Agility is a publicly traded logistics company headquartered in Kuwait. It has its presence in more than 100 countries with about 550 offices. Agility offers logistics, storage, and infrastructure services to government organizations, commercial businesses, international institutions, and relief agencies worldwide. Agility specializes in challenging environments and emerging markets.
Essa Al Saleh, President & CEO, Global Integrated Logistics states, “Agility offers customer-driven solutions dedicated to meeting our customers’ supply chain needs.”
Agility’s vision is to be a new type of logistics leader meeting the challenges of global trade. Agility aims to facilitate trade through innovative supply chain solutions. Agility’s values revolve around integrity, personal ownership, teamwork and excellence.
Agility is one of the world’s leading providers of integrated logistics with more than 22,000 employees in over 550 offices and 100 countries. From roots in emerging markets, Agility brings efficiency to supply chains in some of the world’s most challenging environments, offering unmatched personal service, a global footprint and customized capabilities in developed countries and emerging economies.
“We don’t just talk about going above and beyond – we do it,” says Tarek Sultan, the CEO and Managing Director of Agility.
Agility was primarily established in Kuwait in 1979 as the state-owned Public Warehousing Company Logistics. It got privatized in 1997. When Public Warehousing Company Logistics was privatized, National Real Estate Corporation, a venture of the Sultan Al-Essa family, purchased up to 25 percent of the company’s shares and named Tarek Abdulaziz Sultan Al-Essa Chairman and Managing Director.
From 1996 onward, Agility has grown rapidly through organic growth and acquisition of other logistics companies. Some of the most significant purchases have included UAE-based Tristar Transport, Singaporean company Trans-Link Group, Swiss company Cronat Transport Holding AG, Globe Marine Services of Saudi Arabia, Cosa Freight in China, Kenya-based Starfreight, and US-based companies Transoceanic Shipping and GeoLogistics Corporation, WTS of Houston, Inc., and Global Express Line. Some of these brands have a history dating back to the 19th century.
In 2006, the company unified its services under the new name of Agility. In 2009, Agility was named a top ten 3PL provider by industry analysts Armstrong and Armstrong. Agility was also named to the Boston Consulting Group’s list of “global challengers” from emerging markets. As of 2009, Agility has more than 32,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of close to $6 billion.
Agility’s commercial business, headquartered in Switzerland. Agility GIL provides supply chain solutions to meet complex and standard customer needs. From well-travelled trade lanes to remote environments, our worldwide network brings substantial leverage to your organization in the form of local points of contact, service delivery and cost savings.
Tarek Sultan believes, “Agility concentrates its capabilities on areas that are critical to modern supply chains. It caters to expertise in emerging markets, deep knowledge of local markets and culture, far reaching network, personal service, appetite for complex assignments in challenging conditions, global network for international freight forwarding and logistics capabilities for warehousing and distribution worldwide.”
Agility emerged as a global logistics leader with two main lines of business: Agility Global Integrated Logistics and Agility Infrastructure.
Agility’s core commercial business, Global Integrated Logistics (GIL), provides supply chain solutions to meet traditional and complex customer needs. These include:
- Freight forwarding products: air, sea, sea/air and road freight forwarding
- Logistics capabilities: warehousing and distribution, systems and technology
- Specialty services: fairs and events logistics, chemicals logistics, project logistics, and fuel logistics
Jim Fredholm, CFO and SVP Global Operations Initiatives says, “We live our commitment to give our customers personal service every day.”
Agility’s Infrastructure group of companies manages industrial real estate and offers logistics-related services, including e-government customs optimization and consulting, waste management and recycling, aviation and ground-handling services, defense and government services, and remote infrastructure and life support. Agility Infrastructure companies include: Real Estate, Inspection & Control Services, National Aviation Services, Global Clearinghouse Systems, Metal Recycling Company, GCC Services and Defense & Government Services.
Vice Chairman, Agility Board of Directors, Adel Mohammed Al-Bader commented in an interview, “When the demands of your supply chain require a depth of knowledge and a level of customization beyond our standard Freight Forwarding services, Agility’s Logistics Management experts are here to help.”
Agility offers a convenient menu of standard freight management services, including Air, Sea, Road and Sea/Air to balance urgency and cost-effectiveness for your day-to-day shipments. Its Freight Forwarding experts tailor these services to your specific requirements through a host of easy-to-configure options, including Forwarding Service Options for special cargo requirements and Logistics Service Options for needs that go beyond pickup and delivery. Agility’s customs clearance specialists are well versed on current laws, rules and regulations to ensure accurate documentation and streamlined processing.
Adel Mohammed Al-Bader also said, “Our professionals invest the time and care necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of your overall warehousing and distribution needs. We never stop advising, optimizing, and searching for new efficiencies, even after putting your solution in motion. Our Lead Logistics Concept is a systematic method to customizing solutions to your distinct needs. The accountability, competence and ease that come with having Agility as your single, dedicated logistics partner allow you to focus on your main business priorities.”
