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January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, Management
Sitting quiet on a host of strategic plans for the UAE, GAC is, nonetheless, hard at work
Bill Hill, Group Vice President, GAC Logistics
Bill Hill, Group Vice President, GAC Logistics, says he doesn’t care about today’s news. “If it happened today,” he says, “in my mind, it’s happened already, so we’re looking down the line at next week, next month, next year, the next five years.”
January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, Management
Security management, a vital factor for global logistics service providers, is a constant dynamic process. Security, a key issue that concerns all industry players, brings reliability and trustworthiness into focus
Udo Eschenbach 
The globalisation of politics, culture and industry has generated many new opportunities for prosperity and hence for peace. Simultaneously, stronger networking between national economies also gives rise to growing interdependencies between market players.
Undisrupted global trade is becoming an increasingly important goal, not only from the microeconomic corporate viewpoint. Securing an undisturbed exchange of goods is part of the state’s public service, which includes ensuring a competitive economy. Restrictions to free world trade and disruptions of the logistics systems may lead to major economic damage.
January 1st, 2008 — Innovation, Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008
Acer provides more notebook computers than any other company in the region. Its channel partners help the computer provider stay ahead
The Acer office in JAFZA manages sales, marketing and production for the Middle East, Turkey and most of Africa
While computer providers such as Dell and Hewlett Packard are proud to boast that customers can order directly from their websites, Acer seems content on keeping the middleman.
January 1st, 2008 — Industry, Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008
They say a man telling a lie will avoid looking you in the eye. But ask Enver Moretti, CEO/President, Emerging Markets Region for DHL Global Forwarding, the deferred air, road and sea freight arm of the DHL Group, if he has ever played into local games of corruption when working in countries such as Angola and Nigeria and he has no problem making eye contact.
Enver Moretti, CEO/President, Emerging Markets Region, DHL Global Forwarding, combines upright principles and Italian passion to break his company into some of the world’s trouble spots
January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, Trade
Logistics companies, enticed by opportunities in Iraq, must play a calculating game before deciding how best to serve their customers
and staff.
With lucrative infrastructure, military and service contracts constantly up for grabs in Iraq, the commercial benefits of doing business in the country are all too apparent – but so too are the risks. The unease with the ongoing political situation was best illustrated recently when Qatar left Iraq out of the GCC Summit, much to Iraq’s consternation, particularly as Iran and Turkey made it through the doors.
January 1st, 2008 — Guest Column, Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008
As we approach the close of 2007, we can anticipate Dubai will be mentioned at least once in annual logistics reviews the world over for its amazing achievements that have affected global trade dramatically.
Issa Baluch, Chairman and CEO, Swift Freight International, Honorary Member of Board of FIATA
The ripple effect of Dubai’s booming economy has paved the way for transport logistics to flourish, with businesses enjoying the age-old open skies policy, coupled with hubbing and gateway functions, which permitted multimodal transport capability.
January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, Services
Maximus Air Cargo has its hands on an Antonov AN-124 and can’t mask its pleasure
The AN-124 is designed to handle big cargo, up to 120,000 kg at a time
The only way to describe the Antonov AN-124 is ‘big’. It has a basic weight of 188,000 kg (no fuel, no load), a maximum takeoff weight of 392,000 kg (fuel, payload and basic weight) and a maximum landing weight of 330,000 kg. It has a wingspan of 73.3 metres, an overall length of 69.1 metres and an overall height of 21.1 metres.
January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, LOG.Cafe
Naif Khoury turned 24 on December 2. The Procurement Administrator has been working for Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), an international construction business, for only six months and can already say he’s cutting big deals.
Naif Khoury, Procurement Administrator Consolidated Contractors
“We bring our suppliers to the floor in terms of pricing,” he says proudly. “We break their backs.
January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, LOG.Notes
I have a confession. I cut in line at the Dubai Airshow, twice. The first time, I slipped past an irate journalist who was spitting all over the media pass window as he screamed, “I’ve been waiting for two hours!” The second time, thanks to Dubai traffic, I was late for my date with the Hercules A6-MAX. A gentleman security guard was kind enough to usher me through the security line and I made it to the Maximus booth on time.
January 1st, 2008 — Issue 3 Dec/Jan 2008, Trade
Economic integration between the six Gulf Arab states is moving into its second phase with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announcing the launch of a Gulf Common Market in January 2008.
The GCC has been talking about a common market for years. In January 2003, it started the GCC customs union, establishing a 5 per cent tariff on all foreign goods. It also set the goals of establishing a Gulf Common Market (GCM) by 2007 and a common currency by 2010.
