Historic Haditha stone factory reopens after 20-year closure, boosting local industry

HADITHA — After more than 20 years of closure, the historic Hajlan Stone Factory in Anbar’s Haditha district has resumed production, revitalizing local industry and supplying sought-after Iraqi stone for construction projects across the country.

Originally established by businessman Jamshir Yassin al-Asadi under the Galala Construction Industries group, the factory shut down in 2003. Following extensive rehabilitation, it is now producing high-grade white limestone from the Hajlan Valley quarries, a material valued for its strength, purity and ability to insulate homes from heat.

“We’re now operating the Hajlan Stone Factory, part of Galala Group,” said factory manager Adnan Omar. “It was relaunched after being shut down since 2003. The facility was re-equipped, and we secured large quantities of natural limestone from the Hajlan quarry. Our product meets high standards and is suitable for both official buildings and private homes.”

The factory currently produces more than 500 square meters of cut stone daily and aims to expand further. At its peak before the shutdown, it employed 160 workers. Today, 60 workers from Haditha and surrounding areas are employed, with plans to hire more. New product lines are in development, including tile and mosaic materials.

The Hajlan plant is part of a broader Galala Group portfolio that includes residential developments such as the Salam complex in Diwaniyah, designed in the same style as the Ashti complex in Erbil, as well as construction projects from Erbil to Basra.

Haditha District Commissioner Abbas Hussein Farhan told 964media that the local administration worked directly with the company to bring the factory back online.

“We met with the factory owner in Erbil and agreed on a plan to rehabilitate the plant, which had been closed since 2003. Our goal is to support the private sector and reduce unemployment,” he said.

Farhan said the main challenges were sourcing raw materials and restoring machinery that had been idle for two decades. “We coordinated with the Hajlan municipality to secure the quarry and sent a technical team from Erbil to assess and restart the plant. After a year of work, production resumed with materials tested in certified labs.”

Limestone from the Hajlan Valley is known for its quality. “This is the best limestone in the region,” said quarry production manager Issam Mohammed Farhan. “It’s bright white, solid, and free of large pores.”

Ali Jamshir, the authorized representative of Galala, said the company was founded in 1976 and acquired the factory from the government in 1986 after it was privatized.

“We stopped work after 2003 but relaunched this year with support from Minister Khalid Battal Najm and Haditha Commissioner Abbas Farhan,” he said.

The plant can accommodate up to 300 workers and relies on stone used in Iraqi buildings since the 1980s. “We’re upgrading machinery to expand production and reduce reliance on imports,” Jamshir said. “We hope for support from the Prime Minister and Minister of Industry to stop importing similar products and back Iraqi-made materials.”

Project Director Bashir Ismail Hamed told 964media, “We hope to see our stone on the façades of Iraqi homes and institutions once again soon.”