Pan Emirates, a regional Super Brand in home furniture, accessories and decor retail, has partnered with Barloworld Logistics to offer greater value to its customers across the GCC region through the optimisation of their inbound and outbound distribution, a statement said.

Abdul Rehman Al Shamsi, chairman of Pan Emirates, and Steve Ford, group CEO of Barloworld Logistics, signed and exchanged agreements to this effect at a function held at the Pan Emirates head office in Sharjah, UAE.

“Pan Emirates, a destination of choice for home shoppers looking for the widest range of stylish and trendy furniture ranging from contemporary, classic, chic, Victorian and rustic styles in the UAE and across the GCC region, has been steadily embracing new strategies in their relentless endeavour to be the best in the industry,” the statement said.

“With 20 years of experience in home furnishing retail, the goal has been to make every home in the region stylish, comfortable and cozy without compromising on standards in quality and value,” it added.

Mohammed Katawala, Pan Emirates group finance director, said, “We are in the process of an aggressive growth strategy in the GCC and recognised the need to align our supply chain strategy to our business strategy. Supply chain costs form a big part of the final product cost, and if not managed properly, could prevent us from achieving our goals and ultimately put the business at risk. We wanted to have an expert look at our supply chain holistically to optimise it and align it to our business needs”.

He further added: “We have chosen Barloworld Logistics as our partner with the objective of improving operational efficiency and service excellence in our logistics and distribution facilities. By focusing on this aspect of our retail business, Pan Emirates will stand out and perform more effectively in today’s highly competitive market”.

Barloworld Logistics is one of the leading logistics and supply chain management businesses in southern Africa with full-fledged operations in the UAE, China, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Committed to smart solutions

Frank Courtney, CEO of Barloworld Logistics’ Middle East and Asia, said: “Long-term partnerships with blue chip clients not only highlight our capabilities but also our commitment to delivering smart supply chain solutions that work well into the future. The first six months of our engagement with Pan Emirates will be used to map, design and implement the solution; the second six months will be for the deployment and entrenchment of best practices in the business.”

Katawala expects a large reduction in the overall transportation cost whilst simultaneously enjoying an improvement in service levels to the end consumer.

“The key to this relationship is partnership and we look forward to adding sustainable value to Pan Emirates and its customers as we progress,” concluded Courtney.

Barloworld, South Africa’s leading integrated logistics player, notes that over 70 per cent of potential savings and service enhancements in a supply chain come from the re-engineering and integration of logistics processes and that only small savings can be extracted by “pushing” suppliers harder. The company says it creates strategic advantage for its clients by optimising and integrating the client’s logistics processes and information flows, thereby radically reducing costs and increasing service levels.