At the end of 2025, the Industry Association of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) shared the main management data of the year, highlighting the contribution of industrial sector to the economic dynamismas well as the actions developed in coordination with the authorities and other actors in the productive system.
As an indicator of the behavior of manufacturing activity, the Monthly Manufacturing Activity Index (IMAM) registered in November 59.42 pointsconsistently being above the threshold of 50 that indicates expansion of the sector.
This result reflects a favorable evolution on key variables such as productionsales and employment during the close of the year.
“During the year 2025, the industrial sector maintained sustained performance, contributing significantly to the job creation formal, to the strengthening of productive chains and the dynamism of domestic marketconsolidating itself as one of the pillars of national economic activity,” the institution highlighted in a press release.
Looking ahead to 2026, the AIRD maintains an institutional agenda aimed at the continuity of the regulatory dialogue, the consolidation of the progress achieved during 2025 and the strengthening of formality, productivity and competitiveness of the industrial sector.
The union assumes the commitment to maintain investments in the country during the new year and to promote the generation of quality jobs in the industrial sector. Likewise, it will continue to focus on firmly supporting the Meta 2036 initiative as a clear example of its confidence in public-private partnerships in the country.
Fair competition and institutional strengthening
During the course of this year, the AIRD held a firm position on defense of the fair competition and the production national, promoting respect for the rules of the game and the legitimate use of the institutional mechanisms available for the protection of the formal market.
In this context, the union positively valued the actions led by the Ministry of IndustryCommerce and MSMEs (MICM), in coordination with other institutions of the State and the productive sectoraimed at preventing, prosecuting and punishing illicit tradea practice that distorts the market and directly affects the industry formal.
According to official information, in recent four years The country has achieved the seizure of more than 160 million units of illegal productsmainly linked to industrial sectors such as alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, medicines and other consumer goods, as well as obtaining 50 convictions in processes associated with these practices.
These actions have also contributed to the Dominican Republic accumulating more than four years consecutive without victims associated with the consumption of adulterated alcoholreflecting the strengthening of the control mechanismsinspection and traceability in sensitive markets for industry national.
The AIRD He also highlighted the implementation of technological tools of fiscal control and traceabilityapplied to regulated products such as alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, which allow each unit to be identified from its origin to its final commercialization, strengthening the formalitycollections and consumer protection.
As a result of these efforts, the country has improved its international positioning in this matter, placing it in the rank 50 of 158 countries in the 2025 Illicit Trade Index, surpassing larger economies in the region and reaffirming the effectiveness of the public-private coordination model adopted.
Defense of the production national within the legal framework
In matters of defense commercial, the AIRD reiterated its support for companies that make use of the instruments provided for in national legislation and international agreements for the protection of production local, underlining the importance of these processes being developed in accordance with due process and under technical criteria.
The union reaffirmed its confidence in the country’s institutions and in the role of bodies such as the Trade Defense Commission (CDC), highlighting that these mechanisms guarantee objective decisions and transparent, in favor of a fair competition and predictable.
Structural elements of competitiveness
During the year, the AIRD maintained an active participation in the spaces of dialogue linked to the main elements that affect the industrial competitiveness.
Among them, he highlighted the discussions related to updating the labor legal frameworkapproached from a perspective oriented to formality and the productivityas well as the cost and stability of the electrical service, determining variables in the cost structure of the sector.
In matters of labeledthe union maintained that strengthening compliance with the current regulations constitutes the basis for any regulatory discussion on the subject, emphasizing the need for the rules to be applied on equal terms to both domestic and imported products, in order to avoid distortions in the market and adequately protect the consumer.
Productive chains and domestic market
During 2025, the AIRD continued to promote the strengthening of productive chains between the local industryhe tourism sector and free zones, as a mechanism to expand the participation of the production national in different markets and generate greater added value.
Likewise, the union highlighted the role of public purchaseswithin the current legal framework, as a tool to boost the production national and strengthen the domestic marketcontributing to greater articulation of the productive apparatus.
Waste management and sustainability
Responsible waste management and circular economy were a central part of the work developed by the AIRD during the year 2025.
Throughout the year, the union promoted initiatives aimed at the effective implementation of the Law 225-20 about Comprehensive Management and Co-processing of Solid Waste.
He also actively participated in national forums and international on circular economyincluding spaces for technical exchange where the challenges of the Extended Responsibility of Producer (REP) and best practices for its application in the industrial sector.
Also, it publicly shared its recommendations during the process of modifying the aforementioned legal framework, which led to the entry into force of the Law 98-25 and on which there are still several pending technical aspects.
Likewise, the AIRD strengthened its joint work with New Life for Waste (NUVI) and other entities, promoting training programsworkshops and technical support aimed at preparing companies for an orderly transition towards business models. production more sustainable.
