<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2022/03/10/uaes-nimr-teams-up-with-saudi-defence-company-sami-to-make-military-vehicles/" target="_blank">Defence conglomerate Edge</a> has bought a majority stake in Abu Dhabi-based Gradeone, as it <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2023/02/15/uaes-edge-buys-majority-stake-in-estonias-milrem-robotics/" target="_blank">continues to expand its portfolio.</a> Gradeone, which specialises in manufacturing non-lethal pyrotechnics, ammunition, defence-related components, packing solutions and defence trading, will become a new entity under Edge's trading and mission support cluster, the company said on Friday. The total value of the deal was not disclosed. Gradeone also makes sporting and hunting equipment, supplies and accessories. “Incorporating Gradeone into the group is an advantageous and logical decision for both companies, allowing Edge to further perfect our solutions, both in military and safety service domains," said Mansour AlMulla, managing director and chief executive of Edge. The deal also “reinforces Edge’s strategy of developing successful partnerships, broadening our own supply chain and trading capabilities in the long-term", he said. Set up in 2019, Edge specialises in building advanced technology for weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare, with more than 25 companies under its umbrella. The group has been expanding its portfolio as the UAE, the Arab world’s second-largest economy, focuses on boosting its local defence manufacturing capabilities and diversifying its economy away from oil. Earlier this week, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2022/06/21/moiat-edb-and-edge-sign-agreement-to-boost-manufacturing-in-defence/">Edge</a> said it acquired a majority stake in Estonia's Milrem Robotics to develop <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2022/06/21/moiat-edb-and-edge-sign-agreement-to-boost-manufacturing-in-defence/">capabilities in robotics </a>and autonomous systems in line with the UAE's expanding manufacturing sector. The Tallinn-based company specialises in the development of intelligent unmanned ground vehicles, robotic warfare, concept of operations and warfare analysis. “Joining forces with the group will open new possibilities for mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as help us to improve our capabilities,” said Khalifa Al Ali, managing director of Gradeone. The latest deal comes as the UAE moves ahead with its Operation 300bn strategy, which seeks to increase the contribution of the local industrial sector to the country's gross domestic product to Dh300 billion ($81.68 billion) by 2031, from Dh133 billion in 2021. In June 2022, the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Emirates Development Bank and Edge Group <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/2022/06/21/moiat-edb-and-edge-sign-agreement-to-boost-manufacturing-in-defence/">signed an agreement </a>to boost manufacturing in the defence sector. Under the agreement, EDB will provide financing of up to Dh1 billion to accelerate the industrialisation of Edge’s offerings, while the ministry will support Edge to expand global exports of more than 40 domestically-manufactured products and services.