Event
Panalpina opens logistics manufacturing hub in Dubai South The centre is the largest logistics and manufacturing facility in the world for the Swissheadquartered Panalpina Group, one of the leading providers of supply chain solutions Switzerland-headquartered Panalpina officially opened the company’s new logistics manufacturing hub in Dubai South, spread across an area of 4ha. The facility was opened in the presence of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airlines and Group, and chairman, Dubai Aviation City Corporation, and HE Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman, Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South. Others present at the event included Ahmed Al Ansari, acting CEO, Dubai South; Stefan Karlen, CEO, Panalpina Group; Pascal Sieber, Panalpina country managing director UAE; and Mike Wilson, global head of logistics and manufacturing at Panalpina. Speaking on the occasion, HE Zaffin said: “Congratulations to Panalpina on the opening of their new facility. Panalpina will always hold a special place in the history of Dubai South. One of the early adopters to believe and invest in our vision, it was the first partner to break ground at Dubai South. Almost a decade later, the company has leveraged our excellent connectivity and worldclass infrastructure, thus enhancing its ability
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to harness the region’s growth potential. “The new facility not only represents our long-standing relationship with Panalpina, but highlights our commitment to providing integrated solutions for global logistics providers. At Dubai South, we are building the world’s first master-planned aerotropolis, offering global industry leaders, such as Panalpina, a multimodal logistics platform that allows for seamless air-land-sea connectivity and world-class infrastructure.” Speaking during the event, Stefan Karlen, CEO, Panalpina Group, said: “Panalpina is taking advantage of its global network and footprint to expand its logistics offering for its customers here in Dubai; from last minute logistics manufacturing services to modular assemblies. By embedding logistics manufacturing hubs close to our customers’ end-users, we are able to move products in from different regions and with the access to an unparalleled multimodal distribution network, we can then move these products out faster, and thus better serve both the current and future needs for all our customers. We will look forward to working with local universities, colleges, and au-
thorities such as Dubai South to assist us in attracting talented people to join our company.” The new facility is Dubai South’s second built-to-suit product delivery, and is a fully air conditioned Grade A facility. The building has three partitioned sections, allowing for customer privacy, including a dust-free environment repair room, fully equipped with anti-static flooring, specialised lighting and temperature, and humidity control. The repair room will accommodate the hi-tech mobile phone, tablet, laptop, games console, diagnostics and repair operations, while the logistics manufacturing services area has special lighting and electrical supply points to accommodate the specific operations. The logistics industry is undergoing tremendous change, with some logistics companies providing value-added services. Leading the change, Panalpina’s Logistics Manufacturing Services (LMS) is the company’s response to a swiftly changing global manufacturing and supply chain landscape, where speed to market, product customisation, and the influence of the end consumer are of paramount importance. The company’s move towards
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