Jafza, the Flagship Free Zone of DP World, is an Integrated Business Hub and Has Evolved Into a Trade Catalyst That Offers a Dynamic Base for Thousands of Businesses, From Over 100 Countries. A Unique Trade Ecosystem, It Reduces Cost While Enabling New Opportunities for Growth, Attracting Both Global Leaders and Local Entrepreneurs.
A focal point for international commerce within the retail and general trading sectors, suppliers, distributors, manufacturers and logistics companies all benefit by utilising Jafza as a critical component of their supply chains. That should come as no surprise, with Jafza offering connectivity to approximately over 3.5 billion people, an air-sea corridor, and a first-class service; an efficient system of trade facilitation that’s unrivalled anywhere in the region.
A Favoured Destination
Growth is, of course, vital in any business, but at Jafza the single biggest reason to grow is to give others the opportunity to thrive and prosper. Business growth underlines Jafza’s desire for value creation, and this has fuelled increased business with many countries throughout the world.
Iraq (310% year-on-year), Pakistan (301% year-on-year), Kenya (406% year-on-year), and the USA (170% year-on-year) are nations that have ever-expanding trade through Jafza. And while Jafza is currently not opening up any new markets, it is strengthening its presence (increasing volume growth over the last five years) in Australia (42% CAGR) and the Africa (35% CAGR).
Neighbouring Gulf and Middle Eastern countries provide 35% of total trade volume, with Saudi Arabia being Jafza’s largest trade partner in the region. The emergence of Jafza as the most favoured destination for Arab companies can be attributed to the free zone’s investor-friendly seamless eco-system and its key offerings, including outstanding multi-modal connectivity through the Dubai Logistics Corridor, a key facet in facilitating container and cargo traffic between Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port. Most of the companies in Jafza serve all of the regional markets from their facilities.
Genuine Benefits
In the Retail and General Trading sector, Jafza plays host to in excess of 1,000 companies from 96 countries: around 39% of these companies come from the Middle East, 30% from Asia, 15% from Europe, 9% from North America and 7% from Africa.
More than 10,000 personnel are employed in the sector, which operates across combined facilities roughly two million square metres.
There are genuine benefits for companies locating in big cities such as Dubai, including large, highly educated talent pools, robust infrastructure, and a network of other companies that do business with each other; the latter a fact that must never be overlooked, despite much global trade being carried out digitally.
It is no coincidence therefore, that Dubai remains an attractive option for forward-looking and innovative retailers and general traders, such as Hewlett-Packard Europe (Regional Branch Office); Hitachi (Gulf Office); Honeywell Middle East; Puma Middle East; Mitsubishi Corporation Trading Middle East; Landmark Group; and LuLu Group International, all of which call Jafza home..
A Smart Business Community
Retail sales volume continues to rise and it will only continue trending upward as the entire experience becomes more streamlined and frictionless. However, the face of the industry is changing rapidly. The ongoing shift towards online is impacting many traditional retailers and general traders, the consumer is king and if customers want to buy online, then that is their call.
That said, new technologies, from Augmented Reality (AR) to robotics, are helping companies to turn the tide, with many now combining online and offline, digital and physical, to survive in turbulent times. And Jafza will continue to support these businesses as they evolve and adapt by providing a smart business community that offers unprecedented growth opportunities and market access.
Gulf and Middle Eastern Countries provide 35% of total trade volume within this sector