Prior to joining SAF-Holland, Jean Khoury has held various positions in technology, including 14 years as the head of a design department and two years as a service manager. Today he is Managing Director of SAF-Holland’s Dubai branch. The firm is also celebrating 10 years of operation.
“We started in Dubai in 2011 as a sales location and have developed further in the following years in the direction of service and technical advice,” he said. “Due to market requirements, our concept has changed constantly over the past ten years. Our location with twelve employees in Dubai covers 8,000 square metres, of which 2,000 square metres are covered warehouse and 200 square metres is office.”
SAF-Holland Dubai has operations in the Middle East that support the Arab region as well as Africa.
“Our customers benefit from our proximity, short delivery times, fast spare parts supply and direct sales of our products and systems,” said Khoury.
“We also advise on vehicle safety and integrate new products, for example disc brake technology, despite the outdated road traffic approval specifications.
“From Dubai, we offer products tailored to the local market, for example the 20-tonne leaf suspension from YORK, swivel boogies YORK up to 40 tonnes, air suspensions INTRADISC, INTRADRUM as well as MODUL and fifth wheels from Holland and V.Orlandi. We also have couplings from V.orlandi, landing gears and spare parts from SAF-Holland as well as from our second brand Sauer Quality Parts in our range.”
Like its global counterparts, SAF-Holland Dubai is poised to support local industry.
“The difference is that we serve the vehicle builders and end customers locally with our own team,” said Khoury. “With our location in Dubai, we are closer to the customers and can offer a faster service in the area of aftermarket, workshop support and technical consultation.”
Although the licensing conditions and regulations in the United Arab Emirates presents SAF-Holland with some challenges, overall, Khoury and his team are very positive about the future.
“The fleets in the United Arab Emirates are often privately owned and conservatively managed,” he said. “This guarantees continuity in business relations and is a good basis for long-term cooperation and partnership.”