17
September
2007
|
07:45
Europe/Berlin

New facility to become its Middle East logistics hub

Kuehne + Nagel, one of the world’s leading logistics companies, has begun construction of its state-of-the-art facility in Dubai Logistics City (DLC), set to become the world’s largest supply chain community within Dubai World Central (DWC) - the huge city-within-a-city taking shape at Jebel Ali in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The facility, for which Kuehne + Nagel has leased 52,000 square metres of land on a long-term basis, paves the way for the development of the company's Dubai base into the principal Kuehne + Nagel distribution hub for the Middle East.

An official cornerstone laying ceremony was held in the presence of key executives from Kuehne + Nagel corporate, regional and national management along with Michael Proffitt, DLC CEO.

Werner Kleymann, Regional Manager of Kuehne + Nagel Middle East said: "Kuehne + Nagel is aligning its activities to meet the dynamic Middle East logistics market requirements. At the heart of this development will be our new integrated facility in DLC, which will provide us with the perfect conditions to push and leverage our growth targets. Ultimately, our objective is to become one of the region's top five contract logistics providers."

The new facility will become operational mid next year upon completion of the first phase of construction, featuring 17,000 square metres of warehouse space - with the option to expand to a total of 30,000 square metres. The new facility will complement the company's existing 16,000 square metre logistics terminal in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Phase one of the new facility will be equipped with temperature controlled VNA (very narrow aisle) racking and conventional ambient racking. Total capacity will exceed 20,000 pallet locations, with over 5,000 square metres of handling area for value added services like kitting and final assembly activities. The building will offer a modern shared logistics environment for customers across different industries. Special security requirements as well as dedicated storage and handling equipment for customers from the high tech and pharma industries are also implemented in phase one.

"DLC's unique value proposition will begin to bear fruit through Kuehne + Nagel's operations in 2008. Kuehne + Nagel will witness first-hand the efficiency of the DLC multi-modal approach," commented Proffitt after the official cornerstone laying ceremony.

Representatives from Kuehne + Nagel also handed over Award Certificates and a token of appreciation to Michael Proffitt (DLC) and Usama Saleh (DWC) for their highly effective cooperation toward the ongoing project.

 

About Dubai World Central:

Dubai World Central (DWC) is a 140 square kilometre urban aviation community centred around the world's largest international airport. Currently being built 40 kilometres from the existing Dubai International Airport the project is almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island.

DWC creates a new benchmark in urban planning and destination living designed to support Dubai's aviation, tourism, commercial and logistics requirements until 2050 and represents one of the most important developments in the history of the United Arab Emirates.

Eventually home to 900,000 people, DWC will be true ‘city-within-a-city' with all the amenities that make up a world-class residential destination.

DWC, with infrastructure costs estimated at US $33 billion, comprises six specialized clustered zones: Dubai World Central International Airport (JXB), Dubai Logistics City (DLC), DWC Commercial City, DWC Residential City, DWC Aviation City and DWC Golf City.

DWC is backed by the Government of Dubai and is chaired by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Aviation Corporation - Dubai World Central, Government of Dubai.

DLC will be part of the world's first truly integrated multi-modal logistics platform in a single-bonded free zone environment made up of DLC, JXB, Aviation City and Jebel Ali Port. It is designed as the region's unchallenged logistics hub catering to some two billion people throughout the Middle East, Indian Sub-continent, Africa and the CIS, all within three-to-four hours flying time from Dubai.