An ITP Media Group Publication JULY-AUGUST 2020 / ISSUE 189 An A ITP Media Group Publication JJJULJY-AUGUST 2020 / ISSUE 189 news and analysis for supply chain management professionals Download the free Logistics app and be the fi rst to read the latest issue on your mobile devices. UPDATE [06] COMMENT [12] COVER STORY [20] COVID-19 [40] Premier Logistics is targeting growth with an asset-light strategy, and a never-seen-before last mile delivery solution for the region AWARDS: LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST AWARDS SHORTLIST [34] ews andddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppply ch3LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST | JULY-AUGUST 2020www.logisticsmiddleeast.com JULY-AUGUST 2020 | CONTENTS Experts from Eihad Cargo give an insight into how one of the leading operators in the region has adjusted to the changes in air freight Dubai-founded logistics service provider Premier Logistics has strategised wisely during the pandemic to add key business units Every shortlisted nominee of the Logistics Middle East Awards 2020 has been revealed with the event slated to happen in November this year FE A T U R E FROM PASSENGERS TO CARGO CO V E R PREMIER LOGISTICS AWA R D S LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST AWARDS p16p20p34 CONTENTS JULY-AUGUST 20204JULY-AUGUST 2020 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com CONTENTS | JULY-AUGUST 2020 Most popular news stories on logistics- middleeast.com [1] Cargo capacity continues to be frustrated by bureaucracy, says IATA IATA renews calls for a more coordinated approach among governments to keep air cargo fl owing [2] Governments must facilitate crew changes, urge transport bodies Each month about 100,000 merchant seafarers need to be changed over [3] Emirates SkyCargo calibrates cargo operations to better connect global markets On Monday 30 March 2020, an Emirates SkyCargo fl ight carrying close to 500,000 Covid-19 testing kits landed at Sao Paulo airport in Brazil [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] Cargo capacity continues RE GU L A R S [14] ANALYSIS Emirates scores 32nd consecutive year of profi t with 21% spike but Covid-19 impact will impact next year earnings [16] AIR FREIGHT Experts from Eihad Cargo give an insight into how one of the leading op- erators in the region has adjusted to the changes in air freight [20] COVER Deepak Khushalani, co- founder and CEO, Premier Logistics talks about the rise of e-commerce during the pandemic, and the im- protance of getting last mile delivery spot on [27] SPECIAL REPORT LogSquare is leading the discussion on this month’s special report on Ware- house Automation. The lo- gistics supplier talks about the importance of ‘soft automation’ to sail through challenging times ahead [34] AWARDS Every shortlisted nominee of the Logistics Middle East Awards 2020 has been re- vealed with the event slated to happen in November this year [38] PAPERLESS Infi nite IT Solutions talks about the benefi ts of going paperless and the im- portance of it to increase effi ciency [40] RESTARTING THE SUPPLY CHAIN The pandemic forced the en- tire supply chain to rethink strategies and business practices, planning for the future has never been more important especially when operations need to run smoothly for the essential service provider [42] 5-MINUTES WITH... Learn from your competi- tors successes and failures, writes Kishore Lakhani, chairman, Indu Group p16 p36p40 JOIN THE CONVERSATION To have your copy of delivered to your doorstep, subscribe by logging on to www.itp.com/subscriptions Next month Logistics Middle East will be looking at the latest trends and developments insustainability in logistics as well as looking at how you build a successful brand. Get in touch to be featured!OMAN CUSTOMS | ADVERTORIAL 5LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST | FEBRUARY 2020www.logisticsmiddleeast.com Published by and © 2020 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC EDITOR’S COLUMN The overarching theme of Logistics Middle East’s July- August issue, unintentionally of course, has surrounded digital transformation, robotics, artificial intelligence and increased use of machinery. Not just logistics service providers and supply chain companies but we have seen an increased number of suppliers in the market receiving enquiries for solutions to repurpose warehouses. Logistics is an asset-heavy industry with investments in real-estate and fleet systems generally putting a strain on P&L statements. In the wake of the global pandemic LSPs have been forced to think about their growth strategy. In Logistics, growth is often associated with the amount of assets on a company’s books. Getting into new sectors or industries involves leasing / buying warehouse space. But in the current climate can LSPs and companies in the supply chain afford to invest into great big spaces? In my opinion (and I’m a fly on the wall) we are about to witness an era of synergies between LSPs and real-estate agents. One where multi-purpose warehouses will become trendy. This will detach, to an extent, the pressure for LSPs to bear the burden of buying / leasing in the short- to medium-term. In other news I wanted to share my seamless experience with Emirates Post this June. I needed to send a small package to India and found myself down to just two service providers who were able to do so — Emirates Post and DHL. I decided to go with Emirates Post since I had dealt with them in the past for a similar sort of shipment. Little did I know that it was about seven years ago, a lot has changed during those years since I first used Emirates Post’s service. I’m happy to report that the one-on-one personal service and smiling faces behind the counter continue to this day. To tie both ends of the anecdotes together we simply cannot function without humans in the logistics sector. Sure, automation plays a huge role in scaling our industry to new heights. But as long as you are serving a customer, the physical interaction is of paramount importance and an irreplaceable essential. PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 444 3000 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London & Mumbai ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO Ali Akawi Managing Directer Alex Reeve EDITORIAL Acting Editor Nikhil Pereira Tel: +971 4 4443426 email: nikhil.pereira@itp.com ADVERTISING Sales Manager Sanjay Kathan Tel: + 971 4 444 3377 email: sanjay.kathan@itp.com ITP LIVE General Manager Ahmad Bashour Tel: +971 4 4443549 email: ahmad.bashour@itp.com COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica Samson PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Photographers Efraim Evidor, Adel Rashid Staff Photographers Aasiya Jagadeesh, Ajith Narendra Fritz Asuro, Jessica Samson PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production & Distribution Director Kyle Smith Production Manager Basel Al Kassem Production Coordinator Manoj Mahadevan Senior Image Editor Emmalyn Robles CIRCULATION Distribution & Warehouse Manager Praveen Nair MARKETING Director of Awards & Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP GROUP CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Subscribe online at www.itp.com /subscriptions The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. 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NIKHIL PEREIRA ACTING EDITOR NIKHIL.PEREIRA@ITP.COMUPDATE | JULY-AUGUST 2020 6JULY-AUGUST 2020 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com Epicor Software Corporat ion , a global provider of industry-specifi c enterprise software to promote business growth, today announced that Saudi Arabian company, Pharma Pharmaceutical Industries (Pharma)—a leader in the kingdom’s pharmaceutical services industry—has implemented Epicor ERP to enhance data capture and archiving capabilities, optimize operational effi ciencies, and guarantee on-time delivery to customers. Pharma brings together business leaders and healthcare veterans to offer services to the Saudi pharmaceutical industry that include branding, marketing and sales, warehousing and logistics, facilities management, and regulatory compliance consultancy. The company’s international reach demanded a new approach to technology to ensure it remained a leader in the new global digital economy. It embarked upon a bold digital transformation journey, with a robust ERP platform as the planned keystone. “We didn’t have an ERP platform in place and relied on a paper system to manage each department’s activity,” said Tariq Kayyali, quality unit director and ERP project manager, Pharma Pharmaceuticals Industries, whose team of stakeholders focused on linking and integrating department LA N D + SE A + AIR + SU PPL Y CHAI N + WA R E H O U S E + MA TERIAL S HAN D L IN G UP D A T E Saudi pharma company implements new software to guarantee deliveires Industry leader selects Epicor for tight fit to requirements and potential to transform manufacturing accuracy and logistics capabilities Switching to Epicor ERP has allowed Pharma to smoothly integrate transactions across all departments [Representation image]. transactions to reduce the time taken to locate vital archived data. Errors in starting materials and the resulting mix-ups and delays in order deliveries became significant business risks to the company, pre-digitization. The risk of using incorrect or expired material in the manufactur- ing process was compounded by the company’s inability to accurately control all its assets and due to its tendency to produce inaccurate reports due to manual compilation. With the support of trusted Epicor partner, Full Insight Technology Solutions (FITS), Pharma deployed a platform that was easy to install, user intuitive and provided tight- fit functionality with its needs. Over a period of 10 months, the system was rolled out to 15 users, who all reported ease of use and unprecedented accuracy. Switching to Epicor ERP has allowed Pharma to smoothly link and integrate transactions across all departments and enhance accuracy in operations and inventory control. Strict audit trails now allow every critical transaction to be traced—to the user, date, and time of action— allowing Pharma to closely monitor related business impacts. Labelling problems have also been overcome, by enabling greater control over purchased and manufactured parts. “We ended up saving about 30 percent of unnecessary warehouse-team transactions and managed to reduce the time taken to find or track historical data records or transactions, from hours or days to seconds or minutes,” said Kayyali. “We also reduced the risk of mix-up and eliminated the possibility of using an invalid or expired part as a starting material—which is critical in the pharma industry. Having a validated ERP system helps us meet the expectations and compliance requirements of medicinal product agencies, both in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and around the world.” “Remaining relevant in the digital economy is no minor feat,” added Amel Gardner, regional vice president, Middle East, Africa and India (MEAI), Epicor. “Competitors—especially new market entrants—will not be using manual processes for critical functions. It is therefore vital that all firms digitize as much as possible. Epicor ERP will give Pharma a strong platform for growth and enable it to easily comply with granular industry requirements. The platform is designed to fit every business like a glove, delivering automation and operational enhancements that pave the way to true digital transformation.”JULY-AUGUST 2020 | UPDATE 7LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST | JULY-AUGUST 2020www.logisticsmiddleeast.com As part of its on- going expansion efforts, Abu Dhabi Termi- nals (ADT), today announced the delivery of its latest batch of Ship to Shore (STS) cranes. Abu Dhabi Ter- minals is the Management Company and operator of Khalifa Port Container Termi- nal (KPCT), the region’s first semi-automated terminal and one of the most techni- cally advanced. The five new cranes each with a 73 metre reach, 52 metre height and a lifting capacity of 90 tonnes are integral to ambi- tious plans that aim to increase capacity at KPCT to 5 million TEU (twenty foot-equivalent units) by the end of 2020. The STS cranes are among the largest in the world and will play a key role in ADT’s techno- logically advanced operational ecosystem at Khalifa Port, the flagship semi-automated deep- water port owned by Abu Dhabi Ports Group. Captain Mohamad Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Terminals, said: “Thanks to the wise strategic guidance of the leadership’s Economic Vision 2030, Abu Dhabi Terminals at Khalifa Port is well positioned to complete its expansion in record time and ahead of schedule, vali- dating our commitment to becom- ing one of the leading container terminal operators in the world.” “As Abu Dhabi’s gateway to the world, Khalifa Port continues to surpass world-class perfor- mance benchmarks, and through its growth is playing a vital role in contributing to creating prosper- ity and opportunity for all those within the UAE. “Offering world class levels of operational performance through continuous investment in our maritime assets and infrastructure enables Abu Dhabi to position its Ajman Free Zone has announced the newest state-of- the-art commercial complex, within the free zone, the Ajman Boulevard, to off er modern of- fi ce spaces to local and foreign investors who are seeking cost- eff ective business facilities in the emirate. Managed by Ajman Free Zone, the 9,617-square-meter project is in line with Ajman Vision 2021 and the Ajman Government’s efforts to establish a business- friendly environment in the emirate that would attract global investments, and thereby boost activities for local industries as well as diversify the economy. The Ajman Boulevard houses two six-story commercial build- ings, each with conducive work setting and advanced amenities and facilities such as showrooms, executive offices and meeting rooms. The buildings have a com- bined 213 units, with every floor featuring glass offices and recep- tion areas. One of the structures also has a waiting area and shared offices, which are ideal for both startup owners and freelancers. The Ajman Boulevard pro- ject complements the Ajman’s Free Zone’s continuing efforts to deliver cost-effective and con- temporary office spaces in the emirate. The project, which is in line with the current expan- sion strategy, also demonstrates Ajman Free Zone’s commitment to provide quality and distinc- tive offerings to international companies from various sectors. Under the terms of the Boule- Abu Dhabi Terminals receives fi ve new ship-to-shore cranes Ajman Free Zone unveils new commercial development They have a lifting capacity of 90 tonnes. The building has a combined 213 units. Khalifa Port Container Terminal on Target to Reach 5m TEU by Year End With two new buildings, the 9,617-square-meter commercial complex off ers modern and cost-eff ective offi ce areas in Ajman economy to reap the benefits of future non-oil growth for years to come.” Ahmad Al Mutawa, Abu Dhabi Terminals CEO, said: “The pur- chase and delivery of these cranes demonstrates how continuous investment in our infrastructure and technology, helps us exceed customer expectations by con- stantly delivering the most ef- ficient operational performance. “Our current expansion project of Khalifa Port Container Ter- minal sets a new benchmark for container terminal expansion in the region, and ensures that ADT can continue to deliver world class levels of operational performance to our partners, customers and shareholders well into the future.” ADT purchased the ultra- modern cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (ZMPC) in China. This mile- stone follows the recent arrival of a batch of Automated Stack- ing Cranes which are also part vard initiative, firms that will be setting up their offices will benefit from a diverse range of premium services--all designed to help them in achieving their target growth and success. These services in- clude streamlined processes for enterprise establishment and management; ease of business procedures; flexibility; and a host of other relevant benefits. Ajman Free Zone caters to enterprises of all sizes, start- ups, and new businesses that are aiming to build a presence in the emirate and the UAE and gain access to key markets in the country’s neighbouring states. One of its unique propositions involves enabling investors to set up a company from anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours via its state-of-the-art digital portal. of the expansion project, taking the total number of cranes at the terminal to 22. The final phase of ADT ex- pansion will see the Terminal linked to the Etihad Rail network providing direct rail connections across the UAE and regionally. The 1.6 billion expansion at Abu Dhabi Terminals is part of AED 4 billion development projects un- derway at Khalifa Port including an AED 2.2 billion development of its South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics which will expand over- all capacity and boost container capacity to 9 million TEUs over the next five years. As part of its strategies to drive Ajman’s socio-economic growth and development, the free zone continues to provide innovative solutions, form new partnerships, and integrate creativity in its culture. All these are expected to rein- force and sustain its strong performance and standing in the country. UPDATE | JULY-AUGUST 2020 8JULY-AUGUST 2020 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com Volga-Dnepr Airlines has operated six AN- 124-100 charters, transporting 48 street sterili- sation vehicles from China to the United Arab Emirates. The special flights delivered the trucks from Shanghai to Dubai for fi nal destination Abu Dhabi, where the vehicles will be used for a “National Disinfection Pro- gramme” in preventative action against COVID-19. All flights were in coopera- tion with Volga-Dnepr Airline’s long-term partner and colleague in the heavy-lift market – Maxi- mus Air. Each flight was loaded with 8 trucks, utilising 3 aircraft within a 4-day period– made possible by the world’s largest fleet of AN-124-100s. The Volga-Dnepr Group has been operating multiple Volga-Dnepr delivers 48 sterilisation trucks to Dubai Dubai’s steralisation programme ran for close to three months. The special fl ights delivered the trucks from Shanghai to Dubai for fi nal destination Abu Dhabi charter flights daily as the in- ternational community battles against the spread of Covid-19. The full fleets of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, Air Bridge Cargo and Atran have all been utilised to meet the demand for transport- ing vast volumes of air freight worldwide. Whilst the majority of commodities flown have been PPE, the Volga-Dnepr charter team have also been deliver- ing crucial oversized/ heavy-lift equipment to support global health infrastructures. The range of air cargo flown, is enabled by the diverse fleet that is unique to the Volga-Dnepr Group. Through thirty-years of ex- perience in supporting inter- national aid and relief efforts, the Volga-Dnepr team is quali- fied to mitigate the challenges of the current global crisis. From years of participating in various emergency response programmes, Volga-Dnepr’s accumulated know-how ena- bles it to overcome the new dynamic conditions of the air freight industry, particularly when transporting oversized/ heavy-lift cargo, where the Group’s foundations lie. Humanitarian Director for Vol- ga-Dnepr Group, Stuart Smith, has highlighted how the response from the three airlines have been able to support its partners; “Volga-Dnepr Group’s ability to provide customised solutions during this critical period is dem- onstrated by our incredible num- ber of daily charters transporting medical and sanitary equipment. All four aircraft types operated by the Volga-Dnepr Group have been flying around the clock to keep international supply chains open. Each aircraft type is able to uniquely provide different solu- tions depending on the needs of our customers in the air freight industry. The six AN-124-100s operated on behalf of Maximus, exemplify the range of services that Volga-Dnepr can provide — transporting air freight of all sizes to all destinations; services that are proven by the recognition of our valued piers in the industry.” Zebra Technologies launches proximity sensing solution to protect employees and disinfection. Zebra’s MotionWorksProximity solution meets the requirements outlined in the guidelines and the needs of many enterprises looking for a viable option to enhance their reopening strategies. “To protect our front-line workers and those returning to our offices, we have been prioritizing our employees’ health and safety,” said Bill Burns, Chief Product and Solutions Officer, Zebra Technologies. “Teams across our company rapidly defined, developed and deployed a proximity tracing, alerting and contact tracing solution within one of our largest distribution facilities, and now it’s available Dubai-based startup connects small businesses with manufacturers and wholesalers through a digital platform and a tech-savvy supply chain to help protect our customers’ employees in manufacturing and warehouse environments.” Zebra’s solution provides proximity and contact tracing insights, dashboards and reports to employers as well as individual proximity alerts for the employees. The data is tied to an employee ID or anonymized user ID, allowing for actionable insights by the employer while allowing for the privacy of individuals, unlike other public contact tracing solutions. Accurate, automated contact tracing can help companies quickly identify exposed employees for testing, potentially limiting widespread facility closures. Leveraging Bluetooth Low- Energy (BLE) and WiFi, the software solution is hosted in the cloud, implemented quickly and managed remotely by Zebra, eliminating on-site professional services. It doesn’t require new infrastructure and can be leveraged on existing supported Zebra Android devices or new devices available in different form factors and price points depending on customer requirements. “The advantage provided by our contact tracing solution is that it utilizes the devices front-line workers are already using today, minimizing additional capital costs and accelerating employee adoption,” said Burns. Zebra Technologies Corporation, an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, today launched Zebra MotionWorks Proximity. The solution offers proximity sensing with user- level alerting and contact tracing to enable employers to help protect their employees’ health while in the work environment. Governments around the world have issued guidelines requiring employers to develop and implement appropriate policies such as, but not limited to, social distancing, contact tracing JULY-AUGUST 2020 | UPDATE 9LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST | JULY-AUGUST 2020www.logisticsmiddleeast.com Deutsche Post DHL Group’s air and ocean freight specialist, DHL Global Forwarding, has launched myDHLi, a fully integrated online platform for freight forwarding customers. The new myDHLi platform has an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to use and ensures that customers have all relevant information at hand. The platform merges existing online services like myDHLi Quote + Book and myDHLi Ana- lytics with new services and features, and incorporates them into one innovative platform. Built-in popular social media features like follow and share functions simplify communica- tion along the supply chain by enabling customers to exchange information with colleagues, customers and suppliers. Developed completely in- house, the new tracking service uses end-to-end information to make shipments across air and ocean visible nearly in real-time. Another new feature is myDHLi Documents, which offers quick and easy access to downloadable shipment documents. Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, said: “By combining services like online quotation and book- ing with shipment tracking, document accessibility, and data analyses we are creating not only 360-degrees visibility, but also have laid the founda- tion for customers to manage their logistics – anytime and anywhere. We strongly believe DHL launches new online freight forwarding platform The platform merges existing online services like myDHLi Quote + Book and myDHLi Analytics with new services and features. Cofounders of DXBUY, Rizwan and Adnan Zubairi UAE’s fi rst B2B e-commerce app launches to link up supply chain DXBUY, UAE’s foremost B2B e-commerce platform dedicated to the small & medium businesses in retail, unorganized trade and F&B has announced its official launch. After being available to select users during the beta phase for nearly six months, DXBUY is now available to all businesses in the UAE to download and self-register. The mobile eCommerce app is designed to simplify the buying process by offering convenience, control, and choice. Co - founded b y tw o experienced entrepreneur brothers, Rizwan and Adnan Zubairi, DXBUY’s mobile-first approach is designed to make the everyday buying process faster, smarter, and cheaper for retail buyers. The company helps fill the gaps in supply chain and provides a wide range of products by having multiple vendors and brands on a single platform. Buyers can be assured of getting cost- effective, timely deliveries and could further benefit by reducing their inventories to save on precious real estate space. The platform leverages data- driven technology to efficiently operate across the high volume, low transaction value categories by optimizing sales and logistics cost. It further supports local manufacturers, wholesalers and brand owners to streamline their operations with greater visibility and insights about their product categories. Dubai-based startup connects small businesses with manufacturers and wholesalers through a digital platform and a tech-savvy supply chain Unique follow and share functions provide seamless collaboration with customers and suppliers that digitalisation bears the po- tential to ease and improve the daily business of shippers and freight forwarders simultane- ously. This is even truer during unpredictable and challenging times such as those we are cur- rently facing with COVID-19, and which might now act as an accelerator for digitising the industry. That is what digitali- sation means to us and why we made it a cornerstone of our strategy 2025.” “Even in this day of technological advancement, the majority of purchase decisions are impulsive. Our application acts as a convenient marketplace and comparison tool for businesses to make rational decisions, while providing visibility on buying patterns to both consumers and vendors,” says Adnan Zubairi, CEO – DXBUY.Next >