AAW seeks to nurture Kuwaiti talents

Students tour company’s distribution facilities

KUWAIT CITY, April 15: Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co (AAW) one of the largest distributors of fast moving consumer goods in Kuwait, gave students a rare look into its supplychain facilities in a move to inspire and attract more Kuwaitis to pursue careers in supply chain management and logistics operations.

Kuwait imported almost $200 billion worth of merchandise since 2003 according to The World Bank. In 2011, Kuwait imported $25.3 billion worth of merchandise. 2012 figures are expected to have a single digit growth in line with the growth seen since 2009. Actual 2012 statistics are not yet available.

The visiting students received an overview of AAW’s distribution infrastructure by AAW Supply Network Operations Manager, Khaled Al-Kirdasi, who emphasized that the new business frontier for the Middle East is supply chain management, and why Kuwait is well-positioned to produce and grow the talents for this frontier.

Al-Kirdasi said: “In Kuwait, AAW moves over 200,000 products a day, every day of the year. These are products we distribute and retail in Kuwait on behalf of our worldwide partners from across six continents. Kuwait, and the Gulf as well, have the highest share of imported goods in the world due to known demographic challenges. This has created a need to import products that answer an ever-growing demand for both necessities and luxuries. The operation behind this ongoing flow of products is massive and can only be sustained on the long-run through local expertise and talents.”

The visiting students toured AAW’s logistics facilities and received a firsthand knowledge of the intricate operation behind the delivery of products to the shelves, accessing the 250,000 cubic meter warehouse.

AAWhas 100-year track record in supply chain management and logistics operations, and currently leads in this distribution for more than 40 international brands across eight retail sectors. With a commitment to community work, AAW supports sports, health and educational initiatives across Kuwait including other student-driven programs like cross-country Pin2 business plan challenge for highschool students, job shadowing day, and entrepreneurship Masterclass.