Enkay Express is investing in the booming Middle-East, with more than $3 million spent on a new 13,000 square metre (sqm) facility in Jebel Ali that expands its services with a fully racked, temperature-controlled warehouse offering full pick-and-pack services.
Located in the Jebel Ali free zone in the UAE, the land now houses 5,000 sqm both of temperature-controlled warehousing and open-yard storage, and represents a move that Regional General Manager Andrew Granger is aware will greatly benefit the company’s many clients in diverse industries.
He said: “Jebel Ali is in the free zone, which allows us to import on behalf of our customers and store in our warehouse. In turn they do not pay any taxes until it leaves the warehouse and Jebel Ali. So we can import the traffic, store it and the customer doesn’t need to pay the duties until they are ready to receive the goods.”
Investing in this facility is a shrewd decision that plays to the company’s strengths and places it perfectly to take advantage of the ongoing infrastructure and manufacturing investment in the region, with billions being spent on railways, power plants, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals in the Middle-East.
With its presence in the Middle-East, including offices in Kuwait and Bahrain, Enkay Express is sure to be at the centre of logistics in the region as this growth continues.
Respected name
Experience places Enkay Express at the forefront of the industry, with the company having traded for more than 40 years, during which it has built up an outstanding reputation and customer-base to become a dominant player in the region.
Such is its status, that following a buyout by the Logistica group in 2008, it was an obvious decision for the new parent company to retain the Enkay name that is so synonymous with quality.
“Logistica did this because it’s so well known in Europe and the Middle-East, particularly with airlines, shipping lines, and more importantly with customers and the ports. They have known the Enkay name for over 30 years and it holds a reputation,” Granger explained.
A truly global player, Enkay Express Logistica boasts more than 220 offices worldwide, spread across all continents, affording it both global connections and, importantly, regional knowledge that enables tailored solutions ideal to its customers’ unique needs.
Competitive advantage
In the massively competitive Middle-East, where thousands of rival logistics companies are present, it is crucial to differentiate yourself, and for Granger, what Enkay Express excels at is this ability to tailor logistics solutions for clients.
“We provide a global logistics service, whether it be by air, sea, truck or CPL, 4PL warehousing. So we can provide a service for any global requirements that our customers have, moving their traffic from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world,” said Granger.
“I think our biggest selling point and the ethos that we instil, is that we listen to customers’ requirements. We try and find the right solution for them rather than try to sell them everything that we have when they only really need a small part of that. So we listen and find the best logistical practice for them that suits their particular needs.
“If the customer has any problems or where they require solutions, we provide an in-depth service. We do due diligence and go back and find out the exact logistical requirements.”
This approach proves invaluable to clients such as high-end fashion chain Challoub, for whom Enkay provides a comprehensive distribution service in the Middle-East.
Other familiar clients from this sector, along with some of the largest players in the energy, pharmaceutical, warehousing and petrochemical markets are Enkay’s current focus areas for growth, with a large majority of its current business coming from China, followed by Europe.
An impressive backlog of successful project delivery for well-known customers including Deutsche Babcock, Hitachi, Chemlink, Daewoo and Ircon is testament to its credentials.
Agility
Where many struggled during the global economic downturn, Enkay was able to turn crisis into opportunity with sound strategic moves and investment, including the restructuring of the company’s management, which has allowed it to become more agile and delivered faster lead times.
Granger said: “We have quite a small management structure that allows us to make quick and exact decisions. We are all very aware of the finances of the company and what we do in the way of PML and GP and net sales. Everybody has their finger on the pulse and they are available immediately to make a decision. This makes a great difference to our business.”
Such an approach finds Enkay in a strong financial position, free from debt and able to make the investments as seen in Jebel Ali. The company is set to make a similar financial input into customer-built warehouses on 20,000 sqm of land it already owns in Bahrain, in the second or third quarter of 2015.
Staff
Underpinning the strong performance is a team exceeding 300 in the Middle-East with far greater numbers across the global network, and the long-termism promoted by an attractive working environment, incentivisation and internal and external training, has proven of benefit to customers, with knowledgeable staff building up strong relationships with the customers they serve.
Granger said: “We visit our major customers about once every six weeks and have dedicated customer service staff within the office, so when there is an issue or query, they will have a dedicated member of staff to speak to who understands their company and its requirements.”
Future
Further growth and prosperity for Enkay Express is well within reach, with the region enjoying a similar outlook, and Granger foresees a bright future for the company.
He concluded: “With the customers that we have, and the service we provide, we feel that we are number one. We have the solutions in-hand to meet their requirements. Most in this industry want to be the biggest, but biggest isn’t always best. We believe we provide a service to our customers that is second to none, and we feel we are already number one through the customers that we interact with on a daily basis.
“If the investment and growth continues in the region, particularly for Dubai, and Dubai being used as a hub through the new airports and seaports, there is no reason why we can’t build and generate more business.”