General Motors (GM) officially opened its $40 million parts distribution center at Jebel Ali Free Zone. The center will dramatically speed up the delivery of spare parts to GM retailers throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Levant.
The Middle East auto parts industry operates on 60 to 120 days delivery, according to a company press release, but when the new GM center is fully operational next month it will be able to supply within three days. Emergency parts will be shipped on the same day the order is placed.
“This is the largest single investment General Motors has made in the region and is evidence of GM’s intention to sell 100,000 vehicles a year in the Middle East. Having a world-class parts distribution network that delivers the right price at the right time is key element in the process,” said Maureen Kempston Darkes, president of GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East and group vice president.
”We will be able to deliver parts very quickly to the front door of our retailers regardless of where they are located—something rarely done in the Middle East.” The massive 14,000 square-meter center will stock 32,000 different parts and can be expanded to support GM’s future growth.
It will have up to 35 staff controlling parts for all makes of GM vehicles, including Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Opel, as well as ACDelco parts. “The construction of the new facility underlines GM’s commitment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to the region,” said Paul Johnson, Middle East managing director of General Motors.
GM has selected Deutsche Post World Net as its logistics partner in the project to provide a complete supply-chain solution, handling all operations including the complex materials management function.
Enver Moretti, senior vice president, Danzas AEI Intercontinental North Africa and Middle East, commented: “We are proud to have been selected as GM’s logistics provider in this project and to add GM to the distinguished list of multinational clients for whom we provide global logistics support.”
Sultan bin Sulayem, chairman of Jebel Ali Free Zone, said: “As a central point for distribution in the GCC and Middle East, Jebel Ali is the ideal location for the new facility and we are very pleased to add General Motors to the long list of prestigious companies operational in the zone.”
GM Middle East sales last year hit 55,000, outstripping total market growth and making GM the fastest-growing manufacturer in the region. GM’s Sales for the GCC and Levant in the first quarter of 2003 were 27 percent up on the corresponding period last year, boosted by a 76 percent growth in fleet sales. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
