Bertling Logistics has formed a new joint venture with the Saudi freight forwarder Al Khaldi. The new business called Al Khaldi-Bertling Logistics will open its doors on 1 February 2021 and be headquartered in the newly constructed Al Khaldi business tower in Al Khobar. 

With the joint venture, the new partners want to explore new and existing business opportunities in Saudi Arabia in both the oil & gas industry as well as the developing energy industries and non-oil sector.

Saudi Arabia is increasingly trying to diversify its energy sector and has developed a Vision 2030 Strategy to further accelerate the development of new energy sources. According to Bertling, this program has already resulted in local reforms, energy sector diversification and business environment reforms, which will continue to leverage foreign investments in KSA in the coming years.

“Saudi Arabia’s ‘Beyond Oil Program’ is critical for the diversification, modernization and well-being of the local business environment and society”, says CEO Colin MacIsaac of Bertling Logistics. “The empowerment and employment of nationals, including women, the expansion of the private sector as well as the ease of doing business in the country and the increased support of local suppliers and partners are key of the Kingdom’s future vision and also anchored in the ambitions of our joint venture”, he adds.

Strong combination

Both JV partners have been in the industry for many years and have a long history of working in KSA. While Bertling’s focus is on global project logistics and transport engineering solutions, Al Khaldi primarily specializes in local logistics and trucking services as well as transport vehicle supply.

With the new company, Bertling and Al Khaldi want to combine Al Khaldi’s strong local logistics expertise, partner network and transport vehicle fleet, with Bertling’s global office and supplier network, modern IT infrastructure and project logistics expertise in Saudi Arabia, neighbouring regions and other foreign trade countries like South Korea, China and India.

Customs

Of special value will be the in-house customs clearance department of Al Khaldi-Bertling Logistics Ltd, says Bertling, which will enable the company to offer door-to-door service, advice and documentation services to their local and global client base.

“Saudi Arabia has always been an important market for Bertling. We are convinced that our new joint venture will obtain a leading position in the Saudi logistics market and that we will be ideally positioned to adequately respond to the many business opportunities we have identified”, MacIsaac says. Megren Al Khaldi, Vice President of Al Khaldi Logistics Company, adds that he is proud to have Bertling add value and broaden the company’s local service offering and diversify its portfolio.

The new Al Khobar office will be headed by the recently appointed Operations Director, Adel El Said, who has 20 years of experience of the logistics market and energy sector in Saudi Arabia.