An Integrated Supply Chain and Logistics Service Provider, Smart Solutions Logistics (SSL) Serves Discerning Clients Throughout the UAE. Centrally Positioned in One of the Fastest Developing Regions in the World, the Middle East, the Company Is Committed to Ensuring That Clients’ Products Are Delivered to Their Customers Efficiently Using High-end It Platforms and a Wide Variety of Transportation Modes.
Building Bridges
Every aspect of SSL’s logistics and supply chain management services are geared towards serving clients with cutting-edge solutions, with the company enjoying success across a broad portfolio of market sectors, not least food and beverage. In this specialist and highly demanding field, there are some key factors contributing to the company’s success, allowing it to grow the business by 100% over the last two years. Factor one is the utilisation of the extensive network of DP World connections or bridges as they are known within SSL. “DP World has built an extensive network in key markets for food products, and by connecting the dots via our Freight Forwarding Department, we can ensure customers a true and unique full end-to-end supply chain solution using this growing infrastructure,” said Kraak.
Factor two is the company’s wide array of facilities and services, dictating that it can cater neutrally to the marketplace. “This means,” says Kraak, “that if you are having a forwarding company and you need some cold storage at -18 degrees for one of your clients, we will offer you space in our facility in order for the forwarder to offer this to its client
and combine his and our services as one.”
DP World launched an “India-UAE Bridge”, a major initiative that will facilitate Indian-UAE trade and investments, connecting Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone with our vast DP World Indian infrastructure, offering fully controlled End-to-End (e2e) Logistics Solutions.
Huge opportunities and markets are awaiting to be unlocked in Africa. Make optimal use of our DP World corridors and infrastructure to open up these fast-growing markets, and start selling your products tomorrow.
Port-Centric Logistics
With experience in logistics, and specialising in warehousing (both temperature- controlled and general cargo), cross- docking operations, vehicle import and export logistics, clearance processing and freight forwarding services, SSL is a reliable, trustworthy and time-bound logistics partner that you can bank upon. Moreover, supporting clients with end-to-end business solutions, the company also has the ability to help clients to enter markets in India, Pakistan, Africa and other territories where there vast opportunities and tremendous growth potential.
It achieves this through what it calls ‘Port-Centric Logistics Solutions’, assisting clients in moving into new sizeable markets (around two billion people) with young and growing populations. “There are a number of countries that offer vast opportunities but also many challenges in regards of access to these markets,and difficult and complex supply chains to import and exports goods,” says Kraak. “In recent years DP World has been investing and expanding its footprint in many of these surrounding key markets, and SSL is basically using and combining all of these DP World dots on the map to create a complete end-to-end journey from and to these markets.
We call it Port-Centric Logistics, as it’s predominantly using DP Worlds Ports infrastructure serving sea freight customers and their supply chains.“An excellent example of how SSL supports food and beverage clients with an end-to-end solution is the import of rice out of northern India. By using the ICD in Paniput and domestic on-forwarding capabilities connecting Paniput with Mundra Terminal, we can overcome the various challenges of logistics within India. From Mundra, we will continue the journey onto Jebel Ali and then deliver anywhere in the UAE and GCC, all through SSL.”
Master of All Trades
SSL offers a wide range of services and storage solutions, allowing clients, for instance, to utilise its cold store with freezing temperatures, cool store with an ambient climate, and multiple regular warehouses for dry cargo. Alternatively, the company offers extensive yard space for outdoor storage of all kind of commodities and vehicles. Indeed, SSL is the master of all trades when it comes to serving its supply chain partners and customers, covering everything from warehousing and freight forwarding through to international shipping and distribution.
Freight Handling and Forwarding
SSL’s comprehensive end-to-end freight handling and forwarding services include Clearance Processing (Customs Clearance); Sea Freight; Trucking (domestic and GCC services); Air Freight; and Sea-to-Air Solutions. This broad range of logistics services and port infrastructure means that the company can take good care of its clients’ businesses, helping them SSL offers a wide range of services and storage solutions, allowing to grow and expand across the Middle East and beyond.
Container Freight Station
The company’s proven cross-docking container and cargo operations services and combines all transportation modes – sea freight, air freight and trucking from and into containers, including lashing, bracing and securing of cargo. SSL ensure quality precision handling, fast rotation and deliveries of clients’ products to their intended customers and destinations.
Trucking and Distribution
A diverse range of trucks and extensive trucking equipment, together with experienced staff and operators, are dedicated towards effective delivery and execution of clients’ individual distribution needs. A 24/7 fully-automated IT system ensures that all aspects of the distribution chain work flawlessly and efficiently.
Warehousing and Supply Chain Solution
SSL’s food and agriculture accredited temperature-controlled storage units
(both ambient and cold stores), with nine different cells and temperature zones, are deployed to ensure optimum storage of temperature-sensitive and perishable goods. All warehouses are tailored to handle large inventories for both short-term and long-term storage and are an ideal solution for when clients need to read customers in the UAE, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. For petrochemical and commodity industry clients, SSL has large quay yard storage areas that cater to various industries, including food and beverage.
The yards are equipped with all of the cranes, forklifts and other heavy operating, handling and lifting equipment necessary. All warehouse operations are controlled and executed through a high-end and real-time WMS inventory management system.Of course, being based in Jafza is a major boon to the ongoing success of SSL, with Kraak explaining: “Both the regulatory and IT infrastructure, combined with the unmatched connectivity of Jafza through Jebel Ali Port, makes it an ideal location for trade and a strategic logistics hub for the region. Everything is extremely well organised and very business-friendly to investors, traders and logistics companies.”
The company also has the ability to help clients to enter markets in India, Pakistan, Africa and other territories
SSL delivers neutrally port-centric logistics solutions to its clients in Dubai and the wider UAE
The vision at SSL is to ‘lead the future of world trade’
Leading the Future of Trade
The vision at SSL is to ‘lead the future of trade’. “It’s a bold vision, and I fully believe in this vision and this strategy. Naturally, there will always be challenges, the most recent being the Covid-19 pandemic, but SSL has done everything possible to meet this challenge and come out of the other side in a healthy and strong position. And a lot of this comes down to the company’s enlightened philosophy and a ‘can-do’ attitude, with Kraak stating: “Honestly, every problem brings opportunities and by looking to the Covid-19 pandemic from a positive perspective, we could eventually benefit from this unfortunate event and make the best use of its opportunities. Believe it or not, we could manage to jump our revenues close to 30% year-over-year by focusing on the positive sides of the equation. Of course, it brought us challenges, and we had to quarantine people, work remotely and from home, but we overcame all of these challenges and got out stronger and more agile than ever. We have a bright future, and we believe the right recipe for success.”
Adding Value to Every Assignment
As with all successful companies, SSL’s greatest asset is its workforce, a team of people committed to exceeding client expectation every single day. “We have excellent people and benefit from the availability of a large pool of highly skilled and experienced people working in the logistics sector in Dubai,” says Kraak.
“As we are handling a very large number of containers each month, we have learned throughout the years to optimise our operations in such a way that it creates real value for customers by carrying out our logistics fast, securely and efficiently with maximum output and minimal use of labour.
“The company’s key core value, and the key to our success, is our strategy to provide neutrally port-centric logistics to the market, encompassing value-added and complimentary services in order to ensure the market can grow and flourish using the Jebel Ali eco-system to the maximum.”
SSL’s multitude of logistics and supply chain management services ensure that wherever the destination of clients’ products might be, the goods will reach the desired location efficiently and cost-effectively.