"DHL" Opens an innovation center in Dubai South
DUBAI, 4 December, 2017 (WAM) – DHL today announced the official opening of its expanded Innovation Center for the Middle East and Africa region in Dubai, in a step that reinforces the group’s commitment to advancing the future of the logistics sector in the region.
In parallel, DHL Supply Chain announced an investment of 120 million euros in establishing a multi-customer warehouse operating carbon neutrally in Dubai South, located near the Innovation Center and the new Al Maktoum International Airport.
Together, the two projects form a pivotal platform that combines innovation and operational processes, strengthening DHL’s presence in Dubai and the UAE and strengthening the group’s long-term commitment to the region.
Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Customer Solutions and Innovations at DHL Group, said: The Middle East and Africa region is one of our most prominent growth markets, and DHL established an advanced presence in it from an early stage. The opening of the permanent innovation center supports this trend, after the success of the mobile model over the past years. The center reflects the group’s commitment to the region and the Emirates within a global network that includes only four centers.
In turn, Orkun Saruhanoglu, CEO of DHL Supply Chain in the Middle East and Africa, said: Our new multi-user warehouse in the Dubai South Free Zone strengthens our regional presence by enhancing the integration between innovation and operations.
The DHL Innovation Center in the Middle East and Africa region extends over an area of 1,700 square meters, and was designed as a collaborative platform that brings together customers, partners, startups and academic institutions with the aim of enhancing exchange, exploring new technologies, testing scalable solutions, and developing innovations that address the sector’s challenges on the ground.
The center includes spaces designated for meetings and workshops, and serves as a prominent regional point that supports the path of logistics transformation.
The center hosts experts from the regional customer solutions and innovations team at DHL, enhancing its role in developing pioneering thought and applying practical innovation.
The center is linked to DHL’s global network of innovation centers in Cologne, Singapore and Chicago, and opens the way for cross-regional collaboration, monitoring emerging trends and developing new generation logistics solutions that are widely applicable.
Irina Albanese, Head of Innovation for the East, Middle East and Africa at the DHL Innovation Centre, said that the innovation center in Dubai constitutes a clear model of the practical investments made by DHL, and translates the group’s innovation strategy within one of the most vibrant logistics centers in the region.
As a key partner of the Innovation Centre, Dubai South plays a pivotal role in building an interconnected system that combines innovation and operational excellence, and supports Dubai’s position as a global logistics hub.
Mohsen Ahmed, Executive Director of the Logistics District in Dubai South, said: Our cooperation with DHL is Dubai South’s commitment to building an integrated system that accelerates the pace of progress in the logistics services sector, and by employing global expertise and local innovation, we are working to provide new opportunities that support Dubai’s position as a leading center for trade and modern technologies.
Regarding the warehouse, DHL Supply Chain signed an agreement worth 120 million euros, including rental obligations extending over 38 years to develop a plot of land of 96,000 square meters in Dubai South.
The project includes a multi-use warehouse with an area of 55,000 square meters, in addition to additional office space, strategically located near the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport, which will become the largest airport in the world. Construction work is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026, and will be completed in the summer of 2027.
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