Ford Motor Company has announced the opening of its $53 million regional parts distribution centre (PDC) in Dubai aimed at facilitating speedy delivery of auto parts.

Located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone of Dubai, the new 29,500 sq m facility has the capacity to stock up to 50,000 individual parts, or 6 million total pieces, with an estimated $43 million total inventory value.
 
Ford said this was the company’s largest single investment in the Middle region and its most significant service initiative.

It is one of Ford’s nearly 60 global distribution centres and its first in the Middle East region.

The centre will help improve parts availability and significantly reduce the time dealers and customers will need to wait for parts to complete vehicle service repairs.

'The Middle East PDC represents our most expansive customer service initiative ever in this region, and demonstrates Ford's commitment to providing Middle East customers with exceptional customer service and an improved ownership experience,' remarked Frederiek Toney, vice president, Global Ford Customer Service Division, Ford Motor Company.

Ibrahim Mohamed Al Janahi, Jafza deputy CEO and chief commercial officer, Economic Zones World, the parent company of Jafza, said: 'Ford’s continued use of Jafza as its regional headquarters and distribution hub reflects a committed partnership and confidence in the free zone and in Dubai.'

'We commend the company on its ambitious endeavour and we are confident that the company’s stellar customer service will be further enhanced by the newly developed facility,' he stated.

'Ford’s new PDC will significantly reduce the time customers will have to wait for parts to arrive at their service locations, as approximately 92 per cent of the parts needed will be immediately available in the region for vehicle service or repairs,' said Toney.

With the new PDC, parts will now be delivered to dealers in as few as two days. With parts more readily available, the PDC will improve the lead time for special-order parts as well, reducing vehicle downtime for customers.

According to him, the parts from the new facility will be shipped to 11 countries throughout the Middle East with service expanding to countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa in 2012.

Ford’s distribution centre in Dubai, currently employing 50 people will be operated by Rudolph & Hellmann Automotive and the distribution to the dealers will be done by Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, one of the world’s leading logistics providers.

Hellman has more than ten years of experience working in the Middle East and offers extensive expertise in automotive parts distribution.

“We’re pleased to see this project come to fruition,” said Jost Hellmann, managing owner of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.

“Like Ford, Hellmann is focused on quality and dedicated to supporting dealers and their customers, and we anticipate an enduring partnership,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service