GAC is fine tuning its logistics offerings through initiatives in management and new facilities.

Recognising that the key to retaining and growing the customer base is to help customers grow their business through efficient, cost-effective logistics solutions, the company has introduced a Key Account Management programme.
Strong growth in operating revenue has spurred continued expansion of GAC Logistics’ facilities and equipment globally especially in the Middle East where GAC Dubai is investing $3.6 million in an advanced hanging garment system to support future growth requirements, especially for its Marks & Spencer business.
Al Futtaim Retail renewed GAC’s contract to manage the retail brand’s 3PL needs across the GCC except Saudi Arabia.
The company is also investing in ink-jetting equipment for the value-added services division. Requirements for a significant amount of new warehouse space have been identified to meet growing 3PL demands, and GAC is in the process of securing that space.
Growing demands due to the off-shore boom has already seen GAC Qatar investing in a 30,000 sq m and 50,000 sq m yard in Wakra and Al Khor respectively last year. It is looking at opening a new office in Mesaieed and boosting its fleet size to 60 with the addition of 15 new vehicles.
In Bahrain, GAC recently added another 6,000 sq m warehouse to complement its new bonded logistics centre in Muharraq where it handles its own LCL shipments in a CFS/Consolidation centre.
The company has moved tropical fish, performance shows and gigantic transformers.
It is one of the top international forwarders of ornamental fish. Recently, it transported sharks totally weighing 24 tonnes to their new home in Dubai.
Notable shows handled in 2008 include Celine Dion, Justin Timberlake, KoRn and Muse, and the Dubai Desert Rock Festival. It also supported movements of air/road freight for the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix and for the UAE Desert Challenge for the seventh year.
Among the projects it has handled are Iraq Reconstruction, Saudi Aramco Oilfield, Atlantis, Dolphin Gas Pipeline and Ras Laffan.
Major project cargo it handled in recent months included a jumbo consignment for the $1.4 billion aromatics project in Kuwait. Road light poles and traffic signals had to be removed to move the over-sized components that included a 600-tonne, 68-metre-long xylene column.