HONG KONG's Yuen Long District, close to the mainland border, is the site its new 13,000-square-metre logistics centre where Kuwait-based global logistics provider Agility has consolidated its operations, closing or reducing use of five other warehouses in the metropolitan area.
"This facility will consolidate many of our operations under one roof, particularly for our customers in the electronics and retail sector, helping us to improve efficiency and drive down supply chain costs," said Agility China CEO James Gagne, who opened the centre officially last week.
The facility's deputy general manager, Ben Au, told media at the opening that Agility is ready to do quality control work or provide areas where it can be done as well as other services.
For example, the Dongguan electronics manufacturer that makes Ruckus routers, now has Agility personnel load them with customer-specific programmes at the warehouse from rows of computers in the warehouse. Such diverse tasks were becoming more common, said Mr Au as supply chains became more sophisticated.
In this case, the manufacturer wants his product out of the plant and into a warehouse from where it can be shipped to buyers, who may want this programme, but not that. It is in the warehouse where electronics can be tweaked with the latest "killer apps" at the last minute without interrupting cargo flow.
The warehouse will also provide customers in Hong Kong and south China with optimal storage and handling facilities, including dust-free and static-free zones for electronics components and climate-controlled areas for temperature-sensitive products, said the company statement.
The warehouse features include an average high ceiling clearance of 8.2 metres to cater to five-tier storage racking systems and one independent bay for every 460 square metres of storage floor area.
"Handling activities are on a single-level structure, eliminating the traditional local market reliance and practice of cargo lift access, and the corresponding restrictions on efficiency," said the company statement.
Located close to the border, the logistics centre has direct highway access to the Kwai Chung container terminals and Hong Kong International Airport is 40 minutes away by road. The facility is managed to the highest standards of safety and security and is planned to be audited for TAPA certification in 2013.
This location is also in close proximity to the future sea bridge infrastructure project connecting the regions of Pearl River Delta, Macao and Hong Kong.
Agility is Kuwait-listed with a US$4.8 billion in annual revenue and employs 22,000 at 500 offices in 100 countries. Agility offers air, ocean and road freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution, and specialised services in project logistics, fairs and events and chemicals.
Agility's Infrastructure group of companies manages industrial real estate and offers logistics-related services, including e-government customs optimisation and consulting, waste management and recycling, aviation and ground-handling services, support to governments and ministries of defence, remote infrastructure and life support.