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GM Invests $70 Million in Middle East Distribution Center

2012-02-22

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DUBAI - General Motors is investing $70 million in its Middle East Parts Distribution Center located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai.

The distribution center stocks and supplies GM replacement and service parts   Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC vehicles. It employs 150 office and warehouse staff. They deal with more than 1 million parts orders annually and ensure delivery of   any required vehicle part within 48 hours, making  the center one of the most efficient facilities of its kind in the world.

“This investment in the GM Middle East Parts Distribution Center further demonstrates that General Motors considers the Middle East to be a key global market,” said John Stadwick, president and managing director of GM Middle East Operations.

GM Middle East signed an agreement with DHL and the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority to purchase the 40,300-square-meter facility for $10 million. It stocks more than 80,000 different parts with an estimated inventory value of $60 million.

The parts are sourced from more than 300 suppliers on five continents and distributed to 55 Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC facilities across the Middle East; and 26 locations in Africa.

GM Middle East opened the parts distribution center in August 2003, and initially leased it from DHL. Today, it receives 3,000 container shipments by air and sea every year. The distribution facility benefits from its location in the Jebel Ali Free Zone and its proximity to Jebel Ali Port and the recently opened Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport.

“We plan to grow our business in this region by making continued investments in our showrooms, service centers and training academies,” Stadwick said. “The purchase of the parts distribution center complements these investments and forms part of our commitment to provide all our customers in the Middle East with a world-class shopping, buying and ownership experience.”

The GM Middle East Parts Distribution Center by the numbers:

• 80,000: The number of different GM replacement and service parts in stock.
• $60 million: The estimated value of the parts in stock.
• 81: The number of facilities in Middle East & Africa serviced by the distribution center.
• 300: The number of parts suppliers to the distribution center.
• 3,000: The number of air and sea container shipments received by the distribution center every year.
• 150: The number of office and warehouse staff employed by the distribution center.
  

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets.  GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

In the Middle East since the 1920s, GM vehicle brands sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC supported by a unique set of customer-focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company’s operations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE and Yemen. For more media material about GM in the Middle East, please visit http://media.gmarabia.com.

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