Dubai: Logistics company DHL announced on Thursday its new Dh100 million ground operations facility in Dubai — the largest in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.
The facility, which is expected to open in the third quarter of 2014, will deliver faster and more reliable service, according to Frank-Uwe Ungerer, country manager for DHL Express UAE, adding that the project will contribute to the UAE’s economic growth.
The new facility’s four centralized areas will improve transit shipment times, he continued.
These four areas include DHL’s 46, 648 square foot new head office; a 78,285 square foot indoor sorting and loading section; automated handling equipment; as well as communication technology systems. The facility covers 185,844 square feet.
“We will have the opportunity to deliver earlier and we will have the opportunity to pick up later,” he said.
“If we give a customer a couple of more minutes in the evening when we pick up his shipments later, and if we give him a couple of more minutes in the morning to deliver earlier, that’s the benefit they are looking for,” he added.
The facility, which marks the partnership of DHL with Meydan, will be located within Meydan’s Racehorse district.
Pointing to the importance of the facility on Meydan’s grounds, Mohammad Al Khayat, head of commercial and freezone at Meydan, said: “Our objective is to attract international and well-recognized corporations and organizations to be part of this unique development.”
With the new facility, DHL will have “40 per cent extra capacity at the airport,” said Derek Tully, operations manager at DHL, adding that it will be strategically placed between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.
The facility is expected to meet DHL’s strong growth and high volumes. “What this facility offers for us is the opportunity to expand for up to 20 years, so we will not be constrained by our growth…we are investing in our future,” he said.
DHL, which has over 50 per cent market share, grew 9.3 per cent in global operations last year and achieved double digit growth in Mena, he added.
Sarah Algethami is a trainee at Gulf News.
