Abdulla Ali Kanoo, chairman of the popular Eastern
Province-based Kanoo Group, inaugurated the facility in the presence of a large
number of local and foreign dignitaries representing port management and
shipping businesses and corporate houses. The facility is spread over 100,000
square meters.
KTS, which operates the leading inland container depot, is a
joint venture company between two industry giants — Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo and
APM Terminals (APMT). It was formed in 1977 and has a leading presence in all
of Kingdom’s major port cities including Dammam, Jubail, Riyadh and Jeddah.
“KTS reflects the commitment we make to our customers. The
new facility attempts to raise the standards of the industry with remarkable
focus on customer as the force which drives technology and service quality. We
hope to attract the attention of industry leaders to avail of the variety of
services offered by KTS,” said Abdulla Ali Kanoo.
Kanoo Group Deputy Chairman Mubarak Kanoo said: “The
industry is changing rapidly and KTS has set new standards in the Eastern
Province.”
Charles Menkhorst, CEO of APM Terminals (Africa, Middle East
& India), said: “APMT and the Kanoo Group have successfully been operating
a suite of container services in Gulf Cooperation Council states, including an
inland container depot at Dammam port. The opening of the new larger inland
container depot is a clear indication of our long-term commitment to the Kanoo
Group as well as to the future potential that the Dammam port offers.”
Speaking on the occasion, KTS General Manager Krishna Kumar
said: “KTS is a one-stop depot that offers a variety of services to the
shipping industry ranging from container storage, cleaning, repairs, transport,
reefer services and a whole range of services for tank containers including
cleaning, repairs, inspection and statutory tests.”
KTS owns tank-cleaning facilities in the Kingdom and has a
vigorous plan for expansion. “We offer a variety of solutions by converting
containers into workshops, offices, housing, etc,” he said.
According to Krishna Kumar, the new state-of-the-art
facility is a milestone in the company’s history. “We have placed safety,
quality and environmental awareness as the backdrop for a range of services
that centers on innovation ... Innovations include rail-based container repair
facility where trucks roll in and out without the drivers having to get off the
vehicles … all this is to ensure safety and reduce accidents.”
He said the new facility represents the culmination of a
dream. “Two visionaries, Abdulla Ali Kanoo and Abdul Aziz Kanoo had dreamt of
this more than three decades ago. And finally they have realized this fantastic
dream.”
Krishna Kumar, who played a key role in the company’s
current successes, said it has grown from strength to strength. “We have built
on that very dream by adding a variety of services including container storage,
repair, cleaning, transport, reefer services, tank container cleaning and
inspection and container conversion. It is for this reason that we call KTS a
one-stop depot.”
The Dammam port, he said, has been a key element in the
growth of KTS business. “The port is growing in terms of volumes and the coming
years will be very challenging … It is heartening to note that the port has
taken serious steps to rise up to the challenge and provide excellent
infrastructure.”
Krishna Kumar said he still remembered the early days when
he landed here in 1991. “We had no telephone line and were using a car phone to
contact all customers and we used telex for communicating with shipping lines.
Today, we have digital telephone lines, Internet ADSL lines, wireless phones
and electronic links with shipping lines. All these technology is fantastic.
However, we still continue to believe in the personal touch. We value the
face-to-face, look in the eye communication. We still believe in connecting
personally with our customers.”