Amazon has inaugurated a new Fulfillment Center which almost doubles its storage in the UAE.
As the company gears up for increased customer demand during the Holy month of Ramadan, its new facility has a storage capacity of 2.1 million cubic feet and boosts the online retailers total storage capacity in the UAE by 70%.
Prashant Saran, Director of Operations for Amazon MENA, said: “With the opening of this facility, we are geared up to offer even more products to more customers during the busy time of Ramadan. The new Fulfilment Center will be equipped with Amazon’s latest global innovations to ensure speed, safety and reliability with every order. As a good corporate citizen, we always strive to create opportunities for employees, partners and the community while growing sustainably and responsibly.”
The investment will enable Amazon to serve customers with a wider selection of products across electronics, appliances, groceries, fashion, books and more. Amazon brings 25-plus years of logistics technology and innovation to support the country’s ecommerce ecosystem, said the company in a statement.
The new facility will house close to three kilometers of conveyance equipment, spread across five floors and covering an area of more than 350,000 sqft.
Supporting Dubai and UAE’s agenda for a digital economy, the enhanced capacity will provide entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) access to Amazon’s fulfillment capabilities and world-class logistics expertise, said the firm.
In order to reach a wider customer base faster and more efficiently, SMBs can take advantage of the Fulfilled by Amazon offering that allows them to store, pick, pack and ship customer orders through Amazon, it added.
The company recently announced its commitment to host products from 100,000 businesses, including local SMBs, on its UAE website Amazon.ae by 2026, in support of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to make Dubai a global digital economy.
The facility is located in Dubai South’s Logistics District, enabling efficient services, speed, operations, and uninterrupted access to Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
“At Dubai South, our mandate is to support the government’s economic diversification efforts through the different services and solutions that we provide to local and international companies,” said H.E. Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South.
“We have created a world-class logistics, supply chain and warehousing infrastructure ecosystem, making it an ideal location for Amazon’s new facility. We are thrilled to welcome the company’s second Fulfillment Centre in our Logistics District, as hosting a global e-commerce company like Amazon expanding its investment in the UAE brings us closer to our mission to catalyze the UAE’s economic growth.”
Speaking at the inauguration, H.E. Helal Al Marri, director general of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) added: “Dubai’s leadership has outlined a clear economic growth roadmap for the coming decade that capitalizes on the emirate’s business enabling infrastructure and highly developed global logistic network to deliver accelerated expansion opportunities for both international and local companies, whilst offering a strong competitive advantage to those choosing Dubai.”
Also at the inauguration, H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation said, Dubai has transformed into a significant hub for the world’s largest e-commerce companies.
“The city’s exceptional infrastructure and logistics capabilities have propelled it to become a launchpad for e-commerce worldwide. The launch of Amazon’s new shipping center in Dubai South is a testament to Dubai’s unwavering commitment to achieving global leadership in cross-border e-commerce. This achievement adds another remarkable milestone to Dubai’s already impressive record of accomplishments in the field.”
Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon MENA, explained that Fulfillment Centers have a ripple effect across the economy, contributing significantly to the growth of ecommerce sales, building capacity and accelerating entrepreneurship by allowing sellers and start-ups “to leverage Amazon’s world class fulfillment offerings to reach more customers with a wider selection of products. At the same time, we continue to invest in building the UAE’s talent capabilities, creating diverse career paths in an industry-leading workplace.”
