Table of Contents
Topic Summary
Why Cement and Gypsum Demand Is Surging
The UAE cement market hit USD 1.97 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 3.10 billion by 2033, while the gypsum board market is forecast to grow from USD 443.4 million to USD 1.08 billion by 2030. Large-scale infrastructure projects, urban expansion, and a recovering residential sector are driving consistent bulk purchasing across both materials.
Retail Only: Know Your Activity Boundaries
Activity code 4752.30 covers the retail sale of cement and gypsum products directly to consumers, including small contractors, homeowners, tilers, and fit-out teams. Wholesale distribution and manufacturing fall under separate classifications, so it is important to confirm your business model fits the retail scope before applying.
Cement Products You Can Legally Sell
Under this activity, you can retail bagged Portland cement, white cement, rapid-set cement, masonry cement, and ready-mix cement bags. These products serve small contractors, tilers, and homeowners working on residential construction, extensions, and repair projects.
Gypsum Board Varieties Covered by This Licence
The activity permits retail of standard gypsum plasterboard sheets alongside moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, and ceiling board variants used in partition walls, cladding, and interior fit-out. Pre-decorated board is the fastest-growing segment, making it a strong addition to any product range targeting fit-out teams.
Three Business Models That Fit This Licence
Entrepreneurs can open a dedicated physical retail outlet, build an e-commerce storefront selling bagged cement and jointing compounds, or establish a neighbourhood supplies brand that becomes the regular stop for local plasterers and partition installers. Each model targets the same high-frequency, bulk-repurchase customer base.
UAE Construction Context Backs the Opportunity
The UAE construction market is estimated at USD 42.75 billion in 2025, with residential building accounting for nearly 39 percent of total spending. Every residential handover in that pipeline consumes cement for structure and gypsum for interior finishing, creating a steady, repeatable demand cycle for retail suppliers.
Local Supply Strength Supports Retail Margins
The UAE is the world's largest exporter of limestone, a primary cement input, giving local retailers access to competitively priced raw material supply chains. Sharjah Cement reported a 12 percent year-on-year revenue increase in H1 2024, signalling that domestic manufacturers are scaling to meet sustained construction demand.
How to Start a Cement & Gypsum Trading Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Cement is heavy, structural, and poured before anything else happens on a job. Gypsum is light, precise, and installed when the building is almost finished.
They sit at opposite ends of every construction project, but they share one thing: both are bought in bulk, consumed fast, and repurchased constantly. Retail cement and gypsum sits at the heart of the UAE's building cycle, serving the contractors, tilers, plasterers and fit-out teams that turn concrete shells into finished spaces.
According to IMARC Group¹, the UAE cement market reached USD 1.97 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 3.10 billion by 2033 at a 5.20 percent compound annual rate, driven by large-scale infrastructure projects, urban expansion and residential market recovery. According to Grand View Research², the UAE gypsum board market generated USD 443.4 million in 2023 and is forecast to reach USD 1.08 billion by 2030 at a 13.6 percent CAGR, with wallboard as the largest segment and pre-decorated board registering the fastest growth.
According to Mordor Intelligence³, the UAE construction market is estimated at USD 42.75 billion in 2025, with residential building holding a 38.76 percent share of total spending, and every residential handover in that pipeline consuming cement for structure and gypsum for interior finishing.
Whether you are selling bagged cement to small contractors, gypsum plasterboard to fit-out teams, or specialist plaster and jointing compounds to finishing tradespeople, this activity covers the retail sale of cement and gypsum products directly to consumers.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Construction materials specialist, the cement and gypsum shop founder | Entrepreneurs opening a dedicated retail outlet for cement, gypsum board and plastering supplies, serving small contractors, villa builders, renovators and fit-out teams. |
| Online building supplies seller, the digital storefront operator | Sellers building e-commerce platforms for bagged cement, gypsum boards, jointing compounds and plastering accessories, reaching homeowners, tradespeople and small contractors. |
| Neighbourhood supplies brand, the contractor's regular stop | Founders building a local building supplies presence that becomes the go-to source for cement and gypsum products among tilers, plasterers, partition installers and maintenance crews working residential and light commercial projects. |
4752.30 - Cement & Gypsum Trading
Under this activity, you can run a specialised retail business selling cement and gypsum products directly to consumers, from small contractors and fit-out specialists to homeowners, tilers, plasterers and property maintenance teams sourcing materials for construction, renovation and finishing work.
There's one boundary to note. This activity covers the retail sale of cement and gypsum products only.
It does not cover the wholesale or manufacture of cement and gypsum, which fall under separate activity classifications.
In short: if you are selling cement and gypsum products directly to consumers, this is your activity. If you are wholesaling or manufacturing cement and gypsum, those fall under a separate scope.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Cement products | Retail of bagged Portland cement, white cement, rapid-set cement, masonry cement and ready-mix cement bags sold to small contractors, tilers and homeowners for construction, repair and tiling work Open a specialist cement retail outlet serving small contractors, tilers and homeowners sourcing bagged cement for residential construction, extension and repair projects UAE CONTEXT The UAE is the world's largest exporter of limestone, a key cement input, and local manufacturers such as Sharjah Cement reported a 12 percent year-on-year revenue increase in H1 2024, reflecting sustained construction demand. |
| Gypsum boards and plasterboard | Retail of gypsum plasterboard sheets, moisture-resistant boards, fire-resistant boards and ceiling boards used in partition walls, ceilings, cladding and interior fit-out applications Run a dedicated gypsum board retail store catering to partition installers, ceiling contractors, fit-out teams and property developers sourcing plasterboard for interior construction UAE CONTEXT Saint-Gobain Gyproc operates from Abu Dhabi and has supplied gypsum products to major UAE projects including the Dubai Metro, Palm Jumeirah and Masdar Institute, anchoring the premium end of the market. |
| Gypsum plaster and finishing compounds | Retail of gypsum plaster, skimming compounds, jointing tapes, corner beads, setting compounds and finishing accessories used to complete plasterboard installations and surface finishing Operate a retail store or online storefront supplying plastering and finishing compounds to tradespeople completing gypsum board installations, skim-coating walls and preparing surfaces for paint FAMOUS UAE CEMENT AND GYPSUM RETAILERS Dragon Mart (Nakheel Malls), Danube Building Materials, Al-Futtaim ACE, Speedex, RAK Ceramics showrooms and specialist building materials retailers across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are among the established retail channels serving UAE customers. |
Third-Party Approval
No third-party approval is required for this business activity.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ IMARC Group, UAE Cement Market Size, Share, Trends & Forecast to 2033. https://www.imarcgroup.com/uae-cement-market
- ² Grand View Research, UAE Gypsum Board Market Size & Outlook, 2023–2030. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/gypsum-board-market/uae
- ³ Mordor Intelligence, UAE Construction Market Size, Share, 2030 Growth Report. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/uae-construction-market
