DHL commissions sh9b facility in Kampala

Sep 05, 2016

According to country chief executive, Hennie Heymans, Uganda has over the years turned into a trade hub, serving countries in the East and Central parts of Africa due to its location.

Courier service provider DHL has commissioned a Sh9b facility to support the increasing trade volumes in the country.

According to country chief executive, Hennie Heymans, Uganda has over the years turned into a trade hub, serving countries in the East and Central parts of Africa due to its location.

"We have noticed the traffic of goods coming into and crossing through the country, and realised it is the trade hub of the region. This is why we will continue investing in key facilities and network here, to facilitate trade across the region," she said.

The investment, according to Heymans, includes a newly- built corporate office and a world- class service center to manage the increased volume of inbound and outbound shipments.

"With a positive economic outlook for the country and expected GDP growth of 5% in this financial year, we saw it necessary to construct the Kampala office to efficiently accommodate an increase in the inbound and outbound flow of parcel volumes," she said during the building's unveiling in Kampala recently.

She said the new facility uses a drive-in model, which maximizes productivity and increases the volume of parcels processed daily to ensure the faster delivery of shipments to customers in the region.

Heymans said, the Kampala facility will also house the URA Customs team for more efficient in-house customs processing, along with customs controlled bonded warehouses, which will give way to improved speed in service delivery.

The minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, Hilary Onek, urged investors to create more jobs for Uganda's highly youthful population.

"If you invest in such infrastructure, you also create jobs here and you help our economy in the process. Some investors however, just take away everything they earn without thinking of expansion and job creation," he said.

He said government will continue offering a conducive economic environment for investors to thrive, as the country looks to achieving a middle income status by 2020.

 

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