Business & Money | Tuesday 12 February, 2019 4:22 pm |

DHL, the leading global express and logistics provider, has opened the doors to its newest state-of-the-art logistics facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The ceremony was attended by DHL Express Global CEO John Pearson, DHL Express MENA CEO Nour Suliman, and DHL KSA Country Manager Faysal ElHajjami, as well as esteemed VIPs, prominent members of the business community, DHL customers, and media representatives.

John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express Global, said on this important occasion: "We are very proud to expand DHL's presence and to add another logistics facility to our extensive infrastructure portfolio in this part of the world. Growth and quality are the cornerstones of our global strategy, with MENA playing a significant role in our global network as this region has delivered great performance year after year. Over the past four decades, DHL has been committed to strengthening the region's connectivity to the global market, giving our customers access to high yield markets, facilitating commerce and supporting MENA's development into a central logistics center. Our investment will enable even better connectivity between Saudi Arabia and the world, and will help support the growth of our customers through the ongoing boom in cross-border trade.”

DHL’s newly built US$30.5 Million logistics centre, located in the Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, comes in line with DHL’s regional expansion strategy that has seen the company invest over US$170 Million in infrastructure developments across the MENA region in the last five years, to enhance its reach and logistics capabilities and meet the growing logistics demands of its local and regional customers for faster transit times and better network reliability.

The company’s new milestone investment in Saudi Arabia will strengthen DHL’s operational capabilities in the country and enhance its competitive advantage as a result of the facility’s strategic location, state-of-the-art features, technological capabilities and best-in-class handling processes. 

The new facility which has been designed and built in accordance with the Transport Asset Protection Association (TAPA) specifications for optimum shipment security, functions as a ground operations facility and strategic parts centre, housing the Eastern Province Regional  Office, Service Center and Strategic Parts Center. It features a high-tech region-wide distribution centre serving 5000 customers with 2,400 shipments per hour (inbound and outbound).

Commenting on DHL’s new investment in Saudi Arabia, Nour Suliman, DHL Express CEO Middle East and North Africa, said, “It is a great moment for the company to be inaugurating its strategic new state-of-the-art facility in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, which will definitely meet the needs of the surging business activity and fulfill customer demands across the region as we expand to serve our customers with improved speed and operational efficiency. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important market for us and we have continued to invest in the region’s biggest economy to make the most of the market’s potential by bettering DHL’s capacities, technologies, flight frequencies and customs clearance competencies.”

Adding his comments, Faysal ElHajjami, DHL Express KSA Country General Manager, said: “The Kingdom’s Eastern province is of huge strategic importance to DHL KSA and our multi-million dollar investment in the new regional facility will ensure that we keep ahead of the dynamic market expansion that is taking place as the nation gears up to put the National Transformation Plan into effect. Furthermore, our technologically advanced logistics services will greatly enhance business efficiency across the whole nation, enabling us to fulfill our commitment to contributing to the successful realization of Vision 2030.”

DHL’s new Consolidated Eastern Province facility covers an area of 21,272 sqm of which 10,527 sqm are built-up area and includes:

·      A Country Office with 440 seating positions over five office floors.

·      Logistics fulfilment and storage center across two floors supporting tailored logistics solutions.           

·      TAPA certified facility, employing latest technology dual-view x-ray screening machine.

·      CCTV equipped with 120 IP cameras covering the building and process flows fully – all connected to the main control room.

·      Sensitive fire and smoke alarm detection systems and water sprinkler fire suppression systems installed in all areas, and all critical areas such as the server and electrical rooms fitted with Novak fire suppression systems.

·      Direct PUD vehicle loading facilities available for efficient handling.

·      Province-wide distribution automated bi-directional conveyor system featuring in-line, license-for-trade camera weight and volumetric measuring capability to handle up to 57,600 shipments a day.

·      Three PUD conveyor lines supporting sortation to 52 courier positions simultaneously.

 

DHL has pioneered the Middle East logistics industry for over 40 years, and is the leading regional express and logistics partner with over 50% of the region’s international share. The company has strong presence across 19 countries in the MENA, with over 160 dedicated weekly flights, approximately 1,900 vehicles and a staff count of 5700 employees. Through innovation, service excellence and commitment, DHL continues to offer customers superior logistics solutions.