DHL Group has opened its newly expanded Middle East & Africa (MEA) Innovation Center in Dubai South and, in parallel, DHL Supply Chain has committed €120m to develop a new 55,000m2 multi-user contract logistics warehouse in the same logistics district.
DHL said the Innovation Center will operate as a permanent hub for co-creating scalable logistics solutions with customers, partners, startups and academic institutions.
The site spans 1,700m2 and can host up to 120 attendees, with dedicated meeting and workshop spaces designed to support technology testing and solution development for regional logistics use cases.
Katja Busch, chief commercial officer at DHL and head of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation, said the Dubai South facility builds on the company’s previous mobile setup and makes the MEA Innovation Center a permanent presence in the region.
She added that the site positions the UAE as one of only four DHL Innovation Centers worldwide, alongside locations in Cologne, Singapore and Chicago.
Alongside the Innovation Center launch, DHL Supply Chain said it has signed a €120m agreement, including leasehold commitments, for a 38-year term on a 96,000m2 land plot in Dubai South.
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The development will include the 55,000m2 multi-user warehouse and additional office space, located near the Innovation Center and close to the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport.
Construction is scheduled to begin in Q1 2026, with completion planned for summer 2027.
DHL said the facility is designed to serve customers across multiple sectors and will handle high-value goods under stringent security and operational standards.
It added that the warehouse will be run as a net zero-carbon operation, positioning it as part of the company’s wider push for lower-carbon logistics services.
Orkun Saruhanoglu, chief executive of DHL Supply Chain Middle East & Africa, said: “The site is intended to operate as a contract logistics gateway linking East and West, with a focus on supporting customers seeking shorter lead times and integrated solutions that improve efficiency and sustainability across supply chains.:
According to DHL, the Dubai developments form part of a broader regional investment programme announced earlier this year, with €500m allocated for the Middle East and €300m for Sub-Saharan Africa.
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