GWC Partners with Tradeshift to drive the digital transformation in the supply chain industry

Gulf Warehousing Company QPSC (GWC), Qatar’s leading logistics provider, has partnered with Tradeshift, a leading global company in supply chain invoicing systems and marketplace development, to develop cloud-based solutions and fully digitize its procurement, supply chain invoicing, and payment systems.

The new GWC digital supply chain invoicing and payment system is powered by Tradeshift Engage and Tradeshift Pay. These applications provide sellers with a full set of e-invoicing, ordering, and fulfillment tools. Sellers can easily engage and collaborate with multiple buyers through a single interface that enables real-time issue resolution and early payments with Tradeshift Cash, allowing more transparency and efficiency in managing all purchase orders, invoices, and payments to keep goods flowing and businesses operating.

GWC provides comprehensive logistics services for everything from transporting heavy and highly specialized oil and gas equipment, to providing records management services for nearly every banking institution in Qatar as well as retailers, supermarkets, and medical supplies outlets. The new platform will be integrated into the company’s state-of-the-art IT system and within its infrastructure at Logistics Village Qatar (LVQ), the largest logistics hub belonging to the private sector in the region.

Longer term, it will also contribute to the ongoing GWC infrastructure expansion strategy, which includes the new GWC UPS Distribution Center in the Qatar Free Zone and the Al Wukair Logistics Park. The Al Wukair Logistics Park was announced at the end of 2019 and is planned to be a 1.5 million square meter logistics park offering, warehousing and light industry manufacturing capabilities with access to GWC’s full range of logistics offerings. These offerings will benefit all economic sectors from entrepreneurs, SMEs, and large enterprises that work in all industry verticals in Qatar.

“Investment in advanced technology and digitization is a cornerstone of our national economic growth strategy in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. The digitization of our procurement, invoicing, and payment system allows us to enhance efficiency in supply chain and logistics sectors, both essential for sustainable economic growth,” said Hicham Nedjari, GWC’s Chief Finical officer.

“Tradeshift system integrates seamlessly in our technological infrastructure providing added value to all our partners, and improving the services provided to our customers, enhancing operational and supporting Qatar Digital Government Strategy 2020.”

The Silicon Valley-based Tradeshift enables businesses to fully digitize quickly and efficiently, while Tradeshift Engage enables buyers to provide a valuable offer for the suppliers providing them with immediate and tangible benefits without any load related to traditional registrations. This system allows buyers and suppliers to track invoices and bills in real-time, while also providing a flexible payment system facilitating early payment programs that suppliers can access, which in return maintains the working capital for the supplier and buyer.

Rachid Hamouchene, Sales Director at Tradeshift in Qatar, “We are excited for this partnership with GWC, as it plays an important role in leading the logistics services sector and national supply chains in Qatar and provides the latest technologies for GWC digitization program.”

Dan Quinn, General Manager, Tradeshift Middle East & Africa Region, added: “At Tradeshift we provide digital solutions with the highest international standards to guarantee financial efficiency and flexibility in supply chain management for all organizations and companies in Qatar across all sectors, contribute to the economic growth and allowing to reach new markets regionally and globally.”

Tradeshift was the first international company to open operations in Qatar’s recently established technology free zones, which are part of the nation’s strategic economic diversification and growth strategy. Qatar ranks as the third most competitive economy in the MENA region in the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum, which cited investment in digital technologies as the reason for its economic dynamism.