DHL Express, the world's leading international express services provider, officially launched on Oct. 11 its biggest ground and air operations facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – the largest economy within the Gulf Cooperation Council region. With the inauguration of the new SR90 million Jeddah Gateway which spans 15,000 sqm, DHL is the first international express provider to provide a direct network flight service into Jeddah's King Abdel Aziz Airport. It will enable DHL to introduce additional network flights into Jeddah as demand increases. The latest investment by DHL is part of its commitment to further support economic growth by facilitating global trade to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This is the third facility that DHL Express has opened within the Kingdom and brings DHL's investments to over SR200 million, with two other facilities already operational in Dammam and Riyadh, since 2014 and 2015 respectively. Ken Allen, CEO of DHL Express, said: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been one of our key markets in the Middle East and North Africa region and we have seen enormous expansion over the past two years, with the Jeddah facility being the latest of three new state-of-the-art facilities. The Jeddah facility offers industry-leading road and air express solutions and strengthens our already existing strong presence across the region. It demonstrates our commitment and confidence in the growth of the Saudi economy as we continue to enhance our capabilities and market-leading position in the region while fulfilling customers' changing needs." Nour Suliman, CEO, Middle East and North Africa, DHL Express, added: "We have seen consistent growth in the Middle East and North Africa in recent years as the region continues to succeed in attracting more business. As the biggest economy in the GCC, Saudi Arabia has always been a market with great potential for our industry. Our plans focus on continuing to lead the market, and in order to do so we need to have the infrastructure that would help support our growth plan, and solidify our position. This new facility in Jeddah is testament to our commitment towards our plans to our customers, partners, and employees." Located at Jeddah's King Abdel Aziz International Airport, the new facility serves as a global gateway to the Western region of Saudi Arabia. DHL's brand new air and ground operations facility includes state-of-the-art features, including: The ability to handle 4,000 shipments per hour. An automated conveyor belt with the capacity to process more than 100,000 shipments everyday – scanning, weighing and capturing the details of every package. The 600m long conveyor belt is approximately as tall as the iconic Makkah Royal Clock Tower. Over 120 CCTV cameras across the facility provide real-time high resolution live feed to airport security and KSA Customs. More than 40 vehicle spaces with the ability for indoor loading and offloading of shipments to ensure maximum protection and security. Airside and landside dedicated in-house customs clearance capabilities. Faysal El Hajjami, Country Manager, DHL Express Saudi Arabia, said: "This is a real statement about DHL's commitment to our operations and our customers in the Kingdom as we open the doors to our third – and largest – air and ground operations facility. DHL is continuing to set new standards for the logistics industry across the Kingdom and we will continue to work closely with our key partners and customs officials ensuring that our customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia receive the highest levels of service."
