DHL Opens Next-Gen Innovation Center and Builds State-of-the-Art Logistics Warehouse in Dubai

DHL Group has expanded its presence in Dubai South with the official opening of its Middle East and Africa (MEA) Innovation Center and a major new investment in contract logistics infrastructure.

The Innovation Center is now a permanent hub for collaboration with customers, partners, and startups across the region, designed to support scalable solutions and host up to 120 attendees.

At the same time, DHL Supply Chain is investing EUR 120 million in a 55,000-square-meter multi-user warehouse within Dubai South. The facility will operate carbon neutral and strengthen the company’s ability to support global supply chains from a strategic location near the Innovation Center and the future Al Maktoum International Airport. Together, the two developments expand DHL’s operational footprint and reinforce its long-term commitment to the UAE.

Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer DHL and Head of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation, said the new center will help customers navigate a rapidly evolving logistics landscape through hands-on collaboration and technology-driven solutions. Orkun Saruhanoglu, CEO of DHL Supply Chain Middle East & Africa, said the new warehouse will act as a contract logistics gateway connecting East and West, offering shorter lead times and integrated, sustainable solutions for customers.

The 1,700-square-meter MEA Innovation Center brings together customers, partners, startups, and academic institutions to explore emerging technologies and co-develop practical logistics applications. It features dedicated workshop and meeting spaces and supports cross-regional cooperation as part of DHL’s global Innovation Center network in Cologne, Singapore, and Chicago.

DHL’s contract logistics investment includes a 38-year agreement for a 96,000-square-meter plot in Dubai South, with construction scheduled to begin in early 2026 and completion planned for summer 2027. The warehouse will support high-value goods under stringent security and operational standards while advancing DHL’s goal of net zero-carbon warehousing.

These initiatives align with DHL’s broader regional growth plan, which includes a EUR 500 million investment agenda for the Middle East and EUR 300 million for Sub-Saharan Africa.