Canon Middle East, a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging solutions for individuals and businesses, announced the opening of a distribution hub in Dubai, a comprehensive supply chain transformation initiative for the Middle East, in line with Canon’s European supply chain strategy.
The hub will enhance Canon’s supply management and customer service capabilities, and contribute to significant cost reductions.
Richie Cuthbert, Head of Supply Chain, Canon Middle East, in announcing the regional supply hub, said, "Canon Europe has delivered superior market and financial performance since implementing its supply chain strategy. The Middle East’s burgeoning market presents both challenges and exciting opportunities for our company. In order for Canon to raise its competitive edge, we are implementing a series of comprehensive strategic initiatives focused on highlighting our commitment to the region, increasing our market leadership and developing a truly global footprint for Canon in the region”.
“Our new distribution hub in Dubai provides Canon with the resources, tools and processes it needs in order to get closer to regional customers, respond with agility to regional market dynamics. We work with an advanced demand planning and scheduling mechanism for supply chain planning and support functions that will result in significant improvements to supply chain order fulfillment, cycle time, and cost efficiency,” concluded Cuthbert.
Canon has developed a phased plan to ensure smooth implementation and to maintain ongoing product availability and customer service, with flexibility for future enhancement and expansion for export markets.
Through the new hub, which is located within the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Canon Europe will:
Significantly decrease the delivery time, by up to 26 days, via direct shipment from factories in Japan to Dubai
Leverage Dubai’s supply scale within a lower overall cost structure and support future business growth and supply chain strategies via trans-shipments to Europe and surrounding markets
Enable a flexible, cost-effective stock planning system, driven by demand forecast in order to meet current and emerging market needs.
"This project was developed following an extensive assessment of Canon’s supply capabilities, future growth expectations, and the investment needed to achieve these expectations,” said Bertil Widmark, Managing Director, Canon Middle East. ”We expect to make significant progress over the next few years to support Canon’s regional expansion. We have also announced today the formation of Canon Emirates with our partner GIBCA, another step in our regional growth plan."
About Canon Middle East
Canon is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for individuals and businesses. Canon provides both individual products and complete networked technology solutions for information input, management and output. Its product range is divided between Business Solutions (developing IT products, solutions and services for both the office and professional print environments) and Consumer Imaging (photography, video and digital camera, Bubble Jet printers). Canon Middle East is the operational headquarters for Canon in this region, and is based in Dubai, UAE. Further information about Canon Middle East is available at: www.canon-me.com
