The advanced storage and shipment facilities on offer at Dubai Flower Centre (DFC) will enable tenants at the Centre to successfully showcase their flowers and plants at this year’s International Plants Expo Middle East (IPM). The event runs from March 6 to 8 at the Airport Expo Dubai and has more than doubled the numbers of companies participating since last year’s successful premiere; with DFC tenants making up a sizeable contingent in its dedicated pavilion.
“The unparalleled advantages at the DFC such as the business-friendly free-zone environment, a supply chain intelligence that offers state-of-the-art computerized tracking system and a closed loop supply chain system that ensures the right temperature from aircraft to the climate-controlled zone enhanced DFC’s profile to operators from around the world and a sizeable and a number of our tenants will exhibit under the DFC umbrella at IPM Middle East this year,” pointed out DFC Marketing Director, Ibrahim Ahli.
Exhibitors from 23 countries will be displaying plants, flowers and other horticultural products this year and there will be country pavilions presenting produce from Colombia, Egypt, Germany, South Africa and Taiwan, as well as the pavilion exclusively for DFC tenants.
DFC serves an international market of over 2 billion potential consumers and a local GCC market that has a GDP of nearly $540 billion. It allows access more than 112 airlines at Dubai International Airport that travel to more than 165 destinations.
Mr. Terence Bramble, Managing Director of Andean Arabian Flowers Ltd, will be exhibiting their range of blooms that they import from Latin America in peak condition. “We import flowers from the Andean region in South America and these would perish quickly if not maintained at the correct temperature and humidity level. DFC’s closed cool chain system ensures that they arrive in the same superb health as when they were harvested,” he said.
Mr. Bas Ter Laare, Managing Director of Global Flora Partners agrees. “DFC’s sealed humidity and temperature control system has meant that we can use Dubai as a regional hub. We produce, import and export all types of flowers and plants; some more hardy than others. We rely totally on this method to protect our more delicate blooms.”
DFC’s closed-loop cool chain supply method uses refrigerated ‘cool dollies’ transfer pallets from the Centre to awaiting aircraft at Dubai Airport. Automated handling equipment move the perishable cargo through X-ray to specially designed Electronic Transfer Vehicles, then on through sealed temperature controlled air locks to the storage area. Within this area, climate-controlled zones provide the optimal temperatures for the produce to maximise shelf life, where they are closely monitored 24 hours a day.
But it’s not just companies with highly perishable produce that benefit from the facilities at DFC. Ceylinco Foliage Exports Ltd, a Sri Lankan company, specialises in tropical foliage grown in natural rainforests and has been a tenant with the Centre for 4 months. “We don’t require the closed-loop cool chain system, as we don’t deal with flowers,” says Country Manager Viraj Ekanayake.
“But DFC offers us other superb advantages. We distribute our produce regionally and internationally. Regionally, there is an excellent transportation network and DFC is soon starting a cost effective truck field to Doha and Oman. Moreover the international airport is just a stone’s throw away and we have very quick access to it,” Mr. Ekanayake adds.
DFC’s proximity to the airport is also cited by other tenants as a major boon for their businesses. Mr. Oubay Atassi, General Manager of Rio Roses Worldwide, is another importer of flowers from Latin America and specialises in high quality roses. “DFC’s location is perfect for the UAE’s horticultural industry,” he says. “The fact that all the facilities at DFC are contained under one roof is very important. From lab testing to customs clearance, the process is made extremely easy. Not only that, the Free Zone set-up means that it makes very good business sense to base our operations here.”
The business advantages offered by DFC are something that Mr. Bramble is also keen to expand upon. “Dubai Airport offers a Free Zone for flowers, so in that respect, it makes sound financial sense to be tenants with DFC. For both logistical and tax reasons, we’ve found DFC to be essential to us as a prime distributor of fresh cut flowers.”
IPM 2007 is to be held at the Central Hall of Airport Expo, Dubai, under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group.
