Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading event organizer with over 520 events annually across over 45 economic sectors, announced that it is organizing SiTL Middle East, a brand-new trade show focused on providing the latest developments in the transport and logistics sector to be held at Dubai South from November 16 to 18, 2020.

The new event is the latest addition to Reed Exhibition’s regional portfolio of events in the UAE covering the major developments and transformations within the transport and logistics sector. The event is set to provide an effective platform for government and industry stakeholders from across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) to access leading technologies that increase efficiency and reduce costs in logistics operations.

The debut edition of SiTL Middle East is set to welcome over 120 exhibitors and more than 2,000 visitors, including regional distribution managers and logistics professionals keen to take advantage of the latest trends in innovations and solutions that could boost business efficiency and profitability. In addition, the event will be an important venue for key officials from various countries to hold bilateral discussions, while the UAE Government and other leading commercial entities will highlight the country’s major efforts in building a global hub supported by world-class facilities and services.

His Excellency Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) and Dubai South, remarked: “Dubai South is committed to make significant contributions towards expanding the capabilities and strengths of the Middle East as an important hub for global logistics and e-commerce. Our vision is in line with Dubai’s and the UAE’s strategy for sustainable growth and continued global leadership. Through SITL ME, we will be gaining new insights and opportunities to grow in terms of technology and innovation, which is essential in the drive towards efficiency and sustainability in business operations and management. We are confident the event will bring about these key focus areas which are highly important for both the government and private sectors.”

Nadia Abdul Aziz, President of Dubai-based National Association of Freight and Logistics (NAFL), said: “The UAE’s logistics sector has been an early adopter of modern technologies which positioned the Arab world’s second biggest economy as a world-class business hub. Dubai had taken a proactive role in planning its development in terms of logistics facilities, zones and investments. We have the best connectivity in the region to reach out to more than three billion population via our both air and sea/rail connectivity.”

Trade/e-commerce is part of the government’s strategy for the future.   Logistics passport has been launched, a first of its kind initiative, and also a reward scheme for logistics and freight companies by Dubai Customs World. “Under the Dubai Plan 2021, logistics-related targets are prominent. The strategy has an economic component that aims for the city to become one of the top five logistics centres in the world. Dubai has also launched a new ‘Silk Road Strategy’ aiming to establish the emirate as a global trade and logistics hub,” she said.

The rapid growth of e-commerce and new technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) have made the sector increasingly crucial to businesses where transport and logistics play an essential role. It is part of a supply chain management where planning, implementing and controlling of flow and storage of goods and services take place, from their points of origin to end consumer.

SiTL Middle East will feature seven major segments, including intra-logistics, robotics and automation; packaging and pallet; technologies, IOT and information systems; new energy and transport equipment; real estate and logistics infrastructures, and safety and cybersecurity.

It will also hold a conference supported by key partners from Reed’s global networks in its logistics events, including a Demo Zone where one can experience world-class equipment and solutions, including customised tours.  Reed Exhibition also brings to the region its highly acclaimed Business Connect, a dedicated buyers and matchmaking programme which will host over 100 top buyers from the region and arrange pre-scheduled meetings for exhibitors to optimize business opportunities.

Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Exhibitions, commented: “SiTL ME is poised to bring a valuable portfolio of activities to the well-established SiTL Europe which leverages the global recognition of the SiTL brand and shares their best practice in the Middle East. Across its current portfolio of market leading events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Reed Exhibitions brings nearly 4,500 exhibitors and over 109,000 visitors from 170 countries to the UAE and SiTL ME will be a major new event that would boost the country’s global position as a strategic venue for major events.”

Latest studies by PwC have revealed that major transformations brought about by new technological solutions are taking place across the sector, identifying digitalization, shifts in international trade, software-driven process changes, changes in domestic markets commerce and machine-driven process changes, as the five primary drivers of change.

In this context, the UAE is in the best position to leverage growth for industry players considering its geographical location and advanced infrastructure. The country is primed as an emerging trans-shipment and multi-modal logistics hub on the Europe-Asia and Asia-Africa trade lanes. The country was ranked first in the region and third globally after China and India as the most-connected emerging economy, according to the 2019 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index.

According to the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2018 ranking, the UAE stands 13^th out of 160 countries, outstripping Canada, France, Finland, Denmark and Australia. The Middle East logistics market is seen to reach USD 66 billion by end of 2020, according to Swisslog Middle East, the robotic, data-driven and flexible automated solutions provider. The UAE’s e-commerce sector alone is currently worth USD 17.8 billion, representing 45.6 per cent of the total value of the Middle East’s e-commerce market.  A thriving e-commerce industry in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to be worth US$28.5 billion by 2022, while the global logistics industry will touch the US$726 billion mark by 2020.

A Technavio report highlighted that the global logistics market between 2020 and 2024 is poised to grow by USD 287.1 million, progressing at a CAGR of nearly five per cent, driven by consumer goods, automotive, food and beverage and healthcare.

The market is driven by the increasing use of multimodal transport. In addition, digital transformation is anticipated to further boost the growth of the logistics market. Multimodal transport decreases cargo handling time and costs per vehicle and helps keep inventory and merchandise costs under control.