DHL has commenced operations at its new Global Center of Excellence in Iskandar Malaysia.

According to DHL, the new GCOE consolidates supply chain consultancy services and logistics design for many of Iskandar Malaysia’s focal industries, including automotive, energy, engineering, manufacturing, life sciences, healthcare and technology.

“We envisage Iskandar Malaysia as a gateway between Asia and the rest of the world; one which will rely on resilient and adaptive logistics connectivity to reach its full potential,” said Philip Chu [second from left in photo], managing director of the DHL Global Center of Excellence Iskandar Malaysia. “Its logistics services will be fully integrated with the broader workings of Iskandar Malaysia to speed up and streamline growth for businesses. The GCOE acts as the integrated platform connecting authorities, ecosystem partners and chambers of commerce through a joint value proposition to support potential investors.”

The GCOE Iskandar Malaysia is the interchange connecting key stakeholders in the ecosystem to support businesses operating out of the special economic zone. It is the first public-private partnership of its kind in Malaysia.

“The GCOE enhances the logistics ecosystem in Iskandar Malaysia where speed, connectivity and logistics solutions are the backbones of today’s business,” said Jimmy Puah Wee Tse, chairman of the International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee of Johor State. “The Johor State government will continue to support and encourage more public and private corporations to amplify this initiative, and make Johor and Iskandar Malaysia attractive investment destinations.”

The Iskandar Malaysia economic zone occupies more than 2,200 square kilometres, more than 10% of Johor’s area. Its goal is to generate more than RM120 billion (US$28.7 billion) in GDP for Malaysia by 2025.

“With rapid growth in flagship sectors like technology and manufacturing, and alongside heightened interests from major trading partners like China, Korea and Japan, Iskandar Malaysia must be ready with its own in-house, high-quality logistics services that can connect it to the rest of Asia and ultimately, the world,” said Khairil Anwar Ahmad [left in photo], president and chief executive officer of Iskandar Investment Berhad.

The GCOE was announced in March 2018 and is established by DHL in partnership with Iskandar Innovations Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of IIB, with joint seed investments exceeding US$2 million.

“As the Iskandar region begins to build a critical mass of investment and industry development, businesses in the area have already begun turning to us for logistics solutions that don’t just deliver their goods, but scale and evolve to keep up with their fast-moving strategies and customer demands,” said Matthias Heutger, senior vice president and head of innovation and commercial development at DHL. “Placing the GCOE in Iskandar Malaysia’s nexus of industry and transport infrastructure will ensure that these businesses can access logistics services as innovative as their own offerings for the years of growth to come.”

In addition to strengthening collaboration between companies and key stakeholders in Iskandar Malaysia, the GCOE will also host networking sessions, workshops and other forums designed to attract high-quality logistics talent to the area, with a special focus on digital and green logistics innovation to complement Iskandar Malaysia’s investments in smart and eco-friendly infrastructure, according to DHL.