UPS has dropped its local partner Fath Al Khouloud in Morocco in favour of operating through a new subsidiary and denied claims that it has stopped operating in the country.
Moroccan express company Fath Al Khouloud claimed that UPS had suddenly stopped using it and had suspended its operations in the country. The firm has reportedly now started a new cooperation with DHL Express instead.
However, UPS denied the claims, highlighting its commitment to Morocco where it will continue operating through its subsidiary Landex. “The information that doesn’t reflect the continuous engagement of UPS in Morocco is wrong und unfounded,” the company reacted to Fath Al Khouloud’s statement.
A UPS spokesman told CEP-Research: “UPS can confirm our continued commitment and service to the Moroccan market. As part of our international growth strategy, UPS has prioritised several African markets for targeted and growth-oriented investment.
“We are pleased to announce that Morocco, an important gateway in our global network, represents an example of this sort of investment. Enhancing continued operations in the country through Landex, a UPS-owned company based in Casablanca, will translate into an improved service portfolio for current and future UPS customers including more flexible pick-up and delivery times, improved reliability, and the option of bundled offerings through our freight forwarding partners.”
He added: “Through its diverse free-trade agreements and its position in the UPS global network, Morocco features duty free access to a wide market of 55 countries representing more than 1 billion consumers and 60% of the world’s GDP.”
In response to Fath Al Khouloud’s indications that it now works with DHL Express, the latter was not able to confirm this to CEP-Research. However, the company also confirmed, similar to UPS, its continuous commitment to Morocco.
A DHL Express spokesman told CEP-Research: “Our Casablanca gateway, which is TAPA A certified, was launched in 2011. We will continue to invest in our business in Morocco to enhance our connectivity and service offering for customers. As testament to our continued focus on customer service, DHL Express Morocco was awarded the Best Call Centre this year. Acknowledging that employees are our greatest asset, we have also invested in training for employees to contribute to their professional development, and creating a conducive working environment for them. In recognition of our efforts in this area, DHL Express Morocco was named one of the ‘Best Companies to Work For’ in Morocco in 2014.”
While DHL Express was not able to provide any current volume or revenue figures, the company claimed it has a majority market share in Morocco. “As the market leader in Morocco, we are the only integrator with a dedicated aircraft and gateway, and we run the largest fleet of vehicles with over 120 courier vehicles serving our customers across all main cities in Morocco. In the past year, we have seen a double-digit growth in our volumes as imports and exports continue to grow in Morocco,” the spokesman added.
