GAC Dubai opens dedicated co-packing facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone

Contract logistics arm aims to increase monthly throughput by 47% by mid-2017

Dubai - GAC Dubai’s contract logistics arm has opened a new dedicated co-packing facility in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) as part of the company’s continued investment and growth strategy. With its workforce of 200 highly experienced operatives, GAC Dubai’s contract logistics team has set its sights on increasing the current throughput of 7.5 million unit customisations to 11 million per month by mid-2017. The ground plus two-floor mezzanine adds 800sqm to the co-packing area, making 1,800sqm of space available for printing, labelling, kitting and product assembly services. The facility also includes two new temperature-controlled cleanrooms. “The new facility allows the customisation requirements of our clients to be handled even more efficiently, and the extra capacity enables us to deliver more services and expand the important value addition sector of the contract logistics business,” says Neil McMaster, General Manager - Contract Logistics at GAC Dubai. Commenting on the strong pace of expansion that is set to continue well into 2017 and beyond, GAC Dubai’s Managing Director, Stuart Bowie adds: “This latest move represents just one small step in our wider growth plans in Dubai. In the last 18 months we have invested in a dedicated warehouse for a long-term customer, The One, refurbished 24,000 pallets to a European food grade standard and implemented an energy-efficient district cooling plant and water recycling systems. We are currently in the final stages of contractor selection to build a new 72,900 pallet facility at Dubai World Central.” In 1993, GAC pioneered contract logistics services in the Middle East by opening the region’s first distribution centre in Dubai. Today, the 103,000sqm GAC Logistics Park in JAFZA is still one of the largest and most advanced in the region comprising of 54,000sqm of warehousing space and specialising in Food & Beverage and FMCG cargo. Additionally GAC operates a customer-dedicated warehouse in Jebel Ali north, a multi-user retail logistics facility in Jebel Ali south, and an on-shore dedicated retail logistics facility in Dubai Investment Park, comprising a further 40,000sqm.