KEZAD Group breaks ground on noon’s 252,000 sqm fulfilment centre

Integrated trade, logistics and industrial hub of Abu Dhabi and a fully-owned subsidiary of AD Ports Group, Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD Group breaks ground on noon’s 252,000 sqm fulfilment centre. This will be noon’s largest fulfilment centre in Abu Dhabi that will form a part of an anchor investment by online marketplace into the emirate’s fast-growing e-commerce space.

The fulfilment centre facility is being designed and developed by KEZAD Group under a build-to-suit agreement and is scheduled for delivery in 2024. With the introduction of new automation technologies for storage, material movement and sorting the facility will enable rapid delivery of products to millions of noon customers throughout the UAE and will bolster the local economy with the creation of several thousand new jobs.

“More than 5,000 small businesses will use our fulfilment centre to store their goods and conduct business. This will allow our youth and small businesses to connect with the growing number of e-commerce customers without having to invest in technology or real estate,” said noon founder Mohamed Alabbar. “I’m especially proud that this facility, built with our partners ADIO and KEZAD Group, will create thousands of jobs in Abu Dhabi and will accelerate the digital penetration of core sectors such as retail and logistics. This is not your typical real estate project – technology infrastructure projects of this scale are change agents for the future, not just for our company, but also for our community and country.”

“Under the guidance of our wise leadership, AD Ports Group is committed to positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for trade through the development of an integrated and future-ready industrial ecosystem within KEZAD. The state-of-the-art noon fulfilment centre perfectly aligns with this mission and represents an important milestone in our collective journey to enable the rapid expansion of e-commerce and same-day delivery models in the region. The facility will bring significant economic benefits with the creation of thousands of jobs and will offer new opportunities for the private sector looking to reach customers across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe,” added Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and CEO of AD Ports Group.

While noon already has a facility with KEZAD it has decided to expand its operations to a larger area by utilising KEZAD Group’s build-to-suit solution which will facilitate the design and delivery of noon’s turnkey facility. The development has been tailor-made to meet the company’s specific operational requirements, helping to reduce costs, boost productivity and offer essential supply chain efficiencies. Additionally, the completed facility will be a sustainable building conforming to Estidama 2 Pearl rating which incorporates initiatives to enable water, energy and waste minimisation.

By leveraging the innovative development solution, the noon fulfilment centre will be delivered by KEZAD Group on a fast-track basis to the end users’ exact specifications. This approach offers a very strong option for businesses seeking an asset light approach while still retaining full control of their operations and standards.

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) is also providing noon with financial and non-financial incentives as part of the continued expansion of Abu Dhabi’s fast-growing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystem.

RetailME Bureau