Freight Systems Company Ltd (FSL) began its operation as a three-man team in 1988 with a dream to build a world-class freight and logistics company.

Today FSL is present in 11 countries and employs more than 1,500 fully trained people offering its customers a range of services.

The primary activity of the group is worldwide freight forwarding through an extensive network of agents who move cargo by sea, air and road or through a combination of transportation modes to or from anywhere in the world in the quickest possible way.

To be able to cater to its partners and customers' needs, the company has developed a strong and reliable infrastructure within the UAE. This comprises the following:

Container Freight Stations (CFS) - The company operates its own dedicated 20,000 sq ft container freight station (CFS) inside Port Rashid and, a 70,000 sq ft CFS at Jebel Ali. The facility is operated round the clock and is a tremendous advantage to customers.

Warehousing, Logistics and Distribution - A 100,000 sq ft facility has been provided at the Jebel Ali Free Zone, with a dedicated fleet of trucks and, a completely automated Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) to drive the logistics needs of customers. A new state-of-the-art facility is to be commissioned in March 2003, comprising an additional 6,500 pallet positions and 1,000 pallet positions on dry and cool storage respectively.

In an environment that has compelled the outsourcing of goods to various countries and stressed the need to provide global distribution, buyers and manufacturers alike have consistently looked for every opportunity in the supply chain process that would provide an important link to various cost-effective and efficient transportation solutions. That explains the growth of combined transportation services such as sea-air transport.

'The fact that sea-air transport has allowed greater flexibility to the ever-changing needs of the end-buyer and the seller faces the demand to satisfy these needs has encouraged an intermediate form of transportation in relation to direct airfreight and direct ocean freight services. This, no doubt, has proved to be a driving force behind the development and growth of the sea-air concept, whilst factors such as its cost efficiency and reliability have also been the key issues behind its success,' a Freight Systems spokesman said.

The Dubai civil aviation authority and the air cargo community in Dubai have recognised the need to be a part of the development of the sea-air concept. Since its very early days Dubai has built a reputation as being the primary gateway for sea-air cargoes to Europe, the UK, Eire, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, Baltic states, Russia, Africa, the CIS and North America for shipments coming out of the Far East and the Indian Subcontinent.

'FSL is proud to be a leader in sea-air transportation over Dubai. The advantage of being a leading NVOCC operator offering ocean freight consolidation and distribution services into and over Dubai has given us the added advantage of being amongst the elite of the service providers who offer sea-air transportation services,' the spokesman observed.

'The significant advantage that FSL has to offer is the ability to monitor and control the movement of all sea-air cargoes from its load port at origin, through its transhipment process in Dubai and delivery at final destination.

'Whilst efficiency and reliability will always be the primary factor, we will consistently look at being competitive in our product offer.' He stressed the company's ability to present a very reliable, and cost-efficient ocean freight product for both LCL and FCL cargoes from almost any origin in the Far East and the Subcontinent, taking into account the buying rates and support extended to it from the airlines.

'With the recent customs unification taking effect, we foresee lot of intra-GCC activity on land freight and, hence have developed a bonded door-to-door service within the region. The service prides itself on 'fixed days of the week' departures and timely and efficient handling at destinations, and this should be a super-product for our customers,' says FSL UAE manager Warren Jacob.

'The most important contribution to the success of FSL has been the driving force of a professional management team that continuously seeks innovative and conceptual thinking and the dedication of people who effectively drive day-to-day functions within the company,' FSL maintains.

By understanding the importance of factual and timely information, FSL has developed an in-house purchase order tracking systems (POTS) called Frescon. Frescon acts as a virtual glass tube to its customers in providing real-time information on every single shipment moving through the FSL network.

The year 2002-2003 has been a good year for FSL and revenues in excess of 25 per cent were recorded over the previous year,' the company says.