DHL expands MEA footprint with new innovation center and Dubai hub
DHL opens a new MEA innovation center and invests €120m in a carbon-neutral logistics hub in Dubai South.
DHL Group has strengthened its long-term commitment to the Middle East and Africa with two major developments in Dubai South: a newly expanded MEA Innovation Center and a €120 million state-of-the-art multi-user warehouse that will operate as a carbon-neutral logistics gateway for the region. Announced on 4 December 2025, the investments underline Dubai’s strategic role as a global crossroads and reinforce DHL’s ambition to bring innovation and advanced operations closer than ever before.
The newly launched MEA Innovation Center transforms what was previously a mobile setup into a permanent hub designed for co-creation, experimentation, and collaboration across the logistics ecosystem. Spanning 1,700 sqm, the center is equipped to host up to 120 attendees and features dedicated spaces for workshops, customer engagements, and solution development. It brings together DHL’s customers, academia, partners, and startups to explore emerging technologies and design scalable, real-world logistics applications.
As one of only four DHL Innovation Centers worldwide, alongside Cologne, Singapore, and Chicago, the Dubai facility acts as a regional lighthouse for logistics transformation. It enables cross-regional knowledge exchange, trend scouting, and strengthens DHL’s position as a global innovation leader. Experts from DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation will also be based onsite, driving applied research and next-generation solution design for the Middle East and Africa.
Complementing this innovation ecosystem is DHL Supply Chain’s investment in a 55,000 sqm multi-user warehouse, part of a 38-year agreement covering a 96,000 sqm land plot within Dubai South’s logistics district. Strategically located near the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport, set to become the world’s largest, the warehouse is designed to power high-value supply chains with stringent security standards and integrated digital infrastructure. Construction is set to begin in Q1 2026 and will be completed by summer 2027.
Crucially, the facility will operate 100% carbon-neutral, reflecting DHL Group’s global ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Customers using the hub will benefit from greener supply chain operations, shorter lead times, and seamless multimodal connectivity linking East and West. DHL expects the site to serve multiple sectors, reinforcing Dubai South’s rising influence as a logistics powerhouse.
These developments follow DHL’s broader regional investment agenda announced earlier this year, €500 million earmarked for the Middle East and €300 million for Sub-Saharan Africa. Together, they reinforce DHL’s strategy of integrating innovation with operational excellence, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of logistics transformation globally.
By anchoring advanced R&D capabilities directly alongside major logistics operations, DHL is positioning Dubai as a future-ready hub that will shape the next era of supply chain efficiency, sustainability, and cross-border trade.
