Chrysler’s service parts and customer-care brand, Mopar, has opened distribution centres in Shanghai, China and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to facilitate its expansion plans in Asia and the Middle East. As well as serving aftermarket parts for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram brands, Fiat will also use the centres for its own marques.
“With the opening of these two facilities, we are expanding our parts distribution network in order to fully support the growth taking place in these markets,” said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of Mopar. “As our vehicle brands continue to grow internationally, Mopar will continue to look for opportunities to effectively service our dealers and distributors, and ultimately our customers.”
The new 16,000m2 facility in Shanghai will distribute more than 35,000 parts to more than 130 dealers across the country as well as to more than 20 third-party distributors and joint-venture partners throughout the Asia Pacific region.
Based at the free trade zone in Yangshan Port, the centre will integrate domestic and regional operations in China, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective supply chain, according to Chrysler, as well as improving service levels for the company’s growing presence in the country and the wider Asia Pacific region. For example, it will also function as a “referral point” for other Mopar warehouses in South Korea, Japan, and Australia which service more than 200 other dealer locations.
In the United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, the 18,000m2 facility in Dubai will distribute more than 30,000 parts to the Middle East and Africa. It will be located in the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone, providing Mopar the benefits to support the redistribution of parts throughout targeted regions.
In 2011, five Mopar Express Lanes were opened Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah), Kuwait and Jordan. In 2012, seven Mopar Express Lanes will open in United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi), Qatar (Doha), Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jeddah), Iraq (Baghdad) and Kuwait.
