Global Supply Chain December 2022 Issue

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DRIVE THE NEW WAY

NEW IVECO T-WAY: HIGH PRODUCTIVITY AND SAFETY ON OFF-ROAD TERRAINS

With a complete line-up of AWD and PWD versions and the the 16-speed HI-TRONIX automated gearbox, the IVECO T-WAY features a host of functionalities such as Rocking Mode, Off-road Mode, Creeping Mode and 4 reverse gears to tackle with ease the toughest off-road conditions. The new architecture of the EBS system, combined with disc brakes on all wheels, greatly improves the vehicle’s performance and the driver’s safety in the most demanding applications.

NEW IVECO S-WAY: HIGH TECHNOLOGY AND EFFICIENCY FOR ON-ROAD MISSIONS

The new IVECO S-WAY, with a completely redesigned and reinforced cab, offers a wide choice of Euro III/V diesel engines, a delivering class-leading power from 360 HP to 560 HP Euro III / 570 HP Euro V and superior fuel-saving devices, such as anti-idling feature, Ecoswitch, Ecoroll and Smart Alternator. 12-speed HI-TRONIX automated transmission with the most advanced technology in its category, electronic clutch and best-in-class torque-to-weight ratio.

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Distributed by Tawseel Distribution & Logistics – Dubai

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LSPs demonstrate remarkable resilience

Having examined several logistics, technology, and automation service providers at the height of and then post Covid-19 phases, it has become abundantly clear to make that many of them have reinvented themselves, initiated innovation, modernized and transformed themselves in the wake of the prolonged pandemic era! With expected changes in the industry landscape, new paradigm shifts and increasing use of terminologies, a wave of transformation is sweeping the logistics and supply chain to reflect new realities, revamp and remake.

We are thus witnessing increasing gravitation of companies towards e-Commerce, retail, the Pharma Chain and Pharma distribution—all thriving sectors in a pandemic world. These companies have pursued new vistas and sought new opportunities in new ventures!

This was evident in what I can characterize as our ‘annual stockholding’ for automation and technology giant SSI SCHAEFER. The company constitutes the cover story for this month’s edition, and we are thankful to Carsten Spiegelberg Managing Director, Middle East & Africa and India, for responding to our rather lengthy questionnaire.

It is clear that SSI SCHAEFER is making inroads in the e-Commerce, pharma and perfume segments, a tribute and testimony to the company’s spirit and flexibility.

We also have exclusives with Salam Sinno, Strategic Sales Director –Healthcare, Middle East & South Asia, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and Bahattin Topcu, Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Ford Trucks, in this edition

Cynbersecurity titan Acronis hosted its well-attended annual #CyberFit Summit 2022 at the glitzy Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, Florida USA. There were over 400 top-level delegates present at this mega event and Global Supply Chain was one of only two media from the Middle East invited to this prestigious event.

The meet was addressed by a galaxy of eminent speakers including Patrick Pulvermueller, CEO, Acronis, with keynote addresses delivered by Judge Louis Freeh, the former FBI Director, and currently Vice Chair and Managing Director, AlixPartners, and Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Basketball legend and entrepreneur. We have a report.

Mea culpa! I apologize for an oversight where we inadvertently mentioned the date of the holding of the 35th AGM of the National Association of Freight & Logistics (NAFL) as 27 November 2022 in our previous (November) edition. That clearly should have been Thursday, 27 October 2022. The error is regretted.

Add to this our regular repertoire of news, features, profiles, business analyses, and useful content all of which are well encapsulated and curated to make for stimulating reading!

Happy reading!

Malcolm

Dias Editor, malcolm@signaturemediame.com

A resurgent SSI SCHAEFER savours the sweet scent of success

The logistics titan emerges resilient post Covid, doubling down on ingenious technologies and cutting-edge automation

Following its lead in innovation and its total commitment to and involvement in intralogistics, SSI SCHAEFER stellar performance bears testimony to its leadership role and the confidence reposed by its growing clientele. Now the revitalized company has made major inroads in the pharmaceutical, perfumery and mass consumer products.

More than eight decades ago, the firm foundation was laid for the SSI SCHAEFER Group in its native Germany opening new vistas and reshaping the future of the logistics and supply chain industry.

SSI SCHAEFER’s pre-eminent products are omni present across the globe, providing efficient and competent solutions for all of the customers’ requirements. The company is one of the world’s largest full-range suppliers and component manufacturers. Its portfolio encompasses logistics systems, storage and conveyor systems, workstations, logistics software along with waste engineering, and recycling.

The SSI SCHAEFER Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of storage and logistics systems. The company maintains an excellent international position with five competence centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland along with numerous production facilities and a total of more than 70 branches worldwide.

In an exclusive and expansive interview with Global Supply Chain, Carsten Spiegelberg Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, SSI SCHAEFER, held forth on wide-ranging issues related to the company, how the company was able to overcome and buck the trend during the pandemic; its

forays in the pharma and fmcg sector in the region’ case study narratives and his vision and road-map for the future.

Global Supply Chain (GSC): Briefly, what are key takeaways / broad observations / general comment of the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic from the SSI SCHAEFER corporate perspective? Carsten Spiegelberg (CS): The Corona pandemic has accelerated the boom in e-commerce, not only in the generic e-commerce and online retail but also the online ordering of healthcare products, OTC (over the counter) and prescriptions drug alike. This has a major impact on logistics (same day delivery) and leads to an increasing demand for automation solutions. Now, new challenges for warehousing and material handling are steadily emerging.

To be able to process e-commerce orders quickly and efficiently in tandem with stationary businesses, companies have been increasingly relying on distribution centres and omnichannel order fulfilment centres for years. Scalable, highly flexible systems with a customized degree of automation are in demand, turnkey from a single source and upgradeable and expandable at any time, including software and after sales services.

In this environment, SSI SCHAEFER stands by small, medium-sized, and large companies as an intralogistics partner with many years of experience and supports them with modular, scalable and sustainable solutions and services for specific e-commerce and omnichannel requirements.

GSC: How is the onset of the pandemic impacting your regional and global operations?

CS: We live in uncertain times of pandemic and wars, which from a macroeconomic perspective are leading to supply chain disruptions, increased raw material prices, or shortage of particular electronic parts and other factors, thus heavily influencing both production and implementation of automated intralogistics warehouse devices and installations.

Dealing with such crises seems to become the ‘new normal’ - that is, companies need to become more flexible to be able to react quickly to changing conditions.

With our broad scope of supply of manual, partially and fully automated systems, logistics software and customer services, we at SSI SCHAEFER cover a highly complex value chain of intralogistics. This includes, among other things, metal working and processing, plant engineering

with all electrics, electronics, machine control and software, and very many process steps in between.

As a result, we are broadly affected by the current supply situation, but we have the advantage that we can move comparatively flexibly in this market thanks to our decades of expertise and have so far largely been able to keep our delivery promises to the customer.

Fortunately, for many years we have relied on clear production planning systems and regular coordination between the units to keep and implement our promises to our customers.

Now we are seeing the value of these costly coordination programmes. If we hadn’t practiced this for years, we would have major problems meeting customer expectations and delivery schedules, as many other companies do today.

We need to ensure that we can manage our supply chains and carefully balance their benefits and risks. A ‘global at any cost’ procurement strategy is often not the most cost-effective solution. Especially in the current times, it is evident that a company is often more resistant to crises if its supply chains are not too wide-ranging.

Especially since the latest developments in freight costs put the calculations for sourcing from Asia in a different light. In some cases, we are also seeing customers bringing production back to Europe because, on the one hand, costing allows it and, on the other, sustainability is now more than just a marketing slogan.

GSC: Tell us about the SSI SCHAEFER footprint in the Pharma sector? What broadly is your contribution?

CS: Our approach to any client’s request is to think in terms of complete system solutions, we want to give way for growth, this is what I think is the main contribution SSI SCHAEFER has to offer to their clients’ success story.

The pharma and cosmetics sector has seen a stable growth trajectory even before the pandemic and I think the best word to describe the domain is “agility”. The retailers and manufacturers must constantly re-think their operations and strategies in order to

meet the market requirements. This has a cascade effect on how we approach a client’s challenge.

In addition to fast order processing for same-day or next-day delivery and covering order peaks, zero error tolerance and complete item tracking have top priority in the healthcare sector to ensure essential client satisfaction. These requirements pose challenges for the intralogistics of manufacturers and distributors.

SSI SCHAEFER has a broad range of products and solutions covering the entire internal material flow and we are continuously expanding this range to adapt to changing markets and requirements. These products then form the foundation for system solutions specifically developed to meet individual requirements more effectively, efficiently, and sustainably.

for a dry warehouse, adding 25.000 pallet positions to the site.

The facility serves as one of the largest healthcare storage hubs in the region and beyond, incorporating eight configurable cold chambers each capable of storing pharmaceutical products at temperatures from +25°C down to -26°C.

The hub houses Covid-19 vaccines used in the UAE’s vaccination programme and has also facilitated the storage and distribution of over 260 million vaccine doses to over 60 countries around the globe through the HOPE Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-led public private partnership which AD Ports Group is a founding member of. The facility can hold over 120 million vaccines at any time, positioning it as the core product storage and distribution center in the fight against the pandemic.

Founded in 1982 in the UAE, Al Khayyat Investments (AKI) is a family-owned conglomerate regarded as a pioneer in several industries in the Middle East, delivering profitable partnerships through specialized industry expertise.

GSC: Enumerate (briefly) one or two possible case studies (as a case in point) to highlight your enhanced role for your foray in the pharma segment?

CS: Our goal at SSI SCHAEFER is to assist our customers to improve their business performance, through intelligent processes. In 2020, when AD Ports Group’s Logistics Cluster was developing its cold and ultracold healthcare storage and distribution hub in KIZAD, SSI SCHAEFER supported their logistics demands through an in-house designed, state-of-the-art storage system. For the 19.000sqm hub, SSI SCHAEFER manufactured and delivered Interlock 600 VNA wire guided pallet racking system,

AKI enjoys sustained growth across multiple sectors, including Distribution, Retail, Healthcare, Contracting, Fitness & Leisure, and Automotive. Being one of the fastest growing pharmaceuticals, medical, and consumer distributor in the region, AKI handles specialty products, prescription drugs, OTC, skincare products, and is a leading supplier of hi-tech medical equipment in the UAE, frequently being the first to introduce cutting-edge products to the market.

AKI implemented a versatile LS600 mezzanine system that provides both storage area and a working surface. It installed a 3-level mezzanine that provides high-density storage for various SKUs, while utilizing the available plot size and height of the warehouse.

The project’s target was to find a system that allows AKI to run a highly efficient operation and deliver on their business priorities, all while optimizing its facility space for maximum storage capacity. The ability to meet all these objectives were among the reasons why AKI worked with SSI SCHAEFER MEA on this project.

“For the 17 years old Dubai-based company we implemented a zone routing conveyor system with pick by light technology, which serves a warehouse of about 8,000 sqm holding more than 15,000 SKUs.”

SSI SCHAEFER has extensive knowhow and innovative technologies for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic supply chain. This includes manual as well as semiautomated and fully automated solutions.

When the perfume and cosmetics wholesaler Perfume Unlimited LLC needed a system that would cater to their growing demands of the current market, as well as supporting future volumes, they approached SSI SCHAEFER for a tailor-made plan to provide an omni-channel solution for bulk and e-commerce order processing.

For the 17 years old Dubai-based company we implemented a zone routing conveyor system with pick by light technology, which serves a warehouse of about 8,000 sqm holding more than 15,000 SKUs. This is a total system solution consisting of heavy-duty pallet plus box picking solution connected to a mezzanine with a semi- automated piece picking system.

GSC: Why is the pharma sector of interest to SSI SCHAEFER and what potential growth prospects do you foresee?

CS: Fragile products, complete implementation and complex conditions place high demands on intralogistics operations for both manufactures and distributors within the Healthcare & Cosmetics industry.

Declining inventory levels mean an increase in frequent deliveries – even with small volumes. Quick delivery expectations as well as a significant increase in online business, further increase pressure within the logistics chain. The Healthcare industry expects maximum reliability, security, and extremely high picking performance at peak times.

With over 40 years of experience in pharma distribution, SSI SCHAEFER is well positioned to tackle the challenges that come with high customer requirements, order peaks caused by multiple orders per day, diversity in product

shapes, need for differentiation between OTC and prescription goods and complete traceability for quality assurance and security, validation and certification of software solutions (GDP, GMP) and the integration of value-added services and batch picking and sorting for mail order pharmacies.

GSC: What are the critical points of a warehouse for pharmaceuticals and why are they vital?

CS: Very short throughput times are required from order receipt to delivery, which means that fast and efficient order picking must be guaranteed. Systems should also be designed so that, in addition to normal picking operations, they can also cover enormous order peaks within a day.

Due to the legal requirements of local administrations and guidelines, processes must also be guaranteed that enable complete traceability in warehousing, order

Following a new office opening this year, the material handling system expert continues to build on its strategy of providing the most reliable and accessible warehouse logistics solutions to the market.

SSI SCHAEFER appointed a new Managing Director with a proven track record to drive the company’s growth and direction.

The new Managing Director, Carsten Spiegelberg will take up the role with immediate effect and will focus on further developing and expanding SSI SCHAEFER’s state-of-the-art warehouse logistics solutions and cutting-edge technology to meet the requirements of MEA’s market.

Carsten brings with him a wealth of international experience in warehouse Logistics Automation and Infrastructure, gained from over 20 years of managing the business in ASEAN region, Australia, and the Middle East. His insights include

technology development, sales and marketing, business development, project, and asset management.

“I am very excited to join such a competent and capable team in Middle East & Africa, to play a key part in shaping and delivering our new strategic priorities for the years ahead. SSI SCHAEFER has been very successful in combining German Technology with the needs of the local market and has become a frontrunner in Intralogistics.” observed Carsten on his appointment.

Carsten Spiegelberg joined SSI SCHAEFER Singapore in March 2000 and has contributed to many successes in the Automation business in APAC and MEA. He started as a Regional Manager in the region and was the cornerstone in the setting up of the KLS factory in Malaysia and multiple Automation Teams in the area.

Carsten Spiegelberg had been appointed the new Managing Director of SSI SCHAEFER

Middle East & Africa earlier this year

“I am very excited to join such a competent and capable team in Middle East & Africa, to play a key part in shaping and delivering our new strategic priorities for the years ahead. SSI SCHAEFER has been very successful in combining German Technology with the needs of the local market and has become a frontrunner in Intralogistics.”

picking and delivery. Compliance with the legal requirements for tracking & tracing guarantees the necessary patient safety and can make up the decisive competitive advantage.

At SSI SCHAEFER, we are committed to the topic of safety and offer complete documentation of prescription drugs throughout the entire warehouse. This traceability ensures protection against counterfeiting and ensures the reliability of the supply chain. In addition, quality controls and compliance with certain processes are very important to ensure safety. For example, with separate storage areas for refrigerated items or toxic items.

GSC: Which solutions for tracing within such a warehouse are available from a technical point of view and are practicable for pharmaceuticals?

CS: SSI SCHAEFER offers a comprehensive portfolio of manual to partially and fully automated solutions for capturing serial numbers, batch numbers and expiry dates. In addition to the manual scanning of products using RF picking (radio frequency picking), we offer our ergonomically optimized Advanced Pick Station, a goodsto-person workstation system for picking directly into order containers and boxes with an integrated product scan. The Advanced Pick Station offers high picking performance and can be connected to an automated warehouse.

With the A-Frame, products can be picked automatically and verified in connection with a directly connected Product Verifier.

Each individual item is aligned and recorded from all six sides by highly sensitive cameras. Any reading errors are marked and affected containers are automatically ejected to a control station. The Product Verifier is many times faster than conventional, manual verification and enables seamless tracking and tracing of pharmaceutical items.

SSI SCHAEFER offers a fully automated robotic solution for picking, identification, documentation, and control with a modern piece picking application. The high-performance piece picking robots for automated individual piece picking can be seamlessly integrated into overall logistics systems.

They cover a wide variety of order structures and deliver consistent performance regardless of environmental conditions or ergonomic requirements. Integrated cameras record each individual product and at the same time ensure 100 percent verification.

Automated quality control of customer orders picked manually, partially or fully automatically is carried out with the Order Verifier. In a single step, the items are identified, counted, checked, verified, and documented - regardless of whether it is a cubic or cylindrical shaped item, a blister pack, tube, or bag. As an end-of-pipe solution, the Order Verifier can be easily integrated into existing warehouses.

In addition to tracking & tracing applications, we serve the entire range of manual, partially and fully automated products and systems to meet individual customer requirements with tailor-made solutions.

GSC: How can the three pharmaceutically relevant temperature zones (-25°C, +2°C to +8°C and +15°C to +25°C) be integrated into this system and controlled?

CS: In a classic distribution center for pharmaceuticals, temperatures are above zero. All our systems and solutions for fulfillment, order picking, handling and verification are designed and used for this. In addition, all our storage solutions required for cold room storage are designed and used to work in these particular environments.

GSC: Can customers integrate the SSI SCHAEFER software solutions for controlling the transport and conveyor systems into their own IT structure?

CS: Our software solutions are the backbone of every reliable and flexible warehouse. The standard logistics software WAMAS®, which we developed ourselves, combines all the customer’s intralogistics components into one intelligent system and is a modular solution that can be seamlessly integrated into existing intralogistics. It is the link in the logistics chain from goods receipt to storage and order picking to delivery.

The WAMAS standard software includes a comprehensive range of functions, from warehouse management to the material flow system, and is also compatible with all SSI SCHAEFER components and interfaces to third-party providers. The software enables serial numbers and batches to be traced - which is particularly important for this industry, as well as checking the expiry date and continuity of the cold chain.

With WAMAS® Lighthouse, the customer monitors, controls and optimizes the productivity of the entire system. As a ‘central point of information’, the software solution bundles all the warehouse information and makes it available on the move and in real time in the form of easyto-understand analysis dashboards.

WAMAS Lighthouse is an open system that integrates the data from all existing IT and control systems in an intralogistics facility. Cutting-edge technologies and smart interface concepts enable every connection - from the automation level to the merchandise management system. It is the tool for data collection, integration and visualization and provides employees with the right information.

“With WAMAS® Lighthouse, the customer monitors, controls and optimizes the productivity of the entire system. The software solution bundles all the warehouse information and makes it available on the move and in real time in the form of easy-to-understand analysis dashboards.”

Hellmann’s big and growing imprint in the healthcare industry

The company has carved a distinct niche for itself in the pharma logistics segment

Since its foundation in 1871, Hellmann has developed into one of the largest international logistics providers with an enviable track record. It has now made and consolidated its forays in the healthcare and pharma distribution sectors.

Complying with the stringent and highly demanding norms and regulations required by the UAE Ministry of Health, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has provided temperature and humidity-controlled storage for frozen (-20C) and ambient controlled (15-25C) pharma products. Operating out of the 100,000sqft multi-user Healthcare HUB in Dubai, Hellmann also manages the regional distribution by air, road, and sea to meet customer strategic regional objectives.

Global Supply Chain engaged with Salam

Sinno, Strategic Sales Director – Healthcare, Middle East & South Asia, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, to bring us to current on the latest developments on all things healthcare related, performance, future prospects and new strategies going forward.

GSC: Briefly, what are your broad observations as logistics functions and processes are reset post-pandemic from the Hellmann WL healthcare viewpoint? Salam Sinno (SS): Whilst some countries are still facing lockdowns (notably in the APAC region) within the Middle East & South

Asia we have seen a complete shift back to normality when it comes to air, ocean and road operating solutions.

This has helped to reduce the much higher than normal freight rates, especially in ocean and in airfreight, however due to related war factors in East Europe air capacity is down still by 3% (namely on freighters), but notably air volume/weight is down by around 11%.

In Ocean we are experiencing higher blank sailings from the ocean carriers due to the market volume reduction due to a mixture customer ordering normalization

Salam Sinno, Strategic Sales Director, Healthcare, Middle East & South Asia.

“The future strategy of our customers are supported with solutions that enable Hellmann to be the niche provider of choice for the Healthcare sector.”

and high stocks in warehouses and in 2023 we are also expecting new vessel capacity to also enter the market, however with the higher energy costs being experienced by the manufacturers and also consumers 2023 will be a different scenario now with the upcoming 2023 global financial concerns.

The logistics industry will continue to challenge its resilience level by mapping the full end-to-end supply chain, including distribution facilities and transportation hubs as well as building flexible and agile systems, factoring risk management into all aspects of their decision-making, but ensuring that quality is at the highest level.

GSC: How important is the healthcare business for Hellmann WL?

SS: Healthcare is a vital industry within Hellmann and we consider it one of our top sustainable verticals in our group compared to other industries. Not only does it impact people longevity in life, but also in the humanitarian sector we support bringing relief to people in need.

The Healthcare sector represents approx. 15% of Hellmann global business. Hellmann provides all air, sea, land and warehouse solutions with customer centric customized systems and high levels of training towards GDP (Goods Distribution Practices) standard we focus on creating healthcare specialists within our teams that ensure the needs of our customers are not just met, but the future strategies of our customers are supported with solutions that enable Hellmann to be the niche provider of choice for the Healthcare sector.

GSC: Are you witnessing momentum or seeing a drop or slowing down in your pharma / cold chain operations as the situation inches towards normalcy?

SS: We have witnessed the reduction in PPE and of course covid vaccine transports, however for pharmaceutical and medical devices we see a continued growth in movements due to population growth.

The pandemic has certainly brought forward the greater requirements for customers to extend the regional hubs they have in Dubai and with greater attention to

In 2023 we look forward to an amazing announcement when it comes to greater full end to end solutions to support our customers in the Kingdom by Hellmann

local licensing notably in UAE and Saudi Arabia we are seeing an upward trend in customers requiring direct domestic held stocks due to the shifting focus from managing cost implications to developing a structured approach to supply chain resiliency.

GSC: What is your general prognosis / forecast for healthcare logistics business in the future?

SS: Improving the supply chain will continue to be a priority for the healthcare system with a drive to establish regional and country storage and distribution hubs. Third-party healthcare logistics providers will play a key role in orchestrating the hospital supply chain management by improving visibility, reducing cost, increasing efficiency, and enhancing patient-centric experience.

GSC: How are you faring in the GCC?

SS: People, processes, infrastructure, and digitalization are the foundation of Hellmann’s healthcare network and enabler to offer compliant, transparent and innovative transportation and distribution solutions. Combining a risk-based approach

and integration of secured digital solutions into supply chains, Hellmann offers qualified end-to-end transport with capabilities of realtime and proactive intervention.

In the Middle East, Hellmann Healthcare Logistics gained a leadership position by operating a proven-and-tested hub concept for more than a decade, using UAE healthcare warehouses as distribution platforms for the region and Saudi healthcare warehouses for the national distribution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

GSC: In which countries do you foresee a growth in healthcare logistics offerings for Hellmann within the Middle East and South Asia?

SS: Our freight forwarding solutions out of India continue to show positive performance due to a stronger shift in customers manufacturing out of India versus China for which Hellmann India has been growing with a focus on exports into United States and Europe. Hellmann further expended their healthcare quality and commercial teams who together with our product, continue to innovate on the solution front

Egypt is one of the fastest growing healthcare markets in the Middle East. Hellmann is strongly positioned to offer a high level of quality and solutions by leveraging our regional structure, competency center, Healthcare Quality Management system, and GDP trained specialists.

GSC: How is Saudi Arabia doing where you have independent business entity?

SS: Hellmann has been doing very well since 2010 in Saudi Arabia with 2022 Hellmann Saudi Arabia obtaining one of the first Logistics Licenses available. Healthcare has been a critical vertical in our business operating solutions for our customers with our own warehousing solutions in the key cities.

In 2023 we look forward to an amazing announcement when it comes to greater full end to end solutions to support our customers in the Kingdom by Hellmann, but sorry to say for now you will just have to wait to hear on that one, however it is certainly a massive game changer in our industry and the solutions we can provide to our customers!

Ford Trucks builds momentum, just keeps on trucking!

The premium commercial trucks manufacturer has been in the forefront with ground-breaking work on autonomous driving

As Ford’s only heavy commercial vehicle global brand with more than 60 years of experience and dynamic product development capabilities, Ford Trucks has been offering the best solutions to meet the needs of public utility companies and other customers.

Ford Trucks is a global operation managed by Ford Otosan which has been manufacturing Ford Trucks vehicles at its Eskişehir plant in Turkey which is the only heavy commercial production center for Ford globally.

All engineering activities relating to the Ford’s heavy commercial vehicle segment are carried out by Ford Otosan under the brand Ford Trucks. The vehicles, that are produced at Eskişehir plant are distributed in global markets; currently the commercial trucks brand is active in 43 countries and will reach 50 countries by 2025.

Ford Trucks produces a wide range of trucks including our International Truck of The Year (ITOY) awarded F-MAX and powertrain for trucks.

In an exclusive with Global Supply Chain, Bahattin Topcu, Managing Director, Middle

East & Africa, Ford Trucks, spoke expansively and shared profound insights regarding the company, the formidable brand, prospects for the industry and his vision for the future.

Global Supply Chain (GSC): Briefly trace the origins of Ford Trucks in the UAE and bring us to current on how you are now positioned in the country and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region?

Bahattin Topcu (BT): Our journey, which started in 1960 with the F600 series trucks, continues today with fully indigenous design and engine production that relies on the mastery of Ford engineers.

The UAE is a critical market, in the sense that it is the hub for our Middle East and Africa operations. We have been serving our UAE customers since 2014 with our strong product line up and competitive Cost of

technologies such as connectivity, zero emission and autonomous vehicles. With Generation F movement, in 2030 we aim to generate half of our European sales from Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV), while by 2040, we aim to have a portfolio of zero carbon emission vehicles across all our operations.

GSC: Talk to us about your latest Ford commercial vehicles’ introduction and how have these been received in the regional markets?

BT: At the 2022 IAA Commercial Vehicle Exhibition held in Hanover, we’ve launched Ford’s first-ever all-electric truck developed and produced in Turkey, right from design to final testing processes.

Our new generation truck, which is 100% electric, quiet and has excellent manoeuvrability, offers many advantages in terms of reduced energy consumption costs compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. Customers can look forward to making energy savings of up to 50%.

Ownership (CoO) through customer-oriented services provided by our distributor Al Tayer Motors and Premier Motors.

GSC: What are Ford Trucks’ USPs (unique sales propositions) / distinctive traits that set you apart from your competitors?

BT: With more than 60 years of history and expertise in manufacturing trucks with product development capabilities, Ford Trucks is one of the few brands that develops and manufactures axles, engines, transmissions, and the entire powertrain of a vehicle inhouse. The Ford Trucks vehicles sold in the international markets, as well as their engines and engine systems are developed with 100% Ford engineering.

Thanks to our robust R&D capability, today we are producing and exporting high technology. As an innovative brand that has the purpose of ‘to be the road mate that cares about customers and enables their businesses thrive’, we introduce new models that make an impact on the global market with the best CoO offering to increase profitability of our customers.

We heavily invest in the future of our product portfolio and new technologies. This year at IAA, we launched the Generation-F concept that has emerging

Furthermore, maintenance costs are expected to be reduced by two thirds since the number of moving parts is much lower in all-electric trucks as compared to standard internal combustion vehicles. Electric trucks, the product of our Generation F technological transformation movement, and our innovative technologies signals our determination to serve the needs of Ford Trucks customers in the electric and connected future.

This year, we also unveiled connected and autonomous driving technologies developed with our engineering capabilities, technology production and R&D power. Initiating a major transformation in heavy commercial vehicles with the Generation F movement, the newgeneration vehicles, with their high-level connectivity features using ConnectTruck technology, also offer real benefits in terms of total CoO.

At Ford Trucks, we’ve been carrying out ground-breaking work on autonomous driving. We also introduced some of our innovative technologies such as Level 4 Highway Pilot and autonomous reverse parking. Its remote vehicle control technology allowed visitors to experience driving the F-Max in Eskişehir, 2,000 kilometres away.

By 2040, we aim to have a portfolio of zero carbon emission vehicles across all our operations.

Bahattin Topcu took over as Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Ford Trucks, from Mustafa Caner Sinanoğlu, who has since moved to a new position in the company as Managing DirectorFrance, Ford Trucks International.

Having started his career with Ford Otosan in Turkey in 2006, Bahattin served as the Regional Manager for North Africa and Eastern Europe, assigning dealers in markets such as Morocco and Ukraine and expanding operations in Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, and Algeria. Subsequently, he switched to marketing and became a product specialist.

GSC: Which are the top three countries in sales terms for Ford Trucks in the region?

BT: In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE are the top markets followed by Iraq and Oman in terms of Ford Trucks sales. We had considerable sales increases in Qatar and Bahrain as well.

GSC: How have you performed to date in the UAE in 2021 and what is the outlook for 2022?

BT: On average we have been enjoying a 5% market share in UAE. However, we recorded double digit market shares with big fleet deals from time to time, some of them were achieved in 2020. Our aim is to keep scoring double digit market share in a sustainable manner as of 2022.

GSC: What is your range of commercial vehicles, and which are among your top selling models in the region?

BT: Being a global player we have a wide variety of product offerings according to the needs of different customers in different climate and geographical territories. We produce tow trucks, road, and construction

trucks offered in EU3, EU5, and EU6 emission levels in our vehicle portfolio of 16 tons and above.

Our 2019 ITOY award-winning F-MAX 4x2 tractor is offered with a 500 PS 13 lt internal combustion engine and automatic transmission. At the same time, we have 13 lt at 420 and 480 PS engine options in our 1842-48 tractors.

In our Road Trucks, with different axle configurations ranging from 4x2 to 8x4 and 330 PS and 420 PS engine options in 9 lt and 13 lt volumes, we offer solutions in the field of distribution as well as our urban vehicles such as garbage, vacuum trucks, and road sweepers.

In our construction series, we have products suitable for different market dynamics for different usage needs such as mixers, dampers, and pumps, with axle configurations ranging from 4x2 to 8x4, with a technical capacity of 18-44 tons, with 330,420, 450 and 480 PS 9 and 13 Lt engines.

In the Middle East, our construction models, especially 8x4 transmixers are the most popular, parallel with the big

construction Projects in the region. We also have huge demand on municipality vehicles which we offer with x2 and x4 rigid trucks to serve the needs of cities. Logistics is also a very big and growing segment which we serve with 4x2 and 6x4 derivatives with many different configurations for specifi needs of our customers in the region.

GSC: What are your expansion plans for the region and do you plan to set up yet another manufacturing plant in the region in the foreseeable future?

BT: We are continuing our global expansion with the first all-electric heavy commercial vehicle to be produced in Turkey and the development of advanced technology for the connected, autonomous driving of the future. We are planning to reach 43 countries by the end of 2022 and 50 countries by the end of 2024 with our brand Ford Trucks.

We are already present in all critical Middle East countries, so expansion is already completed. We now plan to expand in all our current markets in the region with more sales & service points wherever needed. Currently

our Eskişehir plant has enough capacity to serve our entire network, as a very wellestablished plant and with strong supplier base around it. We plan to continue serving our customers with highest quality Ford Trucks from this facility.

GSC: What opportunities and challenges (competition) for the present and future do you foresee going forward?

BT: Through our research, we see the desire of public institutions and especially municipalities to use electric vehicles as urban vehicles. They want to provide more environmentally friendly, efficient, and quiet municipal services by using electric vehicles in urban services as soon as possible.

We see that the most difficult points for public institutions and other private

companies are the initial purchase costs of the vehicles and the financial services to support this. We are working on financial support packages to support our customers and will be announcing them along with the introduction of the new vehicles.

Moreover, we think that supportive incentive programs should be implemented quickly by the governments to reduce the initial purchase costs of vehicles and to diversify financial services (financing).

If this issue is handled globally, we believe that this transformation will bring great opportunities both for the main industry and for the entire value chain. Encouraging both the production, sale and use of new generation environmentally friendly vehicles will contribute to the global competitiveness of our automotive industry.

We are planning to reach 43 countries by the end of 2022 and 50 countries by the end of 2024 with our brand Ford Trucks

Headwinds for the Supply Chain Industry

Your challenge is to adapt to the coming recession and your spending reduction to deal with it. And add the chance of more disruption. There are the usual suspects here—the same old. But think bigger on what to do, writes our ever-prolific Tom Craig President LTD Management, Pennsylvania, USA, a leading authority and professional consultant on logistics and supply chain management and regular contributor to Global Supply Chain—Editor.

From the pandemic to now and a pending recession. From no inventory to excess inventory—and trying to balance demand and supply. Plus, throw in inflation. So it went. It is about your upstream supply chain.

There are limits to what you can gain from cost reductions with people and pushing for lower purchasing prices and transportation rates.

Emphasize your upstream supply chain— where the supply of supply chains begins. It is the critical, largest, biggest cost, and most complex part of your company and touches more parts of it than any other function. There are opportunities with inventory and process. If you want these.

The biggest spend

Procurement and transportation / logistics (whether separate or included with the product buy) are your biggest spend. All that inventory and bringing it in and the capital expenditure. Your international buy is often the bigger slice than the domestic purchase.

Start with whether you have made changes upstream in the past two years,

why you did, what they are, and how well things worked out. Note that the pandemic did not create weaknesses in the end-toend supply chain. It exposed them. Just as it highlighted that the upstream supply chain is critical and strategic.

Remember, the last two years, both directly, and indirectly, have been the upstream segment of your business. And that area is vital for your building resilience.

STEPS:

• Analyze how much capital you have invested in inventory—your spend. How much money do you have tied up in buffer inventory to cover time and inefficiencies?

• Think of your inventory-related purchase and cash flow.

• Assess your inventory as to turns/days of and percent of revenue. What is your RoI (return on investment)?

• Focus that your supply chain, even your business, begins upstream at Mile Zero and your purchase order.

• Remember that if you struggle here, you

cannot fix it downstream. It is too late.

• Consider your supply chain is in a time of continuous disruption. Normal is a moving target and time can be your enemy.

• Go beyond costs. Think how you do the process, total time, and technology.

• Recognize the inefficiencies that impact your inventory.

Ask yourself. How efficient you are you? How much handling and multiple handling of documents and information are there

Primer for CFOs and Supply Chain Management personnel

among all the parties? How easily and well do you prepare and see your purchase orders and what is happening with them? Now think what it means to your inventory and inventory buffer.

Move from Excel to digital—a key to gaining resilience, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), transparency for manufacturing and retail/sales, and procurement and transportation efficiency. This is more of a requirement for you than an option.

PURPOSE:

• Draw on lessons learned from the last two years and improve your operations and technology.

• Put your focus where your spend is.

• Streamline your purchase order process.

• Move to a digital platform.

• Gain procurement process efficiency.

• Provide visibility.

BENEFIT:

• Compress time from PO placement to PO delivery.

• Reduce capital tied up with inventory.

• Increase inventory turns/reduce days of inventory.

• Improve your inventory capital investment ROI.

Etihad doubles cool storage capacity at Abu Dhabi’s Cargo Village

The 3,000sqm facility is equipped with the latest technology and supports Abu Dhabi’s vision to become a life science and pharmaceutical hub.

Etihad Cargo, in partnership with Etihad Airport Services Cargo and Abu Dhabi Airports is preparing to launch a new state-of-the-art pharmaceutical cool chain facility. Due to go into operation soon, the facility will significantly expand Abu Dhabi International Airport’s (AUH) pharmaceutical handling and storage capabilities.

Etihad Cargo’s customers will now benefit from the carrier’s expanded International Air Transport Association (IATA) Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Pharma certification for pharmaceutical and life science logistics and provision of world-class, end-to-end temperature-controlled solutions for the transportation of pharmaceuticals across the carrier’s global network.

Prior to the opening of the new pharmaceutical facility at the carrier’s Abu Dhabi hub, Etihad Cargo transported over 50,000 tonnes of cool chain products, including pharmaceutical and healthcare products via its PharmaLife product and fresh produce via its IATA CEIV Freshcertified FreshForward product, in the past twelve months.

Expanded hub

The launch of the expanded, dedicated pharmaceutical hub will double Abu Dhabi Airport’s cool chain storage capacity and enhance the airport’s capabilities for the storage, handling and transportation of cool chain products.

“This joint venture located at Etihad Cargo’s hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) provides the perfect location to link the Middle East to not only Asia and Europe, but also the US and Africa, so lifesaving medicines and the latest treatments can be transported seamlessly around the world,” affirmed Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group.

The additional 3,000sqm facility comprises the latest technology and features, including bulk loading docks with levellers, high-speed roll-up shutters, insulation and a real-time temperature monitoring system, which will enable faster and more efficient loading with stricter temperature controls, increased storage space, additional build-up and

Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group.

breakdown zones for improved production workflows and upgraded cool chain facilities for Etihad Cargo’s PharmaLife handling and storage operations.

X-rays screening

The new facility will also feature new x-ray screening for customs inspections within a fully temperature-controlled environment and new dedicated thermal covers.

“The upcoming launch of this dedicated pharmaceuticals storage and handling facility will enhance AUH’s capabilities as a cargo hub and aligns with Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a global business, pharmaceutical and life science hub,” noted Drew.

The new cool chain facility will enable the safe storage and handling of a vast range of pharmaceutical products requiring different temperatures and conditions. To meet the requirements for transporting dangerous goods in frozen and deep-frozen conditions, PharmaLife provides premium tailored solutions to handle temperature-controlled conditions from -80 to 25 degrees Celsius via the carrier’s portfolio of leased active and hybrid containers. Etihad Cargo also utilises traditional containers that meet standard temperature requirements, from 2 to 8 and 15 to 25 degrees Celsius, a press release.

“This state-of-the-art pharmaceutical facility benefits Etihad Cargo’s customers and all other stakeholders with greater transparency, real-time status updates and

makes the transportation of cargo quicker and more efficient,” concluded Jubran Al Breiki, General Manager, Etihad Airport Services – Ground & Cargo.

Drew spoke exclusively to Global Supply Chain on the sidelines of the recently concluded Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2022 held in the UAE capital from 1 to 3 November.

Global Supply Chain (GSC): As healthcare businesses re-emerge in the aftermath of Covid-19, how are you faring regionally and globally in this segment?

Martin Drew (MD): Etihad Cargo continues to grow from strength to strength and we have maintained momentum with our performance growing consistently during the Covid era and now post-Covid 19.

GSC: How important is the healthcare business Etihad Cargo and what proportion / percentage of your overall business does it constitute?

MD: Clearly healthcare and life sciences are significant part of Etihad’s air freight business and account for about 30 percent of our gross volumes. Therefore, it is evident that healthcare accounts for a substantial portion of our business.

GSC: Are you witnessing momentum or seeing a drop or slowing down in your pharma / cold chain operations as the situation inches towards normalcy?

MD: There is no substantive drop in business and the Pharma chain is now an important industry vertical for Etihad Cargo. We are now consolidating our gains in this sector on the back of the level of professionalism, skills and capabilities we demonstrated in transporting much-needed pharma products worldwide.

As a result, Abu Dhabi also came to acquire the reputation of becoming a global healthcare and life sciences hub, further accelerated by the success of the HOPE Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-led public private partnership that is committed to working together to overcome the challenges of vaccine distribution and logistics.

GSC: What opportunities and challenges confront Etihad Cargo going forward in the light of the new circumstances?

MD: Certainly, there are opportunities for growth as we have just doubled our cool storage capacity at Abu Dhabi’s Cargo Village. The 3,000sqm facility is equipped with the latest technology and will support Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a life science and pharmaceutical hub.

The challenges are mainly in the realm of the geo-political situation, macroeconomics, trade barriers and protectionism, jet fuel

costs, regulatory demand—it is the nature of the business, and we will continue to meet these challenges with agility.

GSC: Howe significant is automation now in the healthcare logistics sector?

MD: Automation is integral and important in our business and we are constantly innovating and improving levels of service offerings with automation and new technologies. As a premier carrier, we are also very conscious of the environment, carbon footprint and work diligently towards sustainability and protection of nature. These are also our core corporate objectives and Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSRs).

GSC: Any new partnerships on the cards for Etihad Cargo going forward?

MD: Yes, we are always signing partnership deals; Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and engage with our partners and associates.

Etihad Cargo has advanced its sustainability journey by becoming the first Middle Eastern carrier to participate in The International Air Cargo Association’s (TIACA) BlueSky programme.

Following the March 2022 launch announcement of the air cargo industry’s first multi-sector sustainability verification programme and successful pilot programme, Etihad Cargo is one of the first participants to join the programme’s live operations. Other participants include organisations from airline, airport, ground handler, and general sales and service agents sectors.

The first phase of the programme comprises an evidence-based desktop verification process in which participants can assess their progress against eight critical sustainability criteria, including decarbonisation, waste elimination, biodiversity protection, support for local economies and communities, impact on society improvement, efficiency and profitability.

Upon completion of the tailored assessment process, Etihad Cargo will receive a personalised dashboard which displays the carrier’s performance against the criteria. Later phases of the programme will include the option for a full onsite audit with an indepth report that highlights areas for improvement.

“Sustainability remains a key pillar of Etihad Cargo’s agenda,” affirmed Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo.

“Although the air cargo industry has historically been considered less sustainable than other methods of transportation, the sector is making great strides in developing more sustainable solutions and is investing in fleet modernisation, fuel efficiency, sustainable aviation fuel and carbon compensation initiatives,” he continued.

Temperature controlled solutions for the Pharma trade

Over the past year, Etihad Cargo has embarked on several green initiatives, which include replacing 3,000 containers from its original aluminium unit load device (ULD) fleet with environmentally friendly lightweight versions.

The carrier has also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with B Medical Systems to develop and launch the world’s first airline-specific passive temperaturecontrolled solution for the transportation of life-saving drugs, vaccines and high-value pharmaceuticals.

As these temperature-controlled container units utilise passive cooling technology, they do not require an external power source. They can retain temperatures from -80 to 25 degrees Celsius for five days while still significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Etihad Cargo is the first Middle Eastern carrier to join TIACA’s multi-sector BlueSky verification programme

The carrier will assess its sustainability against eight criteria across environment, society, and culture and leadership

Abu Dhabi Airports recently joined Pharma. Aero, the global membership network for Life Science and MedTech manufacturers, certified cargo communities and airport operators, as a strategic member representing the Middle East.

The collaboration with Pharma.Aero builds on Abu Dhabi’s growth as a global healthcare and life sciences hub, and the success of the HOPE Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-led public private partnership that is committed to working together to overcome the challenges of vaccine distribution and logistics.

“We are pleased to join Pharma.Aero

as a strategic partner for the Middle East, representing the global cross-industry network of Life Science and MedTech air cargo industry stakeholders in the region. Along with Etihad Cargo, we look forward to collaborating with industry leaders to contribute to the overall development of the pharmaceutical supply chain,” affirmed Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CVEO, Abu Dhabi Airports.

Abu Dhabi Airports is set to pursue major air cargo infrastructure expansion projects with a strong focus on products capable of efficiently handling time and temperaturesensitive cargo, including those from within

pharmaceuticals and life science.

“We are thrilled to have Abu Dhabi Airports join Pharma.Aero as a strategic member for the Middle East region. We look forward to a strong, active and collaborative partnership with them as we welcome them on board,” stated Trevor Caswell, Chairman of Pharma.Aero.

“Developing active and far-reaching airport pharma communities is essential to the core strategy of Pharma.Aero – therefore, it is with great pleasure to welcome Abu Dhabi Airports as the new strategic partner for the Middle East,” observed Frank Van Gelder, Secretary General, Pharma.Aero.

Abu Dhabi Airports joins Pharma.Aero as strategic member for Middle East Region

The collaboration builds on Abu Dhabi’s growth as a global healthcare and life sciences hub

Abu Dhabi Airports Joins Pharma. Aero as Strategic Member for Middle East Region

AD Airports signs with Etihad

Acronis

Acronis is uniquely poised to enable their extensive, global network of MSP partners to offer MDR services

The latest Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud release further democratizes advanced security solutions with effective protection for data, applications, and systems under one centralized platform.

disrupts market with the announcement of new, simplified MSP-class EDR Solution

Live from their annual #CyberFit Summit, Acronis, the global leader in Cyber Protection, recently introduced its new product, Acronis Advanced Security + EDR (Endpoint Detection & Research) for Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud. Advanced Security + EDR delivers an innovative approach to effective threat detection, containment, and remediation by reducing the complexity present in other EDR solutions.

Following industry-established standards and mapping to the MITRE ATT&CK® framework, Acronis Advanced Security + EDR simplifies the complex solutions required to keep pace with today’s sophisticated threat landscape. It does this by leveraging its unified platform approach which allows IT teams to detect and understand advanced attacks, and then

recover rapidly using features like attackspecific, one-click rollback, according to a company spokesperson.

By correlating events, analyzing attack chains and presenting human-friendly, guided interpretations, companies dramatically reduce the time-tax on highly specialized (and expensive) security analysts and the time-to-remediate (TTR) for business operations, he continued.

Innovative DLP product

This announcement follows a string of developments from the company starting with the reveal of their innovative, behavioral-based DLP product at RSA Conference 2022 held in June in San Francisco, and more recently, their earned ‘Approved Badge from AV-TEST’ for

Corporate Endpoint Protection on macOS.

“Acronis has been a great fit for us for solid endpoint protection,” affirmed Dave Millier, CSO, Quick Intelligence. “The single agent playing double-duty was a key deciding factor in choosing to go with Acronis. We are super excited to see that EDR is coming to that same agent as it will help us take our customer’s cyber protection to the next level, without having to rely on another vendor and another agent. Acronis just keeps innovating and we keep benefiting,” he added.

“Acronis has been a great fit for us for solid endpoint protection, The single agent playing double-duty was a key deciding factor in choosing to go with them. Acronis just keeps innovating and we keep benefiting.”

– Dave Millier, CSO, Quick Intelligence.

Acronis Advanced Security + EDR is part of the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud platform that enables businesses and their Service Providers to deliver holistic protection across the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework Core. This new entry adds to Acronis cyber defenses with:

l ML-driven event correlation and interpretation with attack chain visibility mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK®.

l Integrated response capabilities including

one-click, attack-specific rollbacks.

l The ability to investigate, remediate, recover, and close security gaps integrated with more features across the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud platform.

l Reduced complexity and cost via rapid turn-up via the single Acronis console and unified agent offering advanced security at just a click away, without deploying more agents or the operational challenges of integration with disparate, third-party products.

Innovative approach

In addition to its innovative approach to ensure all businesses have more access to sophisticated technologies for better protection, Acronis is uniquely poised to enable their extensive, global network of Managed Service Provider Partners (MSPs) to offer MDR (Managed Detection & Response) services to down-market clients at healthy margins and compelling client price points while avoiding the high-end,

Service Provider, MEGABIT.

“The protection is well priced and the performance is good, we are extending Acronis more and more among our customers since it offers with just one agent practically every service available.

Marco Monaco, Acronis Partner and Italian Managed

licensing costs and MDR competition for their clients from pure-play security vendors

“Since the protection is well priced and the performance is good, we are extending Acronis more and more among our customers since it offers with just one agent practically every service available –which is a beautiful thing, especially for us MSPs. We are excited about EDR,” asserted Marco Monaco, Acronis Partner and Italian Managed Service Provider, MEGABIT. According to the August Acronis

Cyber Protection Operation Centres Report, global ransomware damages are estimated to exceed US$ 30bn by 2023. Ransomware continues to be the number one threat to large and medium-sized businesses. Acronis is putting a large dent in the success of ransomware attacks with its holistic, NIST-approach to business continuity, and in the number of phishing, malware, and advanced attack URLs, blocking 21mn URLs on endpoints in Q22022 alone.

EDR technology

“EDR technology is an essential addition to any cybersecurity stance,” noted Candid Wüest, VP, Acronis Research. “For example, we know that previously unknown zero-day exploits account for 80% of breaches. We are facing this down by focusing on real-world security and business outcomes for our customers and partners as our top priority with fast and easy remediation being of the utmost importance,” he continued.

Acronis Facts & Accomplishments:

l Recently raised US$ 250mn at US$ 3.5bn valuation.

l Working with over 20,000 partners, 750,000 businesses, in over 150 countries and 26 languages.

l Acronis now has more than 2,000 employees in 34 locations in 19 countries.

l More than 5.5 million home users trust Acronis solutions.

l Acronis works with over 30 sports organizations around the globe.

l Almost 3 million workloads protected.

l Over 60 new technical innovations in the last 12 months.

l Stopped over 100,000,000 cyber-attacks in 2022.

l Acronis has opened over 11 schools and 4 computer classrooms through the Acronis Cyber Foundation.

l Acronis empowers IT teams with cyber protection solutions built for today and the future.

l The digital world drives constant innovation and data growth that demands easy, efficient and secure cyber protection. Acronis Cyber Protection Solutions protect all data, applications and systems wherever they are.

Founded in Singapore in 2003 and incorporated in Switzerland in 2008, Acronis now has more than 2,200 employees in 40 locations in 19 countries. Acronis Cyber Protect solution is available in 26 languages in over 150 countries and is used by over 20,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses, according to company sources.

HIGHLIGHTS #CYBERFIT SUMMIT

The Acronis Advanced Security + EDR early access programme will be available in December for Acronis partners and generally available in Q1-2023.

Highlights of the recently concluded annual #CyberFit Summit 2022, Acronis, held at the prestigious Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami, Florida, USA from 7 to 9 November, included a welcome address by Patrick Pulvermueller, CEO, Acronis, and keynote addresses by Judge Louis Freeh, the former FBI Director, and currently Vice Chair and Managing Director, AlixPartners, and Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Basketball legend and entrepreneur.

The Acronis mega event was attended by over 400 delegates comprising senior personnel and the company’s top brass, associate, MSPs (Managed Service Partners) from around the globe and international media.

Maersk to launch ‘Shaheen Express’ connecting the

The

India–UAE–Saudi Arabia corridor

new ocean shipping service aims to provide a quicker and more predictable connection

AP Moller–Maersk (Maersk) will launch a new ocean shipping service, ‘Shaheen Express’ starting from the last week of November 2022, the company announced.

The ‘Shaheen Express’ will rotate between Mundra, Pipavav, Jebel Ali, Dammam, and Jebel Ali and back to Mundra, creating a stable and reliable service for the India-UAESaudi Arabia corridor. The new service will primarily aim at addressing rising demand for customers trading between the Indian and the Gulf markets.

“Through our customer conversations, we were able to make a more meaningful forecast around the rising demand and proactively deploy a new service to create a supply of space for this demand,” remarked Bhavan Vempati, Head of Regional Ocean Management, Maersk West & Central Asia.

The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) entered into force in May 2022, which is steadily boosting the volumes of trade between the two countries.

The main commodities moving between these two countries that will benefit from

the increased capacity include FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) such as electronics, perishables such as foodstuff, retail goods including textile and apparel, and chemicals.

The ‘Shaheen Express’ will benefit the exporters of the petrochemical sector from

the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. It will offer improved transit time and better predictability between Indian ports and Gulf ports as compared to the existing services.

The ‘Shaheen Express’ will include two vessels with a nominal capacity of 1,700 TEUs per week.

AP Moller-Maersk and Asyad partnership

AP Moller–Maersk adds Khazaen Dry Port to its global network of port calls

Maersk opens doors to

Integrated Logistics Park at Port Qasim in Pakistan

Oman’s Khazaen Dry Port

bookable on Maersk.com as a port of origin or destination

AP Moller–Maersk (Maersk) has added Khazaen Dry port (KDP), part of Oman’s Asyad Group, to its extensive ‘Port of Call’ network offering business transportation, container terminal, and reefer container services to easily import and export goods.

KDP, located in Barka in the Al Batinah Governorate of the Sultanate, enjoys a strategic location closer to Maersk’s customers’ manufacturing hubs around Muscat and the gateway it opens to global markets. By adding KDP to the network of ports and offering land freight and valueadded solutions to and from KDP, Maersk is implementing time-and cost-efficient solutions for its customers, the shipping giant said in a press statement.

The long-term commercial agreement with Maersk falls in line with Asyad’s role to facilitate trade and support local merchants to do business efficiently at global standards. It further bolsters KDP’s global positioning as an import, re-export, and transhipment centre as the country forges ahead to become one of the leading logistics hubs in the region.

Growth leader

Underlining Asyad’s role as a market growth leader, this integration is yet another step in the Group’s carefully designed scheme to improve efficiencies and adopt higher standards across the logistics sector.

“Oman has been a key logistics destination for Maersk, especially when it comes to the accessibility to global markets.

We have worked closely with Asyad Group over the years to foster our relationship to offer best-in-class integrated logistics solutions supporting Oman 2040 Growth Vision,” stated Mads Skov-Hansen, Head of Ocean Customer Logistics, Maersk West & Central Asia.

“By integrating KDP within Maersk’s network, we are able to improve international market accessibility, facilitate trade and increase the flow of products and services to and from Oman at the touch of a button,” observed Juma Al Maskari, Executive Director, KDP.

“We are home to more than 80 local and global companies with an annual capacity of 50,000 TEU. This integration with a powerful global network facilitates business and trade for the private sector, providing them with operational efficiencies and cost optimisation by simply leveraging Maersk’s global routes to best suit their supply chains,” he added.

Strategic location

Khazaen Dry Port is strategically located within easy reach of the booming economies in the region, with proximity to the Saudi-Omani border, UAE-Oman border, the Port of Sohar, the Port of Salalah, and the Port of Suwaiq.

It is purposely designed and built over an area of 100,000sqm; KDP is a one-stop shop for custom clearance, inspection and handling and storage of containers, and cargo movement at Muscat’s doorstep.

Present at the inauguration were HE Jakob Linulf, the Danish Ambassador to Pakistan; the Chairman of Port Qasim, Rear Admiral (Retd.) Syed Hasan Nasir Shah HI(M); Hasan Faraz, Managing Director, Maersk Pakistan, the leadership team at Maersk Pakistan and leaders from the top businesses in Pakistan.

The warehousing facilities especially strengthened Maersk’s position by being able to store goods that were in lower demand and slowed down supply chains when needed. This garnered a lot of confidence in the customers’ minds about Maersk’s resilience and ability to react quickly and appropriately to the changing behaviour of the end consumers.

Land acquisition

Maersk Pakistan went on from acquiring a 26-acre land parcel to carefully designing and constructing a six-shed facility spread over 560,000 sq. ft. that will answer all the requirements of its customers through a single location.

This facility will cater to storage requirements of cargo from retail & lifestyle, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), automotive and technology sectors. The Maersk Integrated Logistics Park will come equipped with modern Warehouse Management Systems.

With its six purposebuilt sheds, the new facility makes Maersk the country’s largest logistics and warehousing provider

560,000sqft

is now

Bahri’s Chemicals and Logistics business units sign MoUs with Luberef

Shipping giant’s business solutions to meet Luberef’s various logistics and transportation requirements

Bahri Logistics signs agreement to acquire remaining stake Bolloré

JV

Bahri Bolloré Logistics to become an owned subsidiary of Bahri’s business unit

Bahri recently announced that its business unit Bahri Logistics has entered into a sales and purchase agreement with Bolloré Logistics, one of the largest transport and logistics companies in the world, to acquire 40 percent of the share capital of their joint venture, Bahri Bolloré Logistics.

Following the proposed transaction, Bahri Bolloré Logistics will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Bahri and will be renamed Bahri Logistics.

“We are pleased that the signing of the agreement to acquire our remaining stake in the company will pave the way for greater integration and help realize synergies,” remarked Eng. Ahmed Ali Alsubaey, CEO, Bahri.

Bahri recently announced that its business units Bahri Chemicals and Bahri Logistics have recently signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Saudi Aramco Base Oil Company (Luberef).

The agreements are aimed at establishing and enhancing cooperation between Luberef and the two Bahri companies.

Building on the new partnership, Bahri Chemicals and Luberef will create a mutually beneficial Shipping Framework Agreement that will also impact positively the national economy. Under the terms of the MoU, Bahri Chemicals will provide distinguished logistics solutions and services to Luberef, which will assist by providing details of available shipments that align with vessel dates at load ports.

MoU signed

The MoU was recently signed by Faisal Al Husseini, Acting President, Bahri Chemicals,

and Eng. Tareq Alnuaim, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco Base Oil Company–Luberef, during a special ceremony held at Bahri Dubai office.

Following the signing, the two parties exchanged mementos and posed for group pictures. Bahri Logistics inked the MoU with Luberef during a signing ceremony recently at Bahri. President Eng. Soror Basaloum represented Bahri Logistics while Eng. Tareq Alnuaim, signed on behalf of Luberef.

“We look forward to working closely together to provide world-class logistics services that will drive greater efficiency and ensure smoother operations for our distinguished partners,” observed Al Husseini.

“The products and services stipulated in the agreement include inland transportation within Saudi Arabia from Luberef plants to local customers for base oil main products; ISO tank container and Flexi-bag logistics solutions for Luberef’s local and export customers; storage hubs around the globe, and tanker storage solutions within the

local market,” asserted Eng. Soror Basaloum, President, Bahri Logistics.

Perfect alignment

“The services provided by the two Bahri companies align perfectly with our commitment to delivering greater efficiency and sustainability throughout our operations and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with both companies,” affirmed Engr. Alnuaim.

Saudi Aramco Base Oil Company - Luberef is one of the world’s leading suppliers of highquality base oils and the only virgin base oil producer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Bahri Chemicals is currently managing 59 vessels comprising 36 owned vessels, including 31 IMO2 medium range (MR) and five product tankers; 14 time charter vessels including one long-range (LR), nine MRs, and four Japanese DWT 19,000 MT vessels; and handling the operations of nine vessels for SABIC.

The Bahri Chemicals and Bahri Logistics MoU signing ceremony.

Daimler Commercial Vehicles partners with DHL for Truck Parts Centre

The new parts centre to open in Dubai World Central in December 2022

Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA has announced a strategic, long-term partnership with global logistics provider DHL Global Forwarding for the operations and management of the soon-to-be-launched Daimler Truck Dubai Parts Centre.

The advanced facility will serve as a dedicated warehouse for truck parts and will enable DCV MENA to better serve Daimler Truck AG customers in the Middle East, by offering broad and dependable parts availability and short turnaround times, according to a press communique.

The launch of the Daimler Truck Dubai Parts Centre ensures that customers will be able to easily source a broad variety of parts in the shortest amount of time and keep their trucks on the road for longer periods of time.

Scheduled to begin operations in December 2022, the facility features closed chambers and an operational area of 23,478sqm, as well as 5,000sqm of interlocked open yard storage. Taking shape within Dubai World Central, it further establishes Daimler Truck AG as an independent organisation, following the split of Daimler AG to Mercedes-Benz AG and Daimler Truck AG in December 2021.

Supply Chain partnership

The Daimler Truck Dubai Parts Centre will be operated by DHL Global Forwarding and is to feature a dedicated supply chain and logistics team that will focus on customer requirements across the Middle East, taking over duties from the Mercedes-Benz AG Regional Logistics Centre in Dubai.

The new Centre will feature 24 loading doors for large and small trucks and 15m high ceiling and offer a maximum storage height of 13m features a multitude of safety features including an advanced fire alarm system and sprinkler system, and is ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 certified.

The Daimler Truck Dubai Parts Centre is part of the region’s first-ever EV and battery logistics hub, built by DHL Global Forwarding and developed in close cooperation with the EV (electric vehicle) team of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovations – being perfectly positioned for a future that sees increased dependence on battery-based electric vehicles.

Convenient access

The facility offers convenient access to Dubai World Central Airport and Jebel Ali Port and will ensure regional customers of Daimler Truck AG brand products, including Mercedes-Benz trucks, will be able to service their vehicles in the shortest possible time.

“Since DHL demonstrated its capabilities, professionalism and effectiveness through an existing facility during the procurement phase of this project and has proven expertise and experience in auto-mobility and EV logistics, it was the obvious choice for an operations partner for this important facility,” affirmed Alexander Schneider, General Manager Customer Services, Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA.

“The partnership between DCV MENA and DHL is a natural fit as both companies align on many fronts from being customerfocused to having a commitment to sustainability,” asserted Fathi Tlatli, President Global Auto-Mobility Sector, DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.

Tradeling partners with Food Tech Valley to bolster UAE’s food ecosystem

The AgriTech market is expected to reach over AED 80bn by 2026

Food Tech Valley, which is being developed by wasl Asset Management Group, is a UAE-government-led initiative that was announced in 2021 by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that seeks to triple the UAE’s food production and position the nation as a global destination for the industry, partners with Tradeling, the MENA’s e-marketplace focusing on B2B transactions.

The aim is to ensure a number of benefits for both parties and B2B buyers and sellers, as well as to bolster the primary goal of growing the UAE’s self-sufficiency in food imports.

The agreement was signed at wasp Experience Center by Ahmed Alsatian, Project Lead, Food Tech Valley, and Marius Canola, CEO, Tradeling, in the presence of senior officials from both entities.

Key objectives

Several key objectives were agreed upon to ensure that Food Tech Valley realises its potential of being a commercial hub for industry experts in the food ecosystem. Tradeling’s platform will grant business users

access to food and agricultural technology products via easy payment solutions, logistics, warehousing solutions, and marketing and customer acquisition benefits.

Food Tech Valley will establish a B2B marketplace powered by Tradeling to help support, connect, and match buyers from across industries, including hospitality, which is host to F&B sellers who source local and international quality products and raw ingredients.

This collaboration will enable a digitalised trade experience that will support food producers by helping expand their businesses in the UAE. Tradeling will support local producers by accelerating their growth through the platform. Credit finance solutions will also be offered to select eligible companies, comprising flexible payment options for SMEs and start-ups.

Empower food security

“Our combined efforts will eventually help empower the UAE’s food security plans, and we look forward to working closely with Tradeling to pioneer sustainable food production towards reimagining how the world produces and

consumes food,” remarked a spokesperson from Food Tech Valley.

“More than 200mn consumers have shifted to online shopping since 2020, and through this partnership, we believe that we can collectively revolutionise the ecosystems of both e-commerce and AgriTech,” commented Ciavola.

UAE food trade exceeds AED 100bn (US$ 27.22bn) every year, and the AgriTech market is expected to grow from US$13.5bn to US$ 22bn (AED 80bn) over the next four years. The primary objectives include bolstering the UAE’s food security, helping the country achieve self-sufficiency, and further developing vertical farming and other advanced agriculture technologies, among other goals.

The MoU between Tradeling and Food Tech Valley has been formed to help expedite this process and boost both organisations’ offerings. As this strategic partnership progresses, Tradeling will contribute to strengthening Food Tech Valley’s market position while simultaneously becoming the preferred online channel for its technology providers, the press communique concluded.

L’Oréal Middle East announces sustainability milestones and commitments

L’Oréal Middle East recently held its first inaugural L’Oréal For the Future Summit, alongside the recently concluded UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt to address global environmental challenges.

The Groupe launched ‘L’Oréal for the Future’ in 2020, the second phase of its sustainability program with a set of ambitions achievable by 2030, to be a catalyst for change in the beauty sector by leading the way in fighting climate change, measuring water sustainability, respecting biodiversity and preserving natural resources.

L’Oréal Groupe is also committed to

achieving 100 percent carbon neutrality on all its sites by 2025 and recycling or reusing 100 percent of its industrial water and waste generated onsite by 2030.

Fully recycled plastics for packaging

By 2030, the Groupe will also move to 100 percent recycled or biobased plastics in its product packaging and reach the target of 100 percent refillable, reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging.

The Groupe is also harnessing biotechnology through its Green Sciences program to create innovative, safe, and effective products for consumers that do

not harm the planet. By 2030, 95 percent of the ingredients in its formula will be biobased and derived from abundant minerals or circular processes.

By the same year, the company will have moved to 100 percent biobased ingredients and packaging material that will be traceable and come from sustainable sources.

Crucial role

“While pivotal climate talks continue at COP27, as a world leader in the beauty industry, L’Oréal Groupe understands the crucial role we play in addressing global challenges. Actions speak louder

The Groupe has already reached several milestones in that mission, such as 100 of its industrial sites, including 25 factories, achieving carbon neutrality in 2021, and 67 percent of the PET plastic in its products being from recycled sources last year.

Groupe to achieve 100 percent carbon neutrality on all industrial sites by 2025

L’Oréal Middle East announces sustainability milestones and commitments at the 1st inaugural L’Oréal For The Future Summit.

than words and we began ours with a radical reinvention of our business and activities long ago with the mission to not only reduce our carbon footprint but set an example and create the path of sustainability for the sector,” affirmed Laurent Duffier, Managing Director-Middle East, L’Oréal.

“L’Oréal Groupe is heavily investing in research and biotechnology to create innovative products that do not harm the environment, while educating our partners and customers to make responsible choices. We have already achieved many of the sustainability milestones that are part of the ‘L’Oréal for the Future’ program and are confident that we will meet all our targets by 2030,” he continued.

L’Oréal Groupe has also been at the forefront of climate change action and responsible beauty in the Middle East with initiatives that positively impact the community, consumers, and employees.

The Groupe will move to 100 percent recycled or biobased plastics in its product packaging and reach the target of 100 percent refillable, reusable, recyclable or compostable plastic packaging.

L’Oréal works closely with partner salons to help them reduce their environmental impact by installing water saving innovations, such as the Gjosa showerhead that can save up to 65 percent water and encourages them to use recycled and recyclable material in their interiors.

Multiple CSR initiatives

L’Oréal Groupe has also been long committed to empowering women. In the region, we have launched several programs which includes delivering high-quality, free vocational training to help underprivileged women gain employment under the ‘Beauty for a better life’ initiative and the L’Oréal Paris Stand Up Against Street Harassment programme to create a space that supports women to empower and encourage each other as well as take charge in fighting for their place in this world.

The Groupe also encourages women to embrace scientific careers with the ‘L’OréalUNESCO For Women in Science’ program

that recognizes exceptional scientists each year and grant them with endowments to purse their research.

Awards

In nine years, the Groupe has awarded 40 winners from the GCC. Moreover, it has partnered with two prominent NGOs in the region-Dubai Foundation for Women and Children and Shamsaha -under the L’Oréal Fund For Women, to support highly vulnerable women during the Covid-19 pandemic.

L’Oréal Middle East has also partnered WANDER POT to transform its Dubai headquarters into a first green office, creating the first-of-its-kind indoor plant nursery and ecosystem in the region. As part of the project, the two companies have also pledged to plant 1,000 trees locally and globally during the first year of their partnership.

L’Oréal Middle East has recently won two trophies at the Gulf Sustainability

Awards for its sustainability and women empowerment campaigns in 2021.

Garnier won bronze in the ‘Environmental Sustainability’ category for its recycling initiative where the brand has recycled 92 tons of waste in Saudi Arabia.

“At L’Oréal Groupe, we are committed to creating beauty that is responsible to protect the planet and to improve the lives of people. We have taken bold commitments to transform ourselves to respect planetary boundaries,” asserted Rohini Behl, Head of Sustainability—South Asia, Pacific, Middle East, North Africa,.

“We work closely with our partners; suppliers, customers, consumers, and employees to empower communities across the region with programs that educate and raise awareness on issues that we all need to tackle together. Moreover, through workshops and vocational training initiatives we aim to create more employment opportunities, and tools and support systems toward empowering women,” she concluded.

Laurent Duffier, Managing Director, Middle East, LOreal.

Agility invests US$ 163mn to build Jeddah Logistics Park in Saudi Arabia

Advanced warehousing complex boosts Saudi Arabia’s aim to be global logistics center

Amajor, mega project at Jeddah-Al Mahjar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia calls for construction of a modern warehousing complex on a 576,760sqm parcel south of Jeddah, starting in Q1-2023. The opening of the Agility Logistics Park – Jeddah is anticipated in Q1-2025.

Under the terms of its agreement with SPGA, Agility will invest SAR 611mn (US$ 163mn) to build the park and have the right to operate it for 25 years. Agility currently operates the Kingdom’s most advanced logistics parks—Agility Logistics Parks in Riyadh (870,000sqm) and Dammam (200,000sqm).

The announcement comes days after the Saudi government unveiled a sweeping plan to transform the Kingdom into a global logistics center as part of Saudi Arabia’s broad Vision 2030 strategy Saudi Arabia’s Global Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (GSCRI) is intended to attract US$ 11bn in fresh investment in its first two years and position the country as a key link in global supply chains through development of logistics and industrial infrastructure, economic cities, and green energy, innovation and manufacturing.

Efficient Management

“This step will help the SPGA pursue and achieve its strategic objective of efficient management of its real estate assets in a way that maximizes the benefits for the development of the economy,” asserted Ihsan Bafakih, Governor, SPGA.

“The SPGA is studying its real estate portfolio and working towards transforming its assets into lucrative investment opportunities by providing suitable property

for sustainable, pioneering projects with private-sector partners,” he continued.

Bafakih stressed that initiatives such as the Agility facility in Jeddah offer an opportunity to enhance the contribution of the country’s real estate assets to GDP while increasing the value of the governmentheld property, developed infrastructure and sustainable buildings.

Agility officials said the park in Jeddah will serve international and local customers in the retail, consumer goods, technology, automotive, energy and e-commerce sectors.

Accelerating Saudi economy

“Agility’s Jeddah complex will accelerate Saudi economic growth and make it easier for international and local companies to expand in the Kingdom,” affirmed Michel Saab, CEO, Agility Logistics Parks / Global Operations.

“Ultra-efficient warehousing and distribution are a huge competitive advantage. Companies operating from these parks shorten their time-to-market, reduce cost and risk, increase inventory turns and boost productivity,” he added.

Agility Logistics Parks are secure, connected, 24/7 complexes with Grade A, internationalstandard warehouses designed with advanced engineering and sustainability features. Agility recently received post-construction EDGEAdvanced certification (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) for a warehouse at its Riyadh Park. EDGE Advanced buildings are ‘zerocarbon ready’ structures that are at least 40% more energy efficient than others in the market.

The contract was signed by Hamza Al-Askar, Deputy SPGA Representative, and Maher Jaber Al Thabit, Vice President, Agility Logistics Parks, at the SPGA headquarters in Riyadh.

Agility recently confirmed it will build a large logistics park for storage and distribution near Jeddah as part of a land-concession agreement announced by the Saudi Arabia’s State Properties General Administration (SPGA).

The Agility-SPGA deal signing ceremony in Riyadh, KSA.

Delivering a memorable fan experience – logistics plays a key role

An integral and must-see part of every fan’s football journey, this festival focuses on making football a global, accessible, and inclusive sporting event, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience to fans.

Fans from all over the world can look forward to 29 days of football, music, culture, and lifestyle – a true festival of football!

During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the FIFA Fan Festival will take place at Al Bidda Park – in the centre of Doha, in the heart of Qatar. Special attention will be given to entertaining all types of fans, from devoted supporters to music, food, culture, and lifestyle enthusiasts.

A highly anticipated test event is also announced for Hayya Card holders on 16 November ahead of the actual fan festival that coincides with the World Cup from 20 November to 18 December. It is the place to

be for all football fans!

In addition to watching 64 matches live on giant screens, fans will be able to participate in and enjoy a wide range of cultural and educational experiences. Each is designed to help them connect and engage with the global football culture. The FIFA Fan Festival™ will have something for everyone.

A reimaged World Cup experience

An integral part of every fan’s football journey, this festival focuses on making football a global, accessible, and inclusive sporting event, offering a once-in-a-lifetime

A lot of hard work has gone into hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

The FIFA Fan Festival will take place in Doha’s Al Bidda Park

Logistics behind the fan experience

Bringing to life the world’s biggest football festival is no easy feat. Setting up such an extraordinary event often involves an exhaustive checklist that needs careful planning and execution. At the heart of it, logistics has a critical role to play in ensuring that everything runs on time and smoothly without any bottlenecks. All towards ensuring that fans do not fall short of a splendid experience!

Football brings with it numerous associated experiences such as F&B, hospitality, and retail, thus enabling local, regional, and international brands an opportunity to serve the fans. Creating an exciting and safe environment for football fans to enjoy the game alongside these associated aspects will be a massive logistical undertaking.

The planning, construction, and operation of such a venue is a complex logistical exercise that involves various critical

factors such as the installation of power, water supply, drainage, catering, perimeter fencing, etc, in addition to provisions for security and medical facilities.

Resource intensive project

A resource-consuming project, the fan festival calls for support from specialist event logistics agencies, right from the preliminary planning to transporting furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E), setting up the venue, to ensuring smooth supply chain operations throughout the duration of the festival.

Ensuring success for the largest football party on the planet comes down to immaculate planning and execution, right from shipping consignments inside the host country to warehousing under product-ideal conditions, from where replenishments can be distributed to the end destination.

The goal of the FIFA Fan Festival™ is to provide fans with an experience of a

The goal of the FIFA Fan Festival™ is to provide fans with an experience of a lifetime.

Enthusiastic fans throng Qatar during the World Cup 2022.

Ranjeev Menon, Group CEO, GWC.

lifetime. To that end, dedicated teams from GWC will continue to work hard behind the scenes providing solutions such as safe warehousing, venue delivery, installation set-up, site dismantling after the festival, and return shipping to the next destination.

As the Official Logistics Provider, GWC will be at the heart of all the action providing the necessary logistical support to make the FIFA Fan Festival™ a grand success, the company assured.

Alongside the FIFA Fan Festival™ at Al Bidda Park, refer to the various other Entertainment Destinations planned in Qatar to add to the world-class fan experience: The Corniche in Doha City, MiddleBeast presents Aravia in Al Wakrah, Lusail Boulevard, Arcadia Spectacular in Ras Bufontas, Al Khor Fan Zone and Industrial Area Fan Zone, a GWC press communique concluded.

Qatar University honors its partnership with GWC

These partnerships play a critical role in giving students a glimpse of the real-world challenges

GWC was recognized as the ‘Employer of Continuous Collaboration’ by Qatar University in acknowledgment of their partnership and the role GWC has played in supporting the University’s endeavours.

The award was presented by Dr Hassan Bin Rashid Al-Derham, President, Qatar University, and was received by Hamad Mohammed R M Abuqaba Al-Marri, HR Director, on behalf of GWC.

Hamad Mohammed Al- Marri remarked that GWC has always been committed to interacting with students and guide them, as the leaders of the future. The company takes its role in supporting Qatar Vision 2030 and the economy very seriously.

Partnerships such as this play a critical role in giving students a glimpse of the

real-world challenges and what can be done to overcome them. This Award is a recognition of the role that companies, such as the GWC, play in fostering innovation and promoting talent.

This collaboration gives students an opportunity to connect the dots between theory and reality.

GWC, the leading provider of integrated logistics solutions in Qatar, caters to both the largest and most influential companies in Qatar, as well as small and medium enterprises, providing them world-class turnkey solutions customized to their specific needs.

It has developed these solutions while gaining nearly twenty years of experience in the local and international markets.

This Award is a recognition of the role that companies play in fostering innovation and promoting talent.

Dr Hassan Bin Rashid Al-Derham, President, Qatar University and Hamad Mohammed R M Abuqaba Al-Marri, HR Director, GWC.

Saudi Energy Minister to inaugurate the 16th Annual GPCA Forum in Riyadh

This year’s forum will be held under the theme ‘Chemistry in Action: Shaping a Sustainable Future.’

Hosted by SABIC, this year’s forum will be held under the theme ‘Chemistry in Action: Shaping a Sustainable Future.’

HRH The Minister of Energy will also lead the inaugural panel discussion with Gulf energy ministers.

“The Annual GPCA Forum arrives at an important time, as the chemical industry contends with some of its most critical challenges and opportunities yet,” asserted Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA.

“Climate change, food insecurity, and economic upheaval are converging to create a future that looks increasingly uncertain. With a fantastic speaker line-up, we hope to shed light on how the chemical industry can continue to provide solutions to global challenges, the role of innovation and digitalization in helping to achieve this, and what plans companies have got in place to meet their commitment towards sustainability and decarbonization,” he continued.

It is noteworthy that the forum’s programme this year includes various events, such as a ministerial panel with regional energy ministers, one plenary address, two keynote sessions, two inaugural sessions, and four leadership dialogues.

Impressive lineup

The welcome address will be delivered by Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, Chairman, GPCA, and Acting CEO, SABIC. Chemical industry leaders, including Amin Nasser, President and CEO Saudi Aramco; Dr. Martin Brudermuller, Chairman of the Board of

Executive Directors, BASF; Peter Vanacker, CEO, LyondellBasell; and Conrad Keijzer, CEO, Clariant, will participate in sessions discussing vital topics such as how the chemicals sector can thrive in the era of sustainability and decarbonization. Other esteemed industry leaders to speak at the forum, include Mohammed A. El-Kuwaiz, Chairman of the Board, Capital Market Authority Saudi Arabia; Ken Grahame, Managing Director, Head of Global Chemicals Investment Banking, Goldman Sachs; Mutlaq Al-Morished, CEO, Tasnee; Hazeem Al-Suwaidi, CEO, Borouge; Olivier Thorel, Vice President of Chemicals and Hydrogen, Aramco and Board Member, SABIC; Eng. Fahad Alajlan, President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC); Abdulrahman

Shamsaddin, CEO, SABIC Agri-Nutrients; Dick Richelle, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Royal Vopak;

Leadership Dialogues

The forum’s Leadership Dialogues will shed light on some of the most pressing issues impacting the chemicals sector today, including clean energy transition; turning the ESG theory into action; shaping future chemicals supply chains; and innovation in the agri-nutrient industry.

Launched in 2006, the Annual GPCA Forum has established itself as the premier event for the global and regional chemical industry. This year, the forum is set to attract over 2,500 delegates from more than 600 companies in 91 countries.

and Suliman AlRumaih, Group CEO, SALIC.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, will deliver the inaugural address at the 16th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Forum, which will be held in Riyadh for the first time from December 6-8, 2022.

Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, Chairman, GPCA, and Acting CEO, SABIC.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman AlSaud, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy,

AD Ports Group and Iraq’s IDB sign agreement for Port and Logistics development

n AD Ports Group and International Development Bank (IDB) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to review opportunities for ports and logistics projects that could enhance trade flows between the UAE and Iraq.

The agreement was signed by Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, and Dr.Ziad Khalaf, Chairman, International Development Bank.

As part of its strategy for growth and globalisation, AD Ports Group has signed a number of milestone agreements to explore opportunities for the management and development of ports and logistics assets across Iraq, including a 2021 agreement with General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI) to promote increased cooperation.

“There are significant opportunities for enhancement and modernisation across Iraq’s ports, logistics and economic zones, and, working with IDB, we will review a number of key projects that help drive UAE-Iraq trade,” commented Capt. Mohamed Al Shamisi.

“The ports and logistics sector plays a vital role in supplying communities across Iraq, and we are optimistic that we can collaborate on projects that make a real and lasting impact,” remarked Dr. Khalaf.

The UAE and Iraq have continued to strengthen trade ties in 2022, with several trade agreements and development deals. The World Bank estimates that Iraq’s economy will expand 6.3 percent over the next two years.

Savoye to boost automation in KSA’s booming logistics and supply chain market

n Savoye recently announced that it will enter the logistics and supply chain market in Saudi Arabia.

The company also made its debut at Seamless Saudi Arabia –Riyadh held on 1 and 2 November 2022.

Savoye will launch its state-of-the-art automated and datadriven solutions to Saudi Arabia’s market, as well as develop its customer base, and partnerships in the country. The company’s entry into the KSA comes at a time when the Saudi government is prioritising automation and innovation to upgrade the country’s infrastructure and transportation network, thereby opening up new potential for major companies in the logistics and supply chain sector.

Meanwhile, Savoye has appointed Khalil Sebaaly as business development manager in the KSA in order to build awareness and foster customer ties to ensure seamless operations. Sebaaly will oversee the oversight new strategic alliances and locate suppliers to popularise the technology and services provided by Savoye across the country.

“We will utilise our innovative business strategies, which helped us to solidify our position in neighbouring countries despite starting operations in 2021, to penetrate the KSA market,” stated Alain Kaddoum, Managing Director, Savoye Middle East.

“After starting its business in Saudi Arabia, we anticipate Savoye to become a significant force in the sector in a short period of time,” remarked Khalil Sebaaly, Business Development Manager, Savoye. As part of Savoye’s participation in Seamless Saudi Arabia, Kaddoum was joined in a panel discussion focusing on the rise of Q-Commerce in KSA. During the event, Savoye highlighted the latest trends in warehouse automation, robotics and supply chain software, a press communique concluded.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi and Dr. Ziad Khalaf, signing the agreement for port and logistics development.

Tristar Group CEO urges corporate boards to make sustainability a top board item

n Tristar Group CEO Eugene Mayne reiterated in a recent global business gathering in London that a great majority of CEOs have begun recognizing that Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) as well as Sustainability issues are now guiding corporate strategies of forward-looking companies.

In his recent keynote address on sustainability in London at the 2022 Annual Global Convention on Corporate Governance and Sustainability organized by the Institute of Directors (IOD), India, Mayne also stressed that aside from shareholders other stakeholders such as customers, partners, suppliers and the public at large are also crucial for long term prospects.

“Not so long ago, sustainability was a token item on board agendas to balance the social and environmental price of profit. Today, it is, and should be, the top item because profit will not be possible without it. Business will not survive in a world in which people don’t,” he asserted.

“Many traditional oil and gas companies have transformed so much to the point they now consider themselves energy companies, mobility companies, or even retail companies, as they diversify and expand with innovative business models and net zero goals,” Mayne added.

At the same event, Tristar Group Chief Administrative Officer Balaji Nagabhushan received the Golden Peacock Global Award for Sustainability, the 7th Award the IOD (Institute of Directors)

has given to the company.

Balaji Nagabhushan, who is also the chairman of Tristar’s ESG Committee, shared the sustainability journey of the company especially its safety culture being promoted among its heavyduty truck drivers and maritime crew members.

AD Ports Group signs land lease agreement with

n AD Ports Group recently signed a land lease agreement for 30 years with Singaporean company Audex, a wholly owned subsidiary of PEC, a leading integrated project and maintenance solutions provider to the energy, petrochemical, terminal and pharmaceutical industries, with fabrication facilities spread across Asia and the Middle East.

The AD Ports Group’s agreement with Audex will involve the EPC company setting up their engineering fabrication facilities in UAE at Khalifa Port close to the east berth. The investment in the facility will be made by Autex. The move will facilitate setting up a fully dedicated single source facility in Abu Dhabi that will support EPC and modular process and gas compression projects as well as maintenance projects.

“We are proud that Aude has recognised the strategic location and capabilities of Khalifa Port, and we are

confident that our infrastructure, digital solutions and services will allow them to deliver on their role as an EPC contractor within this region and beyond,” noted Saif Al Mazrouei, CEO, Ports Cluster, AD Ports Group.

“With this new investment in an engineering fabrication facility at Khalifa Port, we will be able to take advantage of its strategic location and extensive

Audex, Abu Dhabi

international network to further expand our footprint to support the Group’s modular business, Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) works and maintenance services in the UAE and around the region,” stressed Robert Dompeling, CEO, PEC Group.

Tristar Senior Manager for Corporate Communications Arthur Los Banos was also part of the official delegation.

Tristar Group CEO Eugene Mayne delivering his keynote address.

New innovative fleet management solution will reduce transportation costs

n Leading UAE-based IT smart Facilities Management (FM) solutions company

HITEK Services, part of the Farnek group of companies, has launched an innovative inhouse digital solution that can optimise the performance of company transport fleets.

The smart fleet solution, appropriately called FLEETEK, was developed by HITEK’s in-house technology team and has been launched in the wake of continued oil prices.

“This will offer some respite for fleet managers, but with hundreds of vehicles, travelling thousands of kilometres a day, fuel remains a major expense and that is on top of rising interest rates and other inflationary pressures on leasing costs, maintenance, and salaries. So, the current focus for many fleet managers will be on cost-saving and of course sustainability,” asserted Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director, HITEK.

FLEETEK digitalises the entire fleet management process. It identifies both fleet and driver productivity in real time, using a system-based inventory and digital schedule, which is powered by IoT sensors fitted to the vehicles and connected with Google Maps to enable tracking and navigation for route optimisation.

Using FLEETEK’s live administrative portal, operational staff at its control and command centre can compare vehicle inventory with the current and scheduled demand and issue

instructions to drivers (each vehicle is fitted with a dedicated smart phone loaded with an app).

The drivers log in, accept the notification based on a QR code sent to the smart phone in the vehicle and start their journey. The solution calculates and compares the estimated and actual journey times and presents the driver with Google Maps-based navigation, to show the most time-efficient route to take.

The operational dashboard on FLEETEK can also generate incident reports, organise new transport schedules, search for the nearest and most relevant available vehicle, corelating with demand.

Oman Cables pursues sustainability targets in line with the Sultanate’s

2050 Net-Zero Carbon vision

n Oman Cables Industry (OCI), Oman’s leading manufacturer of industrial cables, has reiterated its commitment to the Sultanate’s carbon neutrality vision and 2050 net-zero carbon plan.

Setting ambitious carbon reduction targets for its portfolio and operations to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across all scopes by 2050, Oman Cables’ roadmap is supported by consistent policies and actionable plans, with numerous projects underway in line with the Sultanate’s national goals including the recent green, hydrogenbased transition.

“Oman Cables is leveraging our capabilities to unlock access to innovative infrastructure solutions for the benefit of all stakeholders while safeguarding our planet’s future,” asserted Cinzia Farisè, CEO, Oman Cables.

Embedded within Oman Cables’ DNA, sustainability forms an integral part of

business across the organisation. OCI ensures the sustainability of production processes through efficient, effective energy management, the maximisation of renewable

energy resource utilisation, reliance on recycled raw materials and love-carbon products, waste management and product circularity, a press communique concluded.

n Aramex recently announced today that it has obtained all the necessary regulatory approvals and completed the acquisition of Access USA Shipping, (MyUS), a global technology-driven platform that enables cross-border e-Commerce, for an all-cash purchase price of approximately US$ 265mn. The transaction marks Aramex’s largest acquisition to date.

As a result of this acquisition, MyUS will be fully integrated into Aramex’s business, operating as a business unit within the Company’s Courier business segment. MyUS will retain its brand name and will be complementary to Shop & Ship, Aramex’s subscription-based last mile e-Commerce solutions platform.

The acquisition will further strengthen Aramex’s cross-border express business by increasing shipment volumes, growing, and diversifying its customer base, and expanding coverage in new origins and destinations. This transaction is also expected to be immediately value accretive for

Aramex, providing strong growth in revenues, attractive profitability and superior cash conversion.

MyUS is a leading, USheadquartered, technology-driven and cross-border e-Commerce enabling platform, providing cost-effective package forwarding solutions.

In 2021, the Company generated more than US$ 100mn in revenue and delivered 1.1mn packages to customers who shop from retailers based in the US, UK and China.

“As we start the integration process, I would like to extend a warm welcome to MyUS’s employees and customers and look forward to growing further, together,” stated Othman Aljeda, CEO, Aramex.

“Ultimately, our goal under Aramex’s ownership is to accelerate our growth in a fragmented multi-trillion-dollar global e-Commerce market,” remarked Ramesh Bulusu, CEO, MyUS.

James DeLuca appointed CEO, Ceer

n Vietnamese automobile brand Ceer’s Board of Directors has recently appointed James DeLuca as the company’s CEO, the company revealed in a press communique.

DeLuca has over four decades of experience in the automotive sector, including senior leadership roles at both General Motors and VinFast. DeLuca will oversee the development, manufacturing, and sales of Ceer’s portfolio of consumer vehicles with the aim of producing exquisitely styled electric cars replete with advanced technologies and features.

“Saudi Arabia recognizes the importance of the automotive sector when it comes to economic growth and job creation, and I am looking forward to shaping Ceer into a car brand that is admired by both Saudi consumers as well as the wider industry,” asserted DeLuca.

“Ceer will help ignite Saudi Arabia’s automotive sector and create synergies of scale that the automotive industry will benefit from as more automotive manufacturing moves to the Middle East to make electric vehicles mainstream in the country and the wider region,” he continued.

Ceer is a joint venture between the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Foxconn. Ceer will manufacture vehicles in Saudi Arabia. Each vehicle will be designed and manufactured in Saudi Arabia and tested to the highest global automotive quality control and safety standards. Ceer vehicles are scheduled to be available in 2025.

Currently Ceer has more than 400 employees who have already started designing and engineering Ceer’s vehicles, the press statement concluded.

Aramex completes acquisition of crossborder e-Commerce enabler platform, MyUS

Acme opens office in Saudi Arabia

n Growth in the e-commerce sector and increasing demand for industrial and retail warehousing in Saudi Arabia is driving a demand for automation solutions in the country.

As a regional leader in warehousing automation solutions, Acme has opened an office in Riyadh to cater to the increasing demand in the Kingdom.

“Saudi Arabia is on course to augment the non-oil industrial capabilities of the Kingdom by 2030. We believe that adopting industry 4.0 automation solutions for both factories as well as distribution centers is imperative to achieving Vision 2030; and we are here to support Saudi companies to achieve further growth through automation and robotics,” affirmed Navin Narayan, CEO, Acme Intralog:

“We have delivered automation solutions to our Saudi customers for nearly a decade from our facilities in Dubai. By investing in a new office in Riyadh, we will be closer to our Saudi customers and can promptly support their operations, and service any equipment, without downtime,” he continued.

By the end of 2023, we aim to have a team of over 30 professionals in Saudi.

industrial production companies, automotive, FMCG and F&B manufacturers, e-commerce, as well as fulfillment centres,” he further noted.

In the last few years, Acme team has completed over ten factory and warehouse automation projects in KSA. These include building a state-of-theart distribution centre for a large dairy company in Jeddah.

Through automated solutions for truck unloading, pallet storage and retrieval as well as WMS managed storage, the

AD Ports Group and Transmar launch new Pakistan Service

n AD Ports Group and Egypt’s Transmar International Shipping Company (Transmar) have launched a new container shipping service that will link Karachi, Pakistan’s busiest port, with the major maritime economies of the Middle East and East Africa.

The new route will provide weekly connections for cargo between Karachi Port and AD Ports Group’s flagship Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, in addition to Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, Dammam and Jeddah in KSA, Aqaba in Jordan, Sokhna and Adabiya in Egypt, plus Port Sudan and Djibouti.

Karachi Port is a key economic hub that deals with approximately 60 percent of Pakistan’s cargo, handling on average 26mn tons of cargo per annum. The deep natural port offers an 11 km approach channel, which enables safe navigation for vessels up to 75,000 DWT.

The new service uses containers provided by Transmar on slots, largely provided by other AD Ports Group companies SAFEEN Feeders and Global Feeder Shipping (GFS), which it acquired earlier this month.

“The new weekly service will connect Pakistan’s busiest port with key maritime hubs across the Gulf, Red Sea, and East Africa, enabling

customer improved their capacity drastically and was able to maximise the use of their warehouse space. Following which, Acme was commissioned to install a fully robotic palletisation system, one of the largest in the region as well as an automated truck loading system for the same customer.

Acme also implemented over 6 sortation centres in KSA for one of the largest global e-commerce organizations.

The company is currently in the process of delivering and commissioning two of the largest automated distribution centers in the Kingdom for a leading fashion retailer.

the region to foster and increase integrated and collaborative trading partnerships,” stated Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, Acting CEO, Maritime Cluster and SAFEEN Group, AD Ports Group.

“As a result of AD Ports Group’s shareholding in Transmar, we are pleased to be able to offer customers across the Middle East and East Africa greater connectivity to Karachi,” affirmed Ahmed El Ahwal, Managing Director, Transmar.

We expect the demand for our services to come from

COP27: DP World backs green energy transition

n DP World, the operator of the port of Ain Sokhna in Egypt’s Suez Canal Zone (SC Zone), has confirmed its ongoing support for the green energy transition and business sustainability through participating in the “Green Shipping Challenge” initiative.

This commitment took place at the recently United Nations Climate Conference (COP27) and aligns with DP World’s ‘Our World, Our Future’ global sustainability strategy.

To highlight the group’s innovation and commitment to sustainable business practices, DP World showcased its strategy for converting their fleet to electrical power, thus decreasing their reliance on diesel at the global conference. In addition, DP World highlighted the alternative fuel solutions it is exploring to foster a more sustainable environment in and around their ports and terminals, according to a corporate press communique.

“We have placed our own strategic plan

for sustainability titled ‘Our World, Our Future’, which comes in line with the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs), at the forefront of our operations to become a carbon-neutral company by 2040, and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” asserted Suhail Al Banna, CEO and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, DP World.

Throughout COP27, DP World in Sokhna’s leadership participated in several discussions surrounding the company’s sustainability efforts. DP World highlighted the latest solutions that are making the work environment more sustainable, in addition to presenting the company’s fiveyear sustainability plan.

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During the session, titled ‘Enhancing Green Maritime Transport’, DP World executives discussed several solutions to enhance maritime transport and support the green transition through supplying green fuel across the sector.

Key milestone for the 500-MW Gulf of Suez 2 (Egypt) wind farm project

n Red Sea Wind Energy together with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new 500 MW Build-Own-Operate Wind Farm near Ras Ghareb, Egypt. Red Sea Wind Energy is a consortium comprising ENGIE, Orascom Construction, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation.

Located on the shores of the Gulf of Suez, 40 km North-West of Ras Ghareb in Egypt, Gulf of Suez Project 2 will be the largest onshore wind power plant in ENGIE’s portfolio. The project meets strict environmental standards and supports Egypt’s transition to renewable energy.

Once fully operational, the plant will be the largest privately developed utilityscale wind power plant in Egypt, capable of delivering clean power to more than 800,000 Egyptian homes.

By leveraging the exceptional

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wind resources in the Gulf of Suez area, with 360 days of wind per year, will significantly support Egypt’s decarbonization efforts. Overall, the Gulf of Suez 2 wind farm will contribute to Egypt’s renewable power generation goals of having 42% electricity produced from renewable sources by 2030 and will reduce CO2 emissions by an estimated

1,000,000 tons annually, a press communique indicated.

This new 500 MW wind farm project builds on the past success achieved by the consortium in developing Gulf of Suez 1 – Ras Ghareb Wind Farm (262.5 MW), Egypt’s first renewable energy Independent Power Producer (IPP) project of its kind and size.

ADNOC and India’s GAIL to explore LNG supply and decarbonization opportunities

n Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and GAIL (Gas Authority of India) Limited recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to explore collaboration opportunities in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply and decarbonization, including short- and long-term LNG sales agreements.

The agreement also includes potential optimization of LNG trading activities, the review of joint equity investments in renewables and the monitoring of greenhouse gasses for LNG cargoes, to support low carbon LNG supplies.

The agreement was exchanged between Sandeep Kumar Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, GAIL (India) and Fatema Al Nuaimi, CEO, ADNOC LNG in the presence of HE Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, and Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, at the recently concluded Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).

“India is a strategic partner of the UAE and we have a strong and longstanding bilateral relationship. Through this important new agreement, ADNOC and GAIL will seek opportunities to broaden our commercial partnership, with a particular focus on lower carbon energy supplies,” stated Dr. Al Jaber.

“This MoU opens up opportunities for both GAIL and ADNOC in the energy sector which in turn helps to boost the trade and commerce relations between the two nations,” commented Minister Puri.

3M attends COP27 as part of its sustainability agenda to address climate change

n 3M attended and maintained a high profile at the recently concluded COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

3M demonstrated its commitment to carbon neutrality across its operations by 2050 by providing scientific expertise to help customers achieve their own sustainability goals by reducing carbon footprints across their products and operations and developing new technologies solutions to help solve some of the world’s greatest environmental challenges, a corporate press communique revealed.

3M’s participation at COP27 was led by global and regional senior executives including Dr. Gayle Schueller, Global SVP and Chief Sustainability Officer, 3M; Laszlo Svinger, Vice President and Managing Director, Middle East and Africa, 3M; and Maxime Bureau, Director Government Affairs and Sustainability, Europe Middle East & Africa, 3M.

In line with their goals, 3M sponsored and participated in two discussion panels at COP27. The first-panel discussion centred around the topic of ‘Creating Energy Security for All: Technology & Policy Opportunities’. The panel discussion delved into the urgent need to elevate the technologies and policies to ensure energy security as a response to the global energy crisis. Members of the Global Alliance for Sustainable Energy (GASE) shared their expectations and vision for a secure energy future. The discussion focused on how countries, corporates and public organizations can drive near-term solutions for energy sufficiency.

The second-panel discussion focused on the topic of ‘Collaborating for Climate Solutions: How can we accelerate partnerships.’ As part of this panel discussion, participants addressed the importance of partnerships between the private sector, investors, and global connectors to drive climate change innovation.

SeaLead appoints SC Chan to top advisory role

n SeaLead has announced the appointment of veteran liner shipping executive SC Chan to the role of Chief Executive Advisor. In this new position, he will report to SeaLead Managing Director Henry Schmidl and will be based at the company’s headquarters in Singapore.

As SeaLead continues its expansion into new markets and with new services, Chan will provide expertise in defining the strategic development of the company, including supporting further expansion into new trade lanes and markets.

With more than 35 years of maritime-related experience, Chan started his career at sea and qualified as a master mariner in 1987, before joining OOCL and working in a number of different positions, including the role of Regional Managing Director of OOCL Singapore.

“With his knowledge and expertise, we are confident that SeaLead can further develop and continue its forward momentum,” asserted Schmidl.

“I look forward to working closely with Henry and the team to support further strategic development and growth,” commented Chan on his appointment.

Relatively new to the global shipping line sector, Sea Lead has grown rapidly in recent years and is currently ranked number 22 by industry expert Alphaliner. It recently launched a new India and UAE to East Africa service as part of its continued expansion.

Grocart revolutionizes retail supply chain logistics in the UAE

n Grocart, a smart B2B tech start-up wholesale marketplace, was founded by entrepreneurs Hussein Hosni, Co-Founder and CEO, and Nesma Zaghow, Co-Founder and COO.

Grocart allows FMCG retailers to source their supplies efficiently, effectively and seamlessly with a couple of clicks through a smart, tech-savvy web application platform. To date, the company has successfully delivered more than 10000 orders, and signed partnership agreements with market-leading suppliers, with over 3000 products on Grocart from more than 200 brands, the company revealed in a press communique.

In their explorations, they found that the B2B wholesale market in UAE and MENA is extremely fragmented, with many challenges for suppliers and distributors too, including poor reach, high cost of logistics and difficulties in credit terms, resulting in slow supply cycles for the small grocery market.

Using cutting-edge technology, the platform has streamlined the B2B wholesale market in the UAE for suppliers and distributors, allowing them to allocate their resources minus the challenges of high cost, poor reach, faulty logistic chains, and rigid credit terms.

Now, GroCart aims to reach 20K orders in a few months, and plans to raise a new investment round to expand in the MENA region.

“We wanted to create a seamless solution to help grocery stores thrive and survive with a click of a finger; after all they are our supply line in time of crisis, in the middle of the night or just because it’s always close by,” indicated Hosni.

Grocart has solved the gap in supply chains by providing the right resources to retailers via technology, which connects them with manufacturers and distributors, providing them with fast delivery and access to over 30K products, in addition, offers

G42 Cloud and SAP join forces to accelerate digital transformation

offering that supports companies’ digital transformation and is tailored for each company’s complexity and starting point.

The aim is to go beyond a technical migration to the cloud, and instead enable companies to truly transform their business, realizing a faster time-to-market for new capabilities and applications, and allowing for ongoing transformation.

“This is a milestone partnership for the regional tech industry, which will enable our customers to experience a more secure and powerful enterprise solutions via SAP’s RISE with SAP offering running on G42 cloud,” stressed Talal Al Kaissi, CEO, G42 Cloud.

n G42 Cloud, an operating company of G42, leading AI and Cloud Computing technology company, and global technology company SAP recently announced their collaboration to accelerate and explore mutual opportunities to leverage SAP software

solutions hosted on G42 Cloud to help benefit the effectiveness of companies.

As part of the collaboration, SAP and G42 Cloud intend to support the delivery of SAP’s cutting-edge software applications including RISE with SAP. RISE with SAP is a step-by-step holistic

“It is SAP’s aim to energize businesses across all sectors to run as intelligent enterprises so that they may consistently apply advanced technologies and best practices within agile, integrated business processes,” commented Sergio Maccotta, Senior Vice President, Middle East South, SAP.

KEZAD Group breaks ground on

the UAE’s largest e-Commerce Fulfillment Centre for noon.com

n Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD Group and noon.com, the Middle East’s leading online shopping destination, today broke ground on the UAE’s largest fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi, which will form part of an anchor investment by noon into the emirate’s fast-growing e-commerce space.

The 252,000sqm fulfilment centre facility is being designed and developed by KEZAD Group under a Build-to-Suit agreement and is scheduled for delivery in 2024.

With the introduction of new automation technologies for storage, material movement, and sorting, the facility will enable rapid delivery of products to millions of noon customers throughout the UAE and will bolster the local economy with the creation of several thousand new jobs.

With managing inventory efficiently and cost-effectively being critical to meeting the spike in online consumer demand, fulfilment centres not only offer scalable warehousing opportunities, but provide speed and quality control across the entire value chain, from

order picking and processing to packaging and shipping.

“This will allow our youth and small businesses to connect with the growing number of e-commerce customers without having to invest in technology or real estate,” asserted Mohamed Al Abbar, Founder, noon.

“The state-of-the-art noon fulfilment centre perfectly aligns with this mission and represents an important milestone in

our collective journey to enable the rapid expansion of e-commerce and same-day delivery models in the region,” stated Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and CEO, AD Ports Group.

“Abu Dhabi’s e-commerce sector has taken another step forward with work commencing on the country’s largest fulfilment centre,” noted Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Acting Director General, ADIO.

Integrated and highly complex logistics services

W i t h a s y s t e m a t i c o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d i n n o v a t i v e s o l u t i o n s , w e o f f e r y o u Q u i c k , P r o A c t i v e , c r e a t i v e s o l u t i o n f o r y o u r m o s t c o m p l e x t r a n s p o r t a t i o n C h a l l e n g e s O u r s e r v i c e p a c k a g e i n c l u d e s t h e h a n d l i n g o f O v e r S i z e d a n d H e a v y L i f t c a r g o , a s w e l l a s p r o v i d e R i s k A s s e s s m e n t a n d t h e m e t h o d s t a t e m e n t f o r t h e d e l i v e r y o f c a r g o O u r P r o j e c t P r o f e s s i o n a l s a n a l y s e s t h e s c a l e o f t h e p r o j e c t a n d o r g a n i z e s a l l t h e n e c e s s a r y r e s o u r c e s a n d p e r m i t s t o c o m p l e t e t h e d e l i v e r y w i t h g r e a t e s t e f f i c i e n c y

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