GE Lighting, an industry leader in major lighting solutions for commercial, industrial and residential use, on Thursday unveiled its first full-fledged distribution centre in the Middle East in Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai.
The centre marks a significant foreign direct investment by GE in Dubai’s logistics sector. Spanning over 1,375 square meters, the GE Lighting distribution centre will serve as a strategic hub for the company to further expand its presence in the UAE as well as strengthen exports to key markets in the Middle East and Africa.
To feature the advanced product range of GE Lighting, the pioneers in the Light Emitting Diodes (LED) technology as early as the 1960s, the warehouse will have over 2,000 products, bringing one of the largest showcases of GE Lighting products beside its headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. All products will be shipped in from Hungary and the other manufacturing centres of the company around the world.
However, GE Lighting official refused to disclose the investment figures in the newly-opened distribution centre.
John Lancia, Director of Government Affairs for GE in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), said: “GE Lighting is a thought leader in the lighting and luminaire sector, underlined by its focused research and development to boost energy efficiency across the entire spectrum of applications for residential, commercial and industrial uses. The opening of the new distribution centre in Dubai, a regional trade hub, underlines the commitment of GE to further strengthen its regional presence in the UAE. The distribution centre, which marks a key investment in the logistics sector of Dubai, will further drive exports and leverage Dubai’s strategic geographic location.”
Tamer Al Shaer, Regional Channel Manager, GE Lighting, explained: “The opening of our distribution centre in the Jebel Ali Free Zone is a strong statement on our focus on the Middle East and Africa markets, which will be led through the centralized hub in Dubai. With the region focused on infrastructure investments, there is a growing demand for intelligent and energy-efficient lighting solutions, which GE Lighting will bring quicker to our customers through this new distribution hub. Dubai’s superb logistics infrastructure with airline, shipping and road connectivity serves as a perfect fit for GE Lighting to establish its warehousing operation in the city.”
The new warehouse will help meet the growing need for advanced lighting solutions in the UAE and the rest of the GCC region, as well as demand from markets across the Middle East and Africa, where GE Lighting has established long-term partnerships. The product range covers solutions for home lighting, hotels, office, retail, showbiz and entertainment, street lighting, and special applications such as airfield, aircraft, transportation, heating, medical, bacterial destruction and shatter protection to meet the needs of original equipment manufacturers and end-users.
In the UAE, GE Lighting has been associated with several key initiatives including nearly 70 per cent of street lighting in Abu Dhabi, as well as lighting solutions for several landmark projects across the country.