HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Inaugurates Hypermotion Dubai 2021
Hypermotion Dubai, the Middle East edition of the German-initiated industry convex that reimagines the transportation and logistics industries, debuted today (2 November 2021) at Expo 2020, held under the presence and patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group and Chairman of Dubai Airports, hailing it as a significant boost to the emirate’s smart mobility credentials.
In his comments on this remarkable event, HH Sheikh Ahmad in Saeed said:“I would like to express my appreciation to the event organisers for their exceptional efforts.
“The fact that Hypermotion will be held in Dubai at Expo 2020 is a clear indication of our determination to maintain the emirate at the forefront of smart mobility as well as to leverage and support transformative and disruptive technology towards improving industries, accelerating the development of localised, high-tech economies. During this event, we will have the opportunity to discover and learn new things through an exciting outlook into the future.”
Running until the 4th November at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Hypermotion Dubai, along with the co-located Materials Handling Middle East trade fair, represents a thriving hub of technology game-changers revolutionising four of the Middle East’s key economic sectors — transport, logistics, mobility, and materials handling.
The three-day event takes place with the collaboration of global ports operator DP World as Global Partner.
Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO & Managing Director of DP World UAE and Jafza, said: “DP World is proud to be the Global Partner of Hypermotion and support its inaugural event in Dubai. We are leading several meaningful discussions this week on topics including Dubai’s emergence as an international trading hub and the importance of big data in revolutionising logistics.
He continues: “Innovation is in our DNA, and Hypermotion – like DP World – seeks to unlock a smarter future for mobility and logistics. In a changing world, we must collaborate to streamline and strengthen operations across the industry. This will benefit business, customers, our planet, and will ultimately keep trade flowing.”
Other key partners include Abu Dhabi Ports as Strategic Partner; and Dubai South, being a smart and sustainable city, as Future City Partner.
HE Khalifa Al Zaffin – Executive Chairman Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, said: “We are pleased to host a reputable global event such as Hypermotion in Dubai, especially during a special time for the emirate as it hosts Expo 2020 Dubai.
“We look forward to connecting with a consortium of logistics veterans and discussing critical issues related to the future of logistics. As a major player in the region, Dubai South is proud to be aligned with the government’s strategy of diversifying the emirate’s economy and further solidifying its place on the global stage.
“Hypermotion Dubai will provide us with an ideal platform on which to demonstrate our most recent developments and explore a variety of prospects that will open up new perspectives and highlight the relevance of digitalisation in the mobility and transportation industries.”
Simon Mellor, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organiser of Hypermotion Dubai and Materials Handling Middle East, said:“Hypermotion Dubai will be presenting digitally enhanced technologies that will be driving future automation and sustainability initiatives and efforts. The event’s three conferences and expert line-up of over 150 change-makers will lift the lid off progressive innovations for the benefit of all those working in these vital sectors.”
Hypermotion Lab focuses on driverless vehicles, urban air mobility and next-generation connectivity in the mobility and logistics arena. The Smart Mobility Conference is unveiling the reshaping of the region’s mass transit industry, while Scalex, a leading manufacturer of digital distance measurement tools, will take a deep dive into supply-chain and logistics excellence, including last-mile delivery.
Pitching the future
Hypermotion Dubai has attracted a heady mix of public- and private-sector leaders and policy makers, business owners and strategists, start-ups and innovators looking to networking and pitching new technology breakthroughs through the Asyad Logistics Start-up Challenge. The challenge will comprise three days of workshops, clinics, pitch competitions, and networking with investors and government buyers to provide real opportunities to launch and grow businesses
The event is also hosting market forecasts for both the GCC logistics and electric vehicles sectors in addition to leading data scientists, who will be presenting at the Asyad Global Hackathon Challenge – a knowledge hub of bespoke content, engaging competitions, workshops, and brainstorming sessions.
Rousing start for 11thMaterials Handling Middle East
Together with Hypermotion Dubai, the biennial 11th edition of Materials Handling Middle East features more than 70 exhibitors from 24 countries, headed by Platinum Sponsor Acme, alongside other industry stalwarts such as RFUFCO, Wings, Savoye, Jaspa, Ancra Systems, Lean Tech, Log Square, Swisslog, and Honeywell.
The region’s dedicated trade fair for intralogistics, warehousing, supply chain management, freight and cargo is shining the spotlight on the latest automation technologies addressing the needs of a range of industries from e-commerce, banking and retail, to F&B, automotive and pharmaceuticals.
Acme’s next-gen show line-up includes a number of different solutions for specific applications including a new robotics system in cooperation with their partner, Hanwha, and handling and storage solutions for pallets and cases manufactured in their UAE facility.
Pandemic effect
Navin Narayan, CEO of Acme, said the Middle East has been slower than other markets when adopting physical automation solutions, however, the pandemic has increased manpower costs and squeezed overall operational margins meaning businesses have had to quickly realise the value of implementing automation technologies in their production and distribution lines.
“The pandemic has definitely accelerated the adoption of semi-automation and automation solutions,” said Narayan. “Our region has been relying heavily on manual labour for material handling and warehouse operations which were challenged as Covid-19 hit us all.
“New regulations for social distancing and drastically increased customer demand when it comes to delivery accuracy and speed made it impossible to stick to the status quo. To remain competitive, increased efficiency is key that could not be achieved by adding more human resources.”
Narayan continued: “Different industries are facing various challenges and some of them have recently intensified due to the pandemic. If we look at the retail and e-commerce sector as probably the most drastic example, we have seen an increase in online order volume as well as the rising expectation of end customers for faster delivery timeframes.
“Until about 2019, if a customer placed an order and they received an expected delivery date of 4-5 days, they would have been happy with the service level. Recent surveys show that over 96% shoppers expect to receive a product within the same day.”
According to Narayan, when a retailer wants to improve the last-mile services this puts additional focus and stress on the ‘middle section’, or the order fulfilment side of the business.
“We are supporting customers with such challenges by employing technology to make order fulfilment accurate, scalable as well as cost-efficient. The fundamental approach should be on how we can leverage on technology to optimise key processes and levitate bottlenecks.
“From predictive AI, to micro fulfilment centres, to autonomous robots for order fulfilment, there has been a lot of innovate developments that help improve operational efficiency for businesses,” he added.
