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T E C H N O L O G Y New trends to drive the tech sector in 2021 I N T E R V I E W H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC Group I N T E R V I E W Ramez Hamdan, Al-Futtaim Automotive CONNECTING TRADE PROFESSIONALS WITH INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE FEBRUARY 2021 BRIAN WOODSIDE POWERING FORWARD THE GROUP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AT AL MASAOOD GROUP AIMS TO NOURISH BUSINESS VITALITY BY OPENING DOORS TO NEW IDEAS
A MEMBERS OF EMIRATES TRANSPORT BUSINESS CENTERS:
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 3 POWERING FORWARD BRIAN WOODSIDE 10 NEWS 16 OP-ED PENNED Creating stronger bonds in supply chain: Independence is out of the question as reliance on other regions and countries has become a necessity 24 INTERVIEW VALUABLE BRAND In conversation with H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO, ADNOC Group 26 TECHNOLOGY NEW TRENDS TO DRIVE THE TECH SECTOR IN 2021 Damo Academy, Alibaba Group’s research initiative, shares its forecast of the top 10 principal trends that will shape the tech industry for the year 28 INTERVIEW AHEAD OF THE CURVE Ramez Hamdan, Managing Director- Industrial Equipment at Al-Futtaim Automotive shares his insight on the company’s way forward in the face of the pandemic 30 TRADE TRADE & INVESTMENT 2021 Middle East forecast 32 FLEET MANAGEMENT SMART CREDENTIALS Farnek launches in-house smart fleet management solution 34 TRUCKS RENAULT TRUCKS: ENOC’S NEWEST ‘PARTNER OF CHOICE’ Major fleet deal sees ENOC take delivery of eight new C 380 tractor heads from Renault Trucks The Chief Financial Officer at Al Masaood Group aims to nourish business vitality by opening doors to new ideas 18 IN THIS ISSUE 24 28
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6 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM All rights reserved © 2020. Opinions expressed are solely those of the contributors. Logistics News ME and all subsidiary publications in the MENA region are officially licensed exclusively to BNC Publishing in the MENA region by Logistics News ME. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher. Images used in Logistics News ME are credited when necessary. Attributed use of copyrighted images with permission. All images not credited courtesy Shutterstock. Printed by UPP D ubai’s trade with Israel in the last five months (Sep 2020 -Jan 2021) touched a value of Dhs1 billion and a volume of 6.217k tonnes. Of this, imports were valued at Dhs325 million (718 tonnes), exports at Dhs607 million (5.4k tonnes), and transit trade at Dhs98.7 million (52.4 tonnes), according to Dubai Customs statistics. The normalisation of relations between the UAE and Israel is set to be a turning point in the economic and investment relationship between the two countries with mutual trade expected to grow to AED15 billion in the next few years generating more than 15,000 jobs, Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO and Chairman of Dubai’s Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation noted. In the light of this exceptional growth, Sultan bin Sulayem believes opening new markets and stimulating mutual trade between Dubai and Israel will encourage companies to increase production, leading to greater economic growth and more job creation. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, stated that the volume of Dubai’s seaborne trade with Israel amounted to 5.7k tonnes (Dhs82.8 million), while airborne trade reached 423 kg (Dhs948.6 million). Dubai’s main imports from Israel include vegetables and fruits, diamonds and flat screens, hi-tech devices, and medical and mechanical devices, while exports include diamonds, smart phones, engine spare parts, perfumes, and lubricants. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih stated that Dubai and Israel can both generate new growth opportunities by virtue of possessing exceptional competitive advantages that place them in a good position to promote win-win cooperation between each other’s business communities. DUBAI-ISRAEL TRADE PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT BOOST TO THE ECONOMY Kasun Illankoon Deputy Editor kasun@bncpublishing.net SUBSCRIBE subscriptions@bncpublishing.net For all commercial enquiries, contact sales@bncpublishing.net T +971 50 440 2706 PO Box 502511 Dubai, United Arab Emirates P +971 4 4200 506 | F +971 4 4200 196 Keep up to date with all the latest news, features and much more on our website and social media platforms. CBNME.COM CBNME @CBNME CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEWS ME EDITOR’S NOTE LNME CEO Wissam Younane wissam@bncpublishing.net DIRECTOR Rabih Najm rabih@bncpublishing.net GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Joaquim D'Costa jo@bncpublishing.net +971 50 440 2706 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Rabih Naderi rabih.naderi@bncpublishing.net +966 50 328 9818 DEPUTY EDITOR Kasun Illankoon kasun@bncpublishing.net ASSISTANT EDITOR Jochebed Menon EDITORIAL DESIGN Christian Harb MARKETING EXECUTIVE Aaron Sinanbam aj@bncpublishing.net
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10 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM T rack-laying works across Al Dhafrah Region in Package A of Stage Two of the UAE’s national railway were inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region. His Highness was briefed by Shadi Malak, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Rail, on the construction progress of Package A, which will connect the UAE rail network to Al Ghuwaifat on the Sau- di border and the wider GCC region. Having started in early 2020, steady progress has been made on construc- tion of Package A, which is now 59% complete. A progress report presentation was also held, it revealed that across Pack- age A half of the soil preparation works have been completed, with 79% of sand and rock cutting also finished. STAGE TWO OF UAE RAILWAY COMPLETES 59% CONSTRUCTION REGIONAL NEWS LNME
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 11 T he Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism pro- ject, has named daa International as the operator of The Red Sea Project’s unique and iconic airport. daa International will provide airfield and terminal operations, avia- tion services, facilities management and commercial activities, as well as corporate and financial services. “Our state-of-the-art airport will provide a unique gateway for guests arriving at our destination, and this announcement is an important step in bringing the experience to life ahead of welcoming visitors by the end of 2022,” said John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC. “daa International was selected because we are confident that they can deliver not only an airport experience worthy of our luxury destination, but for their commitment to ensur- ing our sustainability goals are met.” daa International will manage the operations of the airport during three separate stages. Stage one will involve ensuring that all airport designs benefit the customer. Stage two covers planning a full and seamless operational model for the airport when it opens to the pub- lic. The final stage will be to manage and operate this plan, maintain- ing the highest standards in customer experience and sustainability, and prioritizing safety and security. “The Red Sea International Airport will become a fundamental part of each visitor’s journey to this unique destination, and we believe their holiday experience should start from the moment they land,” said daa International Chief Executive, Nick Cole. “That is why we intend to deliver a seamless airport experience for passengers, un- derpinned by a commitment to achieving TRSDC’s stringent sustain- ability goals. We’re pleased to play our role in helping to open up this new destination and wonderful country to the rest of the world.” The Red Sea International Airport is accessible by 80 percent of the world’s population in less than eight hours and is set to serve one million passengers annually by the project’s completion in 2030, with a peak capacity of 900 passengers per hour. Visitor numbers will be limited to one million, based on the environmental carrying capacity of the destination. The entire transport network at the site, including the airport, will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy. In line with TRSDC’s commitment to set new standards in regenerative tourism, the airport is designed to include shaded areas and natural ventilation that minimizes reliance on air conditioning. TRSDC awarded the airport design contract to international archi- tecture firm Foster + Partners in October 2019, after it presented ex- citing designs that are explicitly informed by the natural Saudi land- scape. TRSDC also awarded a contract for construction of a Code F runway, Code B seaplane runway, aprons, taxiways, helipad, roads and navigation aids to a Saudi joint-venture, Nesma + Partners and Almabani, earlier this year and work is well underway at the site. Upon completion in 2030, The Red Sea Project will comprise 50 hotels, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and around 1,300 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include a luxury marina, entertainment and leisure facilities. THE RED SEA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY APPOINTS DAA INTERNATIONAL TO MANAGE OPERATIONS AT DESTINATION’S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REGIONAL NEWS
T he leading wholesaler in the Swiss organic market, Bio Partner, has doubled its output following the implementation of innovative robotic logistics from Swisslog at its facility in Aargau, Switzerland. Bio Partner supplies business custom- ers in the organic specialist trade as well as the rest of the retail and food industry from its location in Seon. As a result of the merger with Somona GmbH, the warehouse reached its performance and capacity limits, and the wholesaler turned to a local partner with a global footprint to deliver an automated storage system. The 12,200 metre square warehouse handles 10,000+ products, a process now optimized thanks to the high- performance AutoStore storage solution, delivered by global warehouse automa- tion specialist, Swisslog, a member of the KUKA group. “Companies with large warehouses have to constantly work on increasing efficiency and our robot systems work flawlessly around the clock,” says Swiss- log CEO, Dr. Christian Baur. The aim of this new system from Swisslog is to auto- mate the storage and picking of the dry assortment and to compress it in terms of volume. The new AutoStore system at Bio Part- ner has 44 robots with the ability to han- dle 25,000 containers and at least 6,000 products completely autonomously. “The high-tech robots create a volume of 900 containers per hour and, depending on the development, this system can still be expanded considerably,” says CEO, Dr. Baur. The orders are automatically transmitted to the AutoStore system and processed in accordance with parallel processes, which is a huge advantage in large ware- houses. This means that higher volumes can be made available in a shorter time. Picking errors cost time and money, and robots don’t make mistakes since the hardware and software work together perfectly. Bio Partner relies on the modu- lar warehouse management software SynQ from Swisslog to orchestrate the warehouse and picking processes based on data-based insights. “Our company relies on long-term, sustainable partnerships. With Swisslog, we found a strong local partner and the system installation was quick and easy,” commented Lukas Mettler, head of ware- house logistics at Bio Partner. As a leading global integrator with over 200 realized projects, this is just one ex- ample of many projects which showcase the wide implementation spectrum of AutoStore empowered by Swisslog. ORGANIC WHOLESALER DOUBLES OUTPUT WITH AUTOSTORE EMPOWERED BY SWISSLOG REGIONAL NEWS LNME 12 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 13 REGIONAL NEWS C athay Pacific Cargo is launching a new scheduled freighter service between Hong Kong and Riyadh (RUH) starting 5 January 2021. The airline has seen a growing demand for air cargo flights between Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong (HKG), a leading cargo and logistics hub in Asia. These new flights will meet the strong demand for shipments of e- commerce and other general cargo such as garments, providing our customers with reliable, efficient and direct air cargo services offering the high level of quality for which Cathay Pacific Cargo is known. The inaugural flight on 5 January will see Cathay Pacific Cargo operate the service using its Boeing B747-400 ERF aircraft. Cathay Pacific Cargo has launched a number of scheduled and charter services recently to meet the air cargo needs of its customers. On 16 December 2020, the airline launched a seasonal cargo service between Hong Kong and Hobart in Aus- tralia, providing an important airfreight lane for the export of fresh produce from Hobart to various parts of Asia via Hong Kong. Meanwhile in September last year, the airline launched a temporary service to Pittsburgh in the US to serve the sea- sonal upsurge in demand. In addition to operating a full freighter flight schedule, Cathay Pacific has also been operating thousands of pairs of cargo- only passenger flights, some with cargo loaded in the passen- ger cabins, and chartered hundreds of pairs of flights from its all-cargo subsidiary Air Hong Kong to provide additional air freight capacity. CATHAY PACIFIC CARGO LAUNCHES FREIGHTER SERVICE TO RIYADH
14 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM REGIONAL NEWS LNME T estament to the success of region- wide economic diversification efforts, Middle Eastern cities performed impressively in the inaugural Transport and Warehousing Cities of the Future ranking, produced by fDi Intelligence – a specialist division of the Financial Times. Middle Eastern economies’ strong performance in a sector traditionally dominated by the Asia-Pacific region comes in spite of global supply chain disruption owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Al Hidd was ranked first globally in the Transport and Warehousing Cost Effectiveness category, which also saw both Egypt’s Port Said and Damietta as well as Dubai and Abu Dhabi included in the top 10. In this category a range of data points were examined such as the cost of construction permits, fuel prices, electricity prices, and tax rates amongst others. Bahrain is one of the region’s most cost-effective distribution hubs. According to the KPMG Cost of Do- ing Business Report 2019, Bahrain offers up to 43% operational costs savings, and 33% savings in living costs when com- pared to the region, as well as, zero cor- porate and income tax and no free zone restrictions. Bahrain and the UAE also ranked in the top 10 for the Economic Potential cat- egory. The top ranking for cities overall was awarded to Hong Kong, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi at fourth and sixth place respectively. Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications H.E. Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed com- mented: “Bahrain has long prided itself in offering the many global manufacturing and logistics players a place to call home with some of the most competitive setup and operating costs in the GCC. We are therefore delighted that Al Hidd City has been ranked so highly by fDi Intelligence for cost effectiveness in the Transport and Warehousing sectors – a testament to the Kingdom’s reputation as the region’s de facto transport and logistics hub. “The year 2020 has been a challenging year for transport and logistics globally, but thanks to Bahrain’s strategic loca- tion at the nexus of the Middle East and our technologically streamlined customs processes, we have been able not just to maintain the continued flow of cross-bor- der trade but enhance it, seeing a 13.5% year-on-year surge of shipments into Khalifa Bin Salman port in the first nine months of 2020. In 2021, we look forward to building on the successes of 2020, and welcoming many more global transport and logistics players seeking an efficient and cost-competitive gateway to the re- gion’s largest market and beyond.” Located at the nexus of the Middle East, Bahrain has earned a reputation as the re- gion’s de facto transport and logistics hub and is fast emerging as the main regional distribution and fulfilment centre hub. The COVID-19 pandemic has catalysed the uptake of technology in these sec- tors, including the launch a first-of-its-kind “SmartHub” logistics warehouse for phar- maceuticals and food to be headquar- tered in Bahrain to serve the GCC market. BAHRAIN RANKED FIRST GLOBALLY IN TRANSPORT AND WAREHOUSING COST EFFECTIVENESS H.E. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Bahrain Economic Development Board “BAHRAIN HAS LONG PRIDED ITSELF IN OFFERING THE MANY GLOBAL MANUFACTURING AND LOGISTICS PLAYERS A PLACE TO CALL HOME WITH SOME OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE SETUP AND OPERATING COSTS IN THE GCC.”
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 15 REGIONAL NEWS T he Emirates Group today rolled out a COVID-19 vaccination programme for its substantial UAE based workforce in coor- dination with the Dubai Health Authority and the Ministry of Health and Prevention. The inoculation drive began this morn- ing, with priority being placed on its frontline aviation workforce, including Cabin Crew, Flight Deck and other op- erationally focused roles. The airline, along with dnata, are among the first transport and air services organi- sations in the world to offer employees the option to get vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Over the course of the pandemic, Emirates and dnata have implemented multiple layers of safety measures, to ensure the health and safety of customers, employees and the communities served. The rollout of its vaccination programme is another step forward, helping to safeguard the health and wellbeing of aviation employees who serve the travelling public and help move essential goods around the world. The Emirates Group is making both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinopharm vaccines, which have been approved by the UAE health authorities, conveniently accessi- ble to its employees at various company locations across the UAE. Inoculation appointments will run 12 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure as many essential aviation workers as possible can get the vaccine. Like all citizens and residents, Emirates Group employees in the UAE can also opt to get vaccinated at gov- ernment designated medical centres and clinics, as the UAE’s leadership and health authorities have spared no effort to make vaccines free and accessible to the population. According to the data compiled by Our World In Data, a research website based at Oxford University, the UAE is ranked second highest in the world for vaccina- tion rates, with over 19.04 doses admin- istrated for every 100 people, and close to 1.9 million vaccinations have been given to citizens and residents since their rollout in December 2020. The UAE is also on track to inoculate over 50% of its population by the end of March. EMIRATES GROUP ROLLS OUT COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAMME
16 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM OP-ED LNME C OVID-19 threw the global supply chain into a complete frenzy. Many companies were astonished by their own susceptibility. The risk of depending on a supply base that is concentrated in one geographic region has been increasing over the past 30 years, but the pandemic quickly dem- onstrated how much chaos and pain one unexpected event could inflict. It was a powerful wake-up call. The disruption triggered by COVID-19 has prompted leadership teams to confront a new era of supply chain volatility. Flexibility and resilience Bracing for an era of increased turbu- lence, leading multinationals are rethink- ing their supply chain strategies to lower the risk of disruption. In a recent survey of 200 global manufacturers by Bain & Company and the Digital Supply Chain Institute, executives ranked flexibility and resilience as their top supply chain goals. Only 36% of senior executives ranked cost reduction as a top three goal, down from 63% who saw it as a priority over the past three years. To improve supply chain resilience, 45% of respondents plan to shift produc- tion closer to home markets in the coming years. The good news is that automation has reduced the cost of manufacturing, eroding the labour arbitrage advantage that fuelled decades of investment in off- shore production. The cost of humanoid robots is comparatively lower now which means companies with processes capable of being automated such as consumer electronics can opt to move supply chains closer to home without raising costs sig- nificantly. Expanding boundaries For the last 30 years, manufacturing com- panies have wrung out supply chain costs by disaggregating the various steps of the value chain, concentrating each step with a limited number of companies and geog- raphies to improve economies of scale. As a result, most leadership teams lack suffi- cient supply chain visibility to assess their geopolitical and geographical risks. Be- fore investing in a new supply chain strat- egy, successful leadership teams evaluate their supplier and contract manufacturer risk according to two factors: the country where goods are produced and the sup- plier’s headquarters location. Independence is out of the question as reliance on other regions and countries has become a necessity Creating stronger bonds in supply chain BY KARIM SHARIFF, PARTNER AT BAIN & COMPANY MIDDLE EAST PENNED
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 17 PENNED | CREATING STRONGER BONDS IN SUPPLY CHAIN Two key factors that determine geopoliti- cal supply chain risk are the supplier’s headquarters and its manufacturing loca- tion. Once leaders understand their risk ex- posure, they start building resilience into their value chains in a two-step process. First, they quickly add flexibility to the supply of finished goods and high-risk subcomponents where possible, to limit immediate risks and satisfy customers. Second, they take a strategic approach to rethinking the value chain from end to end. That includes deciding the pace of change and periodically reviewing deci- sions based on external conditions and internal capabilities. Here are three steps that can help com- panies pioneer the shift to supply chain resilience: Boost resilience Supply chain flexibility is becoming an increasingly important concept for gain- ing competitive advantages. The first priority in making supply chains shock- proof is increasing flexibility for supply- ing finished goods and high-risk subcom- ponents. This would open the possibility for companies to respond to short term changes in demand and supply situations as well as structural shifts in the environ- ment of the supply chain on an immediate basis. Not many countries have the capacity and infrastructure to handle all the vol- ume, so manufacturers often have to piece together a solution across multiple neigh- bouring countries. For many companies, aligning a new production location with demand can deliver significant benefits, particularly in industries where demand is rising even through the downturn, in- cluding MedTech and certain consumer products. Reworking network strategies For each value chain, leadership teams need to properly balance risk and resil- ience at the lowest total landed cost. This includes decisions on single vs. multiple sourcing, where to manufacture at each stage of assembly, and proximity to customers. They also need to determine whether to produce in-house or out- source, taking into account variables such as national incentives and declining man- ufacturing costs. Successful companies revisit their value chain choices regularly, especially in turbulent times. Balancing cost and risk Resilience does not eclipse every consid- eration. As leadership teams start to un- derstand where they need flexibility, they face important trade-offs on cost. Invest- ing in too much flexibility can render a company uncompetitive. As they look to reshape supply chains for the future, suc- cessful companies determine how much resilience they need, where it matters most, and what they can afford. Resilient and flexible supply chains can be a powerful defensive hedge, but also a source of competitive advantage. Leaders make the most of options such as capacity buffers, digital infrastructure and nimble teams to react faster and more efficiently than their peers. The investment to build and maintain these capabilities varies, depending on a company’s need for re- sponsiveness and efficiency, as well as the level of industry competition. This is why the roadmap for resilient supply chains must be linked to a company’s long-term business strategy. For example, a high-growth business that has high margins and short product life cycles, and is dependent on compo- nents coming from widely distributed sources such as high-end cell phones, will require a different type of supply chain resilience than a hypercompetitive low- margin business, such as clothing or toys, which relies on imported finished goods. Geopolitical volatility and market turbulence will transform supply chain management in the coming decade. Lead- ership teams that invest in strategies to increase supply resilience will simultane- ously create a new source of competitive advantage. FOR MANY COMPANIES, ALIGNING A NEW PRODUCTION LOCATION WITH DEMAND CAN DELIVER SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS, PARTICULARLY IN INDUSTRIES WHERE DEMAND IS RISING EVEN THROUGH THE DOWNTURN, INCLUDING MEDTECH AND CERTAIN CONSUMER PRODUCTS.
18 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM COVER STORY POWERING FORWARD THE GROUP CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AT AL MASAOOD GROUP AIMS TO NOURISH BUSINESS VITALITY BY OPENING DOORS TO NEW IDEAS BRIAN WOODSIDE 18 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM LNME
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 19 POWERING FORWARD | BRIAN WOODSIDE “I am passionate about taking part in moving the Group towards an even stronger position. In this process, I try to instill the spirit of empowerment and innovation.” LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 19
20 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM COVER STORY Over the last decade or more, Al Masaood has developed into a highly diversified and dynamic organisation. With a significant market share in the automotive sector, Al Masaood’s diversi- fied portfolio also includes substantial interests in many other sectors including engineering, power, oil and gas, property and retail. Logistics News ME sat down with Brian Woodside, Group Chief Financial Officer of Al Masaood Group, to discuss his overall role and how the internal logistics for Al Masaood will play a key role in the company’s ambitious plans to expand and diversify. Brian Woodside joined the Al Masaood Group in January 2018 as Group Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Executive Committee. He is a British national with over 35 years of experience in business and finance, with around half of this time spent in the Middle East. He began his career in the UK with Price Waterhouse as an auditor and tax consultant before moving into industry in 1990. He subsequently worked in London for a global consulting engi- neering group before moving to the Middle East. His experience is now diverse across different sectors, forms of organisation and geographies. His focus for the Group is to initiate restructuring, develop governance/risk management structures and implement system and policy improvements. Taking Al Masaood Group Forward “I am trying to use my career experi- ences to help move the Group forward towards greater success and an even stronger position in our markets. The Group has grown over the past 50 years and the future looks most promising. We spent more than two years reengineering substantial parts of the business and in particular finding business and corporate services leaders who could then build their own first class management teams who could implement group policies and standard operating procedures. We have tried to instill a spirit of empowerment and innovation and nourish business vitality by opening doors to new ideas – for me, the biggest inhibitor to progress is not making decisions and not being prepared to take a risk.” AL MASAOOD is one of the leading trading families of Abu Dhabi with a rich diversity of companies and businesses in Abu Dhabi, elsewhere in the UAE and further afield. They were the first company to be registered by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce. Al Masaood Group has been involved in the commercial development of Abu Dhabi, mirroring the Government’s development path with some key ‘firsts’ such as delivering to the country its first gas turbine and developing the UAE’s first desalination plant. The Group is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and has expansion on its horizon. This is a time where Al Masaood celebrates the legacy and good will it built in its home market, Abu Dhabi and the Western Emirates. The Group will continue to be a pioneer and leverage on its position as one of the country’s more reputable companies that helping to develop and enrich the local economy working closely with both the private and the public sector.
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 21 POWERING FORWARD | BRIAN WOODSIDE Re-Imagining Al Masood’s Internal Logistics Operations “Post joining the Group and after I had seen the span of operations, it seemed to me that the internal logistics and supply chain management of the Group needed to be re-imagined. There were apparent opportunities across our key business areas such as automotive, re- tail, power and manufacturing whereby each business unit was approach- ing management on a decentralized basis. And at a wider group level there was again no joined up operational management for our other logistical movements including, people, adminis- tration, cash, and the like”. “Whilst I am not a logistics or sup- ply chain expert, I have a dominant career experience in the built environ- ment where just-in-time delivery (and removal) of plant, employee resources and materials are critical to the ef- ficiency of the operational business model. With margins so thin in the sector, any inefficiency is magnified. When designed a managed expertly, it can create a business differentiator on cost”. “As part a broader group-wide operational overhead and expenses strip down initiative, we launched a sub-project to complete a holistic review of Group logistics and sup- ply chain management. Recognising, that we did not have the appropriate in-house expert to drive the review, we carried out an international search to find a consultant to work with us and re-strategize our internal operations. The review process of course required the collation of substantial and diverse data. But the work has progressed as planned and the first opportunities and results are now emerging. The magnitude of the potential savings has surprised us and believe that over 12 months, we can entirely reshape all aspects of our logistics operations and achieve significant financial benefits”. “The Group is fortunate in that the Founders invested in the business infrastructure for their then current requirements, but also had the vision to consider future needs. Many times, what they built was dimensionally oversized for the business at the time, but now years later, we can continue to grow in the world-class facilities they built”. >>> “WE NEED TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO BET ON OURSELVES AND CONTINUE GROWING. THESE ARE TIMES OF SAFE KEEPING; THESE ARE TIMES OF EXPANSION.”
22 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM Al Masaood Celebrating 50 years “To me the mark of 50 years is like half time, it is not about winning only, it’s about hopes, fears, making come backs and getting through rough times. It is about rallying and making our own way if even when one is not ap- parently there”. “Over 50 years, the innumerous day- to-day decisions and actions of our Founders created the goodwill of the Al Masaood name that we leverage off today. This goodwill is a precious as- set and we must ensure it is protected”. “These are testing times, but we need to be brave enough to bet on ourselves and continue growing. These are times of safe keeping; these are times of expansion. A level of risk must always be tolerated and not over assessed. The people of the UAE know a little something about this, they started from nothing, they pulled together, and pushed through.” Biggest Lessons Learnt in 2020 “I would say Having the right teams in place and having them empowered. Al Masaood has always been ahead of its time. In 2017, the Group ventured into a significant management and opera- tional transformation and brought to its leadership team specialist individu- als. It also undertook extensive leader- ship and management training for its middle management teams. When the Pandemic hit, the executive created a project anticipated in three phases. Corporate services and operations took responsibility and moved quickly to overcome any obstacles coming their way. Team boundaries quickly dissolved, and our staff worked seam- lessly together used lateral thinking and did not get caught up in a plan- ning fetish. Rather they assessed what resources were available and took direct action to make facilities safe for employees and customers and to keep the maximum permitted commercial operations engaged. What was also learnt, was that increasing pressure on the decision-making process itself, increased efficiency”. Abu Dhabi Market & Outlook in 2021 “My personal expectation is that the price of commodities including oil will continue to rise in 2021. And I am therefore expecting this will unlock more confidence and interest in the Abu Dhabi market and we will experi- ence a recovery on a solid foundation. With this backdrop in mind, everyone has full faith in the government of the UAE leading its markets back out of the Pandemic. If there is one country that knows how to do it right, it would be the UAE”. “Our Power Division has been expe- riencing very healthy growth and this business is at the core of our further diversification plans; new projects are arising from strong inward investment into the UAE. We also see a positive and steady growth in our commercial vehicles and manufacturing businesses and will ensure our automotive arm continues to capture more market share and maintain its leading position as defying the sector regional trends”. COVER STORY “WITH ALL WHAT WE HAD TO REACT TO AND HANDLE, THE GROUP CLOSED THE YEAR ON A POSITIVE NOTE WITH SOME BUSINESS REPORTING A NOTABLE INCREASE IN THEIR MARKET SHARE.”
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24 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM INTERVIEW LNME What role does technology play in the ADNOC brand and your reputation among key stakeholders? Technology plays a key role in enabling us to maximize greater value from our assets and resources to reliably and responsibly deliver energy supplies to our global custom- ers. This was apparent last year as we navigated volatile market conditions following the Covid-19 pandemic and responded with agility and strength to the challenges we faced. In the same vein, technology is at the core of our environmental performance, a driving force of our ESG position and, as a national oil company, our contributions to the UAE’s sustainable development agenda. How has the response to this tough year (Covid-19, oil price volatility) helped differentiate the ADNOC brand and business? Our recognition as the most valuable brand in the UAE for the third consecutive year and our ranking among the top ten brands in the oil and gas industry is testament to the efforts of my colleagues at ADNOC throughout 2020. We delivered strong operational and financial per- formance as a result of our resilience and the fact that we are benefiting from the transformation we started over four years ago at the direction of the UAE Leader- ship. Over this period, we have focused on improving our performance, strengthening our agility, and reinforcing efficiency throughout our business. Most importantly, we have focused on reducing our costs and this will continue to be the case. Looking forward, what dimensions and strengths of the ADNOC brand will enable long term sustainable growth? The ADNOC brand is defined by our values of being collaborative, efficient, progressive, respectful, and re- sponsible, which are underpinned by an unwavering focus on protecting health, safety and the environment (HSE). These attributes inspire the way we do business, guide our decision-making, and lay the foundation for our long-term growth. Our commitment to our values as well as our focus on producing the world’s most cost-efficient and car- bon-efficient barrels will ensure we continue to sustainably deliver energy to the world and drive value to the UAE for decades to come. They will also enable us to drive deeper connections and resonate with our partners, communities and stakeholders, increase ADNOC’s brand equity and strengthen our brand proposition. VALUABLE/BRAND H.E. DR. SULTAN AHMED AL JABER CEO, ADNOC GROUP IN CONVERSATION WITH
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 25 VALUABLE BRAND | H.E. DR. SULTAN AHMED AL JABER, CEO, ADNOC GROUP “Technology is at the core of our environmental performance, a driving force of our ESG position and, as a national oil company, our contributions to the UAE’s sustainable development agenda.”
26 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM TECHNOLOGY LNME T echnology is constant- ly evolving offering better solutions with the passing of time. As we progress into the new year, fresh ideas hit the market from the application of third-generation semiconductor materials, AI- driven R&D of medicines and vaccines, to automatic opti- misation of data management system and data intelligence- powered agriculture. Technology breakthroughs are expected to accelerate and make impacts across all sectors in the economy and the society at large. Third-gen semiconductor materials These products represented by gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC), boast high temperature resistance, high breakdown voltage, high frequency, high power, and high radiation resistance. In recent years, breakthroughs in material growth and device fabrication have helped reduce the costs of third-generation semiconductor materials. In the Middle East, countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have already started deploying 5G networks. Quantum error correction and quantum computing In 2020, investors worldwide flocked to the quantum com- puting field, related technolo- gies and ecosystems thrived, and numerous quantum com- puting platforms rose to promi- nence. In 2021, this trend will garner further attention from all corners of society. Quantum computing must deliver enough value to make it worthwhile. The mission in the ‘post- quantum-supremacy’ era must be aligned across the industry: to tackle critical scientific and engineering problems through collaborative innovation and to pave the way for quantum error correction and practical utility, two milestones in quan- tum computing. Carbon materials to boost growth of flex circuits Flexible electronics deliver stable performance even af- ter mechanical deformations such as bending, folding, and stretching. They are favoured in wearable devices, electronic skins, and flexible screens. In the past, flexible materials were simply not flexible enough or could not compete with rigid NEW TRENDS TO DRIVE THE TECH SECTOR IN 2021 Damo Academy, Alibaba Group’s research initiative, shares its forecast of the top 10 principal trends that will shape the tech industry for the year Mohammad Shihab, Managing Director, Maersk Saudi Arabia
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 27 NEW TRENDS TO DRIVE THE TECH SECTOR IN 2021 silicon-based materials. In recent years, ground-breaking developments in carbon- based materials have allowed flexible electronics to go far beyond their previous capabilities. AI accelerates R&D of medicines and vaccines Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been widely adopted to interpret medical images and manage medical records while its application in vaccine development and the clinical research of drugs is still in the pilot stage. As new AI algorithms are emerging and computing power is reaching new heights, this technology will make it easier to complete R&D of medi- cines and vaccines that were previously very time-consuming and costly. Brain-computer interface technology This tech is essential for new-generation human-machine interactions and collabo- rative intelligence between humans and machines. It is the pillar and driving force of neuroengineering. It analyses how the human brain works from a higher dimension. A brain-computer interface forms a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device. It acquires, analyses, and translates brains signals to control machines. In the future, brain-computer interface technology will help control robotic arms more precisely than ever before and help patients who are fully conscious but cannot speak or move to overcome their physical limita- tions. Data processing to become autono- mous The rapid development of cloud com- puting and exponential growth in the amount of data have posed daunting chal- lenges to computing task processing, stor- age cost control, and cluster management during traditional data processing. AI and machine learning will be adopted in a variety of fields, such as intelligent cold/ hot data separation, anomaly detection, intelligent modeling, resource scheduling, parameter tuning, stress testing data gen- eration, and index recommendation. Cloud technologies will reshape IT systems Long product development cycles and low R&D efficiency in traditional soft- ware development have long been a source of pain. Cloud-native architectures featuring distribution, scalability, and flexibility look to be the cure. They allow enterprises to utilise and manage their heterogeneous hardware devices and cloud computing resources more effective- ly. Cloud-native methodologies, tool sets, best practices, products, and techniques allow developers to focus only on creating new applications. Agriculture will be powered by data intelligence New-generation digital technologies, in- cluding the Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and cloud computing, are being applied to the agriculture industry throughout the production process to retail. New- generation sensors help obtain real-time farmland data. Big data analytics and AI expedite the processing of large amounts of agricultural data. Agricultural prac- titioners can monitor crops, implement precision breeding, and allocate environ- mental resources on demand. In addition, technologies such as 5G, IoT, and block- chain are utilised to control and trace the transportation of agricultural products, ensuring their safety and reliable delivery. Industrial intelligence grows leaps and bounds Industrial intelligence has been mainly used to meet partial requirements because its implementation is costly and compli- cated. After the outbreak of COVID-19, the remarkable resilience of the digital economy drew great attention from en- terprises, digital technologies developed and spread rapidly, and more investments were injected into the construction of new infrastructure. These factors helped build a picture in which we can see indus- trial intelligence leap from single-point implementation to industry-wide imple- mentation. It will make an impact on a large scale, applying to the supply chain, production, asset management, logistics, and sales. Future cities to depend on intelligent operations centres Smart city initiatives were first launched a decade ago and have sparked a significant improvement in city governance through digital technologies. When coping with the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of smart cities faced challenges. This is why intelligent operations centres are widely accepted and deployed to maximise the usage of data resources and promote global, fine-grained, and real-time gov- ernance and public services. By keeping ‘digital twins’ of cities, intelligent opera- tions centres consider each city as a uni- fied system and deliver city-wide services capabilities. Cloud-native methodologies, tool sets, best practices, products, and techniques allow developers to focus only on creating new applications.
28 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM INTERVIEW LNME AHEAD OF THE CURVE The Managing Director- Industrial Equipment at Al-Futtaim Automotive shares his insight on the company’s way forward in the face of the pandemic Ramez Hamdan
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 29 AHEAD OF THE CURVE | RAMEZ HAMDAN, AL-FUTTAIM AUTOMOTIVE W ith supply-chains hit by the ongoing crisis, Al Futtaim Commercial Vehicles (CV) has had their fair share of challenges as well as successes. There has been a high demand for deliveries of goods in the country, and this has helped Al Futtaim CV maintain its business, while combating the disruptions. Robust plans are in place as the region normalises operations, providing a relief across all sectors. Tell us what Al Futtaim CV goals and ob- jectives are heading into 2021? The pandemic has disrupted the way businesses operate. Now more than ever, there is a need to continually adapt and overcome the challenges presented by the ever-changing business environment whether it is COVID-19 or any other cir- cumstances that may become evident. That being said, for 2021 our main goal and objective is to steadily satisfy our customers’ demands by overcoming chal- lenges whether it be a global pandemic or any other local or global circumstance and continue to offer market-leading sup- port and a superior product experience. In the face of COVID-19, has Al Futtaim CV been forced to revisit its strategies for adaptability? To ensure customer service continuity and delivery of the same standards of aftersales, we at Al-Futtaim Commercial Vehicles had to redeploy our associates, putting more people on our mobile ser- vice vans to ensure our customers receive our support on time. During the movement restrictions, we were able to deliver parts to our custom- ers twice a day thereby ensuring critical logistics functions continued without any delay or disruptions, especially that the majority of our customers fall into the vital FMCG, logistics, e-commerce and water distribution industries. The commercial vehicles sector has realised much success in the period. How has Al Futtaim CV thrived during the pandemic? The ongoing pandemic has disrupted supply chains worldwide and the GCC markets are striving to overcome grueling challenges. In the UAE, governmental au- thorities have facilitated and ensured the business continuity and reach of essential industries which have enabled Al-Futtaim CV to deliver uninterrupted services. We put a massive focus on specific sec- tors including FMCG, logistics, water and food distribution, e-commerce and other high-demand critical industries ensuring proper support from our sales, after-sales and parts teams. During the lockdown pe- riod, we had the highest sales for HINO trucks in a single month in the UAE. Which market in the GCC do you see po- tential when it comes to sales? The UAE market remains a front-runner for sales activities, as well as Saudi-Arabia and Oman. However, our scope of opera- tions is limited to the UAE. Can you give us a market overview in Dubai and what are the positive signs you see heading into 2021? Dubai enjoys a dynamic, fast-paced and competitive business environment/market and there are strong indicators of im- provement heading into this year as con- ditions normalise and businesses across all sectors aim to recover from the effects of last year. We had a strong 2020 and remain posi- tive for 2021. We have established solid plans and solutions to meet our custom- ers’ growing demand through sales and after-sales activities, complete with dy- namic financing options and strong after- sales campaigns and support. What are the key trends you see going forward into 2021 that would be innova- tive in the CV industry? Looking ahead to 2021 and beyond it is clear that buying behavior is shifting rapidly towards online ordering of goods and services and the demand for fulfill- ment by the commercial vehicles sector is heightened as a second or perhaps third leg of deliveries is added to supply goods and services door-to-door. Another growing trend is the shift to- wards alternative energy solutions and we expect the introduction of more electric- powered commercial vehicles in the near future.” “We put a massive focus on specific sectors including FMCG, logistics, water and food distribution, e-commerce and other high- demand critical industries ensuring proper support from our sales, after-sales and parts teams.”
30 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM TRADE LNME The first and most obvious thing to suggest is that it will be a good year, taken in isolation. The effect of Covid19 in 2020 and the impact it has had on trade and investment (estimated to be down by 40% versus 2019) was such that even very modest growth would look good in relative terms. As such, don’t be fooled by year-on-year figures - for anyone who’s reporting them in 2021 - a more accurate benchmark would be 2019 or 2018 figures, but do expect a return to growth, albeit from a much lower base. The flurry of activ- ity between the UAE and Israel that’s marked the last few months looks set to continue into 2021. It’s likely to change in nature however, with more substance replacing the initial excitement, as tangible deals start to be struck. Based on the work we’ve been doing with Israeli companies, the main focus at this stage looks to be on establishing trade links – finding agents, distributors & commercial partners – ahead of potential inward FDI projects over the next few years once the market has been proven. F or all the challenges that currently exist in making predictions for the year ahead, I don’t envy those who were doing the same exercise a year ago, given what’s transpired since (much as they’d have been able to claim Force Majeure). Based on where we are now, in the latter stages of the whole Covid-19 episode and with the signal advances in vaccination progress in No- vember & December however, I do think that we can make some relatively confident calls on the year ahead in terms of the foreign direct invest- ment and international trade landscape for the Middle East. 2021 MIDDLE EAST FORECAST TRADE & INVESTMENT BY JOE HEPWORTH, DIRECTOR, OCO GLOBAL, AND FOUNDER OF THE BRITISH CENTRES FOR BUSINESS (BCB)
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 31 2021 FORECAST FOR TRADE & INVESTMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST Should other GCC countries beyond Bahrain and the UAE also agree peace terms with Israel, a similar commercial dividend would be reaped across the whole region. The UAE would stand to benefit the most from this as it would bring its regional hub status into full play for Israeli companies, and this in turn would be a significant stimulus for inward investment from Israel. Of course, geopolitics continues to have a massive impact on trade and investment, and the thawing of other regional relationships would have a similar impact, whilst we also wait to see how the new rulers of Kuwait and Oman will shape their respec- tive national approaches post-Covid. International politics also has a large influence and all eyes are on the new Biden administration in the USA to see how it will engage with the Middle East, and Iran in particular. America’s relationship with China is likely to impact the region. As a result of Covid, we’re already seeing multina- tional companies look at reshoring or near-shoring key supply chain nodes to reduce the reliance on China. We see the Middle East as a likely winner from this pattern with its relative proximity to key demand markets in India, Africa and Europe. Add in the continued USA- China tensions – and we don’t expect a material thaw under Biden in the short term – and the Middle East looks to play an important role as a ‘neutral’ region relatively unscathed by bilateral trade wars, which is obviously positive for trade and investment here. The region also stands to benefit from continued disruption of the uncertain- ties around the Brexit trade deal, with UK companies in particular looking for benign regions to trade with. The recent raft of new laws announced in the UAE regarding both corporate legisla- tion (100% ownership etc.) and social changes for expats, further enhances the UAE’s position as the ‘go to’ MENA location for foreign companies looking to establish a regional presence. Related to this, one of the biggest trends for 2021, in the UAE in particu- lar, is likely to be wholesale corporate restructuring amongst multi-nationals already present here as they look to realign and take advantage of the new rules emerging in Q1. This will most likely see a consolidation of sites and trade licenses and a flight to value, with the winners being those jurisdictions – emirates or free zones – who appreciate this and can offer something more than an office or warehouse lease. A look at 2021 wouldn’t be complete without considering the importance of Expo 2020 Dubai as a vital celebration of the UAE in its golden jubilee year. The Middle East’s first ever mega-event moment in the sun and, by October 2021 I hope, the global lodestar for post-CV19 recovery. Whilst Expo isn’t a trade show, it’s still the ultimate forum for countries to showcase their best fea- tures – technology, culture, innovation, ecology and more - so expect this to be done with fervent pride, and for the UAE to benefit as the host of an event that’s now even more important than was originally intended. THE RECENT RAFT OF NEW LAWS ANNOUNCED IN THE UAE REGARDING BOTH CORPORATE LEGISLATION (100% OWNERSHIP ETC.) AND SOCIAL CHANGES FOR EXPATS, FURTHER ENHANCES THE UAE’S POSITION AS THE ‘GO TO’ MENA LOCATION FOR FOREIGN COMPANIES LOOKING TO ESTABLISH A REGIONAL PRESENCE.
32 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM FLEET MANAGEMENT LNME L eading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has launched an in-house smart fleet management solution that will not only opti- mise the performance of its transport fleet, but also improve service delivery to its customers. The solution, which covers Farnek’s entire transport fleet of more than 300 buses, vans and cars across the UAE, was built by its in-house technology di- vision, which after a lengthy process of research and development, has simply and ingeniously adopted and adapted the latest smart technology to produce a homemade solution. “This bespoke telematics system has been developed in-house by our own IT engineers, using proven technology and is a Cloud and mobility-based platform. Our fleet is now powered by IoT telematic sensors connected with Google Maps for route optimisation with our drivers, fleet, service schedule and of course our customers, front of mind,” said Javeria Aijaz, Director Technology & Innovation, Farnek. Using Farnek’s live administrative portal, operational staff at its logistics centre compare vehicle inventory with the current and scheduled demand and issue instructions to the drivers (each vehicle is fitted with a dedicated smart phone loaded with an app). The drivers log in, accept the notifica- tion based on a QR code sent to the smart phone in the vehicle and start their journey. The app automatically calculates and compares the estimated and actual journey times and presents the driver with Google Maps-based navigation, to show the most time- efficient route to take. “All vehicles are integrated with an IoT SMART CREDENTIALS FARNEK LAUNCHES IN-HOUSE SMART FLEET MANAGEMENT SOLUTION Custom-built by Farnek’s technology team, the innovative, sustainable and cost-effective initiative underscores the FM company’s smart and green credentials, by optimising its fleet performance and serving its customers more efficiently
LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 | 33 SMART CREDENTIALS | FARNEK LAUNCHES IN-HOUSE SMART FLEET MANAGEMENT SOLUTION sensor that essentially tracks the vehicle and monitors ignition status, sends idling notifications and speeding alerts, all in real time, which all contribute positively towards our drivers’ perfor- mance,” commented Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek. “Moreover, if for example we have two buses with a capacity of 30 seats each travelling to the same destina- tion, if available, we can switch to one 60-seater bus. Furthermore, by down- loading the app, customers can also track the vehicle themselves and at the end of their shifts, our own employees will be able to see where the bus is and how long they will have to wait,” com- mented Oberlin. “Overall, this improves safety, saves fuel, cuts our CO2 emissions as well as reducing wear and tear on the vehicle, prolonging the operational life of our transport fleet,” added Oberlin. The operational dashboard can also generate incident reports, organise new transport schedules, search for the near- est and most relevant available vehicle, corelating with customer demand. A whole host of reports can also be generated by the system as well, from vehicle assignment and utilisation to monthly expense reports. There’s also a driver’s module holding driving documents and records of any previous incidents or violations. “Through cross referencing, these reports can identify vehicles that are maybe not performing particularly well and could require some sort of repair or maintenance. Also, we can share fuel- efficiency figures with individual drivers, which will encourage them to drive more carefully and not to leave engines idling for long periods of time,” stated Aijaz.
34 | LOGISTICS NEWS ME | FEBRUARY 2021 WWW.CBNME.COM E nergy value chain firm, ENOC Group, has taken delivery of eight new C 380 Renault Trucks models, which will be used to deliver fuel to the Group’s service stations across the UAE. All vehicles are supplied through United Diesel, Renault Trucks’ authorised distributor for Dubai and Northern Emirates. The purchase of the new trucks will enhance the Group’s existing fleet. Renault Trucks and United Diesel will deliver after-sales support to ENOC, including 24/7 support, driver and tech- nician training, and a comprehensive repairs and maintenance contract. The Renault Trucks C 380 Tractor Head 6×2 with rear liftable axle offers superior driver comfort, exceptional reliability and optimal fuel efficiency, making it ideal for regional and long- haul applications. It is equipped with a range of features ensuring a high level of safety, for the driver as well as for other road users. The cab of the C 380 is built around the driver. All controls are at the driver’s fingertips, while there is also a 7’’ HD LCD information display and seats with fitted red seat belts designed by Recaro. The design of the wind- shield and side mirrors guarantee clear visibility around the cab with minimum blind spots, essential for helping keep other road users safe. Other safety features include an automatic parking brake, EBS (Elec- tronic Braking System), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) to help maintain route stability control in difficult condi- tions, and AEBS (Advanced Emergency Braking System), which uses a radar unit and a camera to detect an immi- nent risk of collision. The LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System) alerts the driver when it detects the vehicle is unintentionally deviating beyond the lane markings, so they can react in time to avoid an accident. The C 380 is equipped with a fuel- efficient DXI 11 Euro 5 engine and Optidriver gearbox, which combine to help minimise fuel consumption and reduce operating costs. The trucks are also fitted with CALS (Centralised Au- tomatic Lubrication System), to ensure maximum uptime and lower service and repair costs. H.E Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO of ENOC, said: “We pride our- selves on our robust retail network and our capabilities in ensuring an unin- terrupted supply of fuel to meet our customers’ demand for fuel. Working with reliable partners such as Renault Trucks and United Diesel will without a doubt allow us to enhance our opera- tional efficiency and adhere to best HSE and industry practices.” TRUCKS LNME RENAULT TRUCKS ENOC’S NEWEST ‘PARTNER OF CHOICE’ Major fleet deal sees ENOC take delivery of eight new C 380 Tractor Heads from Renault Trucks
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