Saudi International Logistics is the new name for the logistics arm of The WACO System’s Saudi Arabia member Al Tayyar Cargo, delegates at WACO’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, heard last week. Andre Verdier was named Saudi International Logistics’ Chief Executive Officer at the EGM, which was attended by 95 WACO members from 65 countries. “The rebranding of our cargo services is the first step towards strengthening our logistics network, infrastructure, and capabilities across the Gulf region,” said Verdier. “We are also building our upstream capabilities through a series of collaborative agreements with WACO members to ensure we can deliver an end-to-end capability." Verdier’s appointment was made by Abdullah AlDawood, Al Tayyar Travel Group Chief Executive Officer. “Al Tayyar Travel Group has initiated a restructuring plan for our Al Tayyar Cargo division in order to drive growth and expand our core services in logistics and supply chain,” said AlDawood. AlDawood said Saudi International Logistics also plans to open two new distribution centres near the main Saudi airports in Riyadh and Jeddah by January 2017. A third site, in Dammam, will be home to a logistics campus that will open at the end of next year and will offer a comprehensive range of supply chain solutions. “Our EGM was the perfect opportunity for Saudi International Logistics to showcase their newly enhanced import and upstream capabilities to members,” said Richard Charles, Executive Director, The WACO System. “Their continued expansion is an exciting development for our network, particularly given the importance of the growing Saudi market.” Saudi International Logistics will primarily focus on solutions for the retail and B2C sectors, including the provision of consolidation at origin, value add prior to import, clearance and domestic/regional warehousing, and distribution. Al Tayyar Group was founded in 1979 and has diversified its business to include tourism, travel and hospitality, hotels, car rental, insurance services, online/retail and logistics/cargo services.