Agility to invest $10mn, increase workforce

Manama : As part of expanding its regional logistics hub in Bahrain to 28,000 sqm, Agility, a leading global logistics provider announced   that it will be investing $10 million in the Kingdom. 

The expansion which also includes increasing storage capacity by an additional 19,000 pallet positions and increasing the workforce by almost twenty-five per cent is expected to be completed within the next ten months. Investments will be made in Agility’s warehousing, freight, transport and speciality logistics solutions in the Kingdom.

“The Government is committed to delivering a more efficient and advanced logistics sector which has a key role in driving economic growth and attracting international investment into the country. The Ministry has introduced a number of policies that directly contribute to the expansion of the logistics sector. Agility has been a very important part of the logistic base here in Bahrain since 2003, introducing efficiencies that the sector has never seen before.” Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani said.

The expansion of Bahrain logistics hub will help meet the increasing regional demand for sophisticated and integrated logistics services, according to Essa Al-Saleh, President & CEO Agility GIL.

“This investment reflects Agility’s commitment to our clients in the region, and also the strength of Bahrain’s offering as a regional hub with efficient customs clearance, established transport links and an attractive operating environment,” he said.

“Bahrain’s unique geographical location, with the direct access to the region’s largest economy, combined with the ongoing liberalisation of the logistics sector and availability of a well-educated, bilingual local workforce are the key drivers behind the growth of the logistics sector in the Kingdom,” Khalid Al Rumaihi Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) Chief Executive said.

The Kingdom is investing over US$32 billion over the coming years in key infrastructure projects that will support the continued development of the logistics sector. This includes the expansion of Bahrain International Airport, which is estimated to increase the air cargo volumes to 1 million metric tonnes per year once the project is completed in 2020. 

In addition the Hamad Causeway, the second causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, is expected to result in import costs being further reduced by up to fifty pc.  The transport and logistics contribution to the GDP increased from 3 pc in 2013 to 7 pc in 2015, demonstrating the growth potential of this important sector.