healthcare, education, and public infrastructure there is increasing interest in systems that offer safety, fire resistance, ease of maintenance, and fast construction. Steel framing in institutional builds helps meet these needs, especially in expansions, retrofit or new campus style facilities where timelines matter. Industrial uses are another key segment. Warehouses, cold storage, logistics hubs, data centers use steel framing heavily because they need large spans, robust roofing and wall systems, load capacity, and often modular expansion. Industrial projects are more forgiving of structural steel cost premium because functionality and lifetime performance matter more

C shaped steel sections are very widely used. They are versatile, perform well under load, fit with modular and prefabricated components, and are familiar to local suppliers and contractors. C shaped profiles are often the go to for framing interior partitions and non-load bearing walls, and increasingly for load bearing walls in smaller buildings as steel becomes more accepted. U shaped tracks are essential companions to C sections. Top and bottom tracks provide support, anchorage, and alignment for the studs. In many UAE projects these tracks are standard; they make assemblies faster, help ensure straight walls, and are easily integrated in factory prefabricated wall panels or in site assembly. U tracks are also useful in edge detailing, around openings, and tie into finishing systems. Z purlins are strongly present in roofing and large cladding systems. When roofs or wall cladding spans grow, or when load demands rise, Z purlins offer advantages: strong along span, overlapping where needed, easier to support roofing or external wall panels. Suppliers such as BAZ Metal Industry, NMSS, and others list Z purlins as key products used in roofing and wall systems. Others profiles are angles, channels, accessory members, braces, connectors, fasteners, stiffeners. Though individually small in volume, collectively they are vital to the performance, durability, stability, particularly under wind loads, heat cycles, and structural movement.

Wall systems are the most widely used and often the first system chosen. External enclosure walls, internal partitions, load bearing or non load bearing walls built with steel framing deliver multiple advantages: speed, insulation performance, and minimal maintenance, and termite resistance, adaptability for cladding or finish. Wall systems also tie into facade aesthetics, thermal comfort, acoustic separation, and local building codes around fire protection. For many projects in the UAE walls are prefabricated or partially prefabricated off site then assembled rapidly onsite. UAE’s climate, exposure to heat, sun, occasional heavy rain, and sometimes storms demand roofs that are durable, efficient, and sometimes lightweight. Steel framed roof systems with Z purlins, roofing sheets or insulated panels, built in solar support, proper drainage and insulation layers are common. Roofs with steel framing allow large spans with fewer supports, faster installation, and lighter dead load, which is advantageous in high rise or large commercial buildings. Floor systems with steel joists and decking are used, though less universally than walls and roofs. In some multi storey steel framed buildings or in mixed use developments steel floor framing is chosen for speed, to reduce structural load, or when designers want lighter floors to support specialized uses. Still many projects continue to use concrete slabs or composite systems, especially in high load or high mass parts of buildings due to familiarity, cost, and local labor capacity. Ceiling systems in UAE are important especially in premium interiors, hospitality, and office fit outs. Suspended ceilings, ceiling panels, secondary framing for lighting, HVAC ducting, service integration are typically steel framed or supported. These ceiling systems are less about structural load, more about finish, modularity, accessibility, and quality of interior experience.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Light Gauge Steel Framing Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Structural Type
• Skeleton steel framing
• Wall bearing steel framing
• Long span steel framing

By End-use
• Residential
• Commercial
• Institutional
• Industrial
• Others

By Construction System
• Wall Systems
• Roof Systems
• Floor Systems
• Ceiling Systems Show more