DHL Group has opened its expanded Middle East and Africa (MEA) Innovation Center in Dubai South and confirmed a €120m (US$140m) investment in a new contract-logistics warehouse, strengthening its long-term commitment to the region and further integrating innovation with operations.
The Innovation Center, now a permanent facility after previously operating as a mobile setup, becomes one of only four DHL Innovation Centers worldwide. Spanning 1,700m², it is designed as a collaborative hub where customers, partners, startups and academic institutions can test emerging technologies, explore scalable solutions and co-create tools to address real logistics challenges. The center can host up to 120 attendees across its various meeting and workshop spaces, and hosts experts from DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.
Katja Busch, chief commercial officer and head of DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation, said, “The Middle East and Africa is one of our most vibrant regions, and DHL was among the first logistics companies to establish a strong presence here. Building on the success of its previous mobile setup, the new Innovation Center is now a permanent hub, showcasing our commitment to MEA and the UAE as one of only four DHL Innovation Centers worldwide.”
Investment in new multi-user warehouse
Alongside the Innovation Center, DHL Supply Chain will build a 55,000m² multi-user warehouse on a 96,000m² plot in Dubai South’s free zone. The facility will operate carbon-neutral and sit close to both the Innovation Center and the future Al Maktoum International Airport, which is set to become the world’s largest airport. Construction is expected to begin in Q1 2026, with completion planned for summer 2027.
Orkun Saruhanoglu, CEO of DHL Supply Chain, Middle East & Africa, said the new site “strengthens our regional presence by bringing innovation and operations even closer together,” adding that it will act as a gateway bridging East and West, offering shorter lead times and integrated supply chain solutions.
The warehouse will be designed to support high-value goods under strict security and operational standards and will contribute to DHL’s goal of 100% net-zero-carbon warehousing operations. DHL says the investment reinforces Dubai South’s position as a strategic logistics hub for the Middle East.
Advancing sustainability goals
In line with DHL’s global sustainability roadmap, both the Innovation Center and the upcoming warehouse will serve as showcases for the company’s decarbonization strategy in the MEA region. The permanent facility in Dubai South will highlight technologies such as energy-efficient warehousing systems, electrified last-mile solutions and data-driven tools that reduce emissions across supply chains. DHL says these initiatives support its target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with the new warehouse designed from the outset to operate carbon-neutral and act as a regional model for sustainable logistics infrastructure.
The developments follow DHL’s broader investment agenda, announced earlier this year, which includes €500m (US$582m) for the Middle East and €300m (US$349m) for Sub-Saharan Africa.
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