His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General - the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, will inaugurate the event that is set to showcase latest developments in the materials handling industry worldwide and the tremendous growth opportunities that exist in Middle East aviation. Spotlighting the fast growing air cargo industry in the region, MEACLEC 2014 will highlight the significance of the multimodal logistics platform connecting air, sea and land, as well as its support industries including warehousing and distribution.

The conference component of the event will discuss current trends, trade practices and business opportunities in the Middle East. The panel discussions at the event will particularly examine the global status of e-freight, the logistics environment in the region, air cargo and supply chain security, and the handling of temperature-controlled goods.

The Middle East Air Cargo and Logistics Exhibition and Conference 2014, organised by Arabian Reach LLC and sponsored by Etihad Airways, will serve as an ideal platform for the world’s leading airlines, airports, shipping and land transport companies, freight and logistics service providers, warehousing, distribution and support services providers, trade associations, finance and banking companies, surface transport companies, cargo handling equipment providers, commercial vehicle companies as well as shelving and storage companies to network and enter into new joint ventures and partnerships to expand their business reach in the region.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) said: “Logistics and freight handling are the cornerstones of international trade and cooperation between countries and ADNEC is pleased to offer its facilities towards hosting this landmark event. The logistics and freight handling industry is primarily responsible for safeguarding the quality of materials from the time of dispatch until the time they are received by an authorised person at the other end. Seamless logistics, synchronised supply chain services and instant communication are essential attributes of all products competing in the global marketplace today, ranging from food stuff to automobile parts to designer wear.

“With the GCC witnessing an unprecedented market boom and Abu Dhabi consolidating its status as an international business hub, the capital city is an ideal destination to host the global air cargo and logistics event. The exhibition also underlines Abu Dhabi’s growing prominence as a key market for the international logistics industry. By attracting events from a variety of business sectors to the venue, ADNEC drives business tourism to the emirate in line with its ambitious Economic Vision 2030.”

ADNEC, the iconic business meetings and exhibitions venue in Abu Dhabi, is fully equipped with modern facilities and built according to international standards. The venue offers 133,000 sq mts of indoor and outdoor space to be adapted according to client needs. In 2013, ADNEC attracted 1.53 million people across 328 events.