Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZ) has announced the inauguration of multi-use regional distribution hubs with state-of-the-art facilities in Ras Bufontas Free Zone located next to Hamad International Airport.
The opening ceremony was attended by QFZ CEO Sheikh Mohamed H F al-Thani and senior management officials, followed by an inspection tour of the new regional distribution hubs to showcase the various facilities, advantages, and investment opportunities available for companies looking to invest in or expand their businesses in the free zones in Qatar.
Sheikh Mohamed said: “The opening of the new regional distribution hubs in Qatar’s free zones represents an advanced shift in the standards of building and constructing multi-use units used for manufacturing, production, and distribution. QFZ always seeks to develop world-class facilities and services that open up promising prospects for companies to expand regionally and globally, contributing significantly to Qatar’s economic diversification, a key objective of the third National Development Strategy 2024-2030, while keeping pace with the increasing demand of investors from all over the world to establish and operate their businesses from the free zones in Qatar.”
The new hubs are supported by many advantages, notably the customs support office located in Ras Bufontas Free Zone, a large area of up to 1,200sq m distributed over three floors, 65% of which is for storage space and 35% for offices, energy-efficient facilities, and state-of-the-art furniture.
The hubs also benefit from their strategic location near HIA and Hamad Port, the largest sustainable port in the world, which connects them to global markets seamlessly, providing unlimited possibilities for air and sea transportation and freight services to ensure fast and efficient movement of goods, enabling companies to position themselves as strong regional distribution stations.
Engineer Ali al-Khalifa, CEO of Zones Development at the QFZ, said: “The inauguration of the 20 new regional distribution hubs in the Ras Bufontas Free Zone, which were built to the highest international standards as the first-of-its-kind in Qatar and equipped with the latest technology, represents a milestone in our vision for the development and growth of free zones in Qatar.
“They include many features such as high-speed roller shutters that close in less than three seconds, charging points for electric cars, photovoltaic solar energy systems, automatic docking assistance, and many others, in addition to providing each hub with six independent parking lots, noting that 60% of the building materials were from local sources to encourage local industries, which was constructed by AMANA Qatar Contracting Co.”
As a result of the combined efforts, all new regional distribution hubs obtained the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certification in design and construction. For the first time, modern dispute avoidance tools were applied, ensuring the completion of the construction of these units on time and within the allocated budget.
The new design of the regional distribution hubs, with the ability to merge more than one unit together, represents part of QFZ’s plan to keep pace with the evolving needs of companies and investors by updating its infrastructure and facilities. The 20 new regional distribution hubs in Ras Bufontas Free Zone, along with the already existing 78 light industrial units in Ras Bufontas Free Zone and Umm Al Houl Free Zone, generate a total number of 98 multi-use ready-built units.
