Dubai's dnata expands US services creating more than 350 local Jobs

Dubai-based air services provider dnata has launched operations at Los Angeles International Airport as it continues to expand in the United States. The company said it now provides ground handling and cargo services at 20 airports in the country.

To establish operations in Los Angeles, dnata said it has invested $8 million in infrastructure and resources, creating more than 350 local jobs.

Serving six airlines, including Austrian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and Qantas, dnata will initially handle 4,600 flights a year.

David Barker, CEO of dnata USA, said: “Adding Los Angeles International Airport to our growing network underlines our strong commitment to the US market, where we have significantly expanded our operations through massive investments in our facilities and resources in the past two years.”

dnata commenced ground handling and cargo operations in the United States by the acquisition of industry players in 2016. Since then, the company has invested more than $35 million in facilities, equipment, training and technology.

 

Earlier in 2018, dnata has opened a cool-chain perishable cargo facility at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, established operations at Nashville International Airport, diversified its service portfolio by launching passenger handling services at New York JFK Airport, and most recently commenced services at Concourse G at San Francisco International Airport.

Including Los Angeles International Airport, dnata’s global ground handling and cargo network now consist of 87 airports in 13 countries.

Infosys plans to add 3,000 Employees in the US

Information technology outsourcing company Infosys announced that it will build a campus in Indianapolis to continue an expansion in the US that is expected to provide up to 3,000 jobs for the city in the coming years.

Infosys president Ravi Kumar said the Bangalore-based firm will start the $245 million, 141-acre campus project by building a $35 million training centre at the now-vacant site of the former Indianapolis International Airport terminal. He said the centre will be a tech hub that teaches its American worker's computer science skills such as big data and cloud technology. Its employees will include engineers, developers, analysts, architects and technology consultants.

The state and the city are offering as much as $101.8 million in incentives and subsidies for the project, according to the Indiana Economic Development. "This is a powerful partnership. It's going to change the way we do business," Governor Eric Holcomb said during the announcement event with US Vice-President Mike Pence.

But the partnership with Infosys has drawn some doubts from experts due to the generous $31 million in conditional tax credits and training grants promised last May. A year ago, the company revealed its plan for establishing an Indianapolis tech centre with 2,000 employees by the end of 2021, the first among its four planned hubs in the US.

Now that the plan has gone bigger - with 3,000 Indiana jobs by 2023 - the overall financial incentives from the state are expected to be worth as much as nearly $34,000 per worker hired.

Holcomb said the new tech centre will cultivate a "unique, vibrant, high-tech ecosystem" that is feeding off the colleges and universities within the state while building the best tech hub in the Midwest.

Kumar echoed the idea, saying that the talent pool in Indiana is one of the biggest reasons that attracted the company to come to the state. He downplayed the tax incentives during the decision-making.

Infosys, which employs more than 200,000 workers worldwide, was under the spotlight last year as President Donald Trump targeted the American H-1B visa program that tech companies have heavily relied upon to temporarily bring in workers from other countries at lower wages. Critics allege the program allows companies to replace American workers but tech companies say it allows them to bring in needed talent.

The company said the Trump administration's focus on visa program didn't affect its decision to expand the US operations.

Saudi Arabia and US deals Create 750,000 Jobs

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Deputy Crown Prince  Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Arabia and the US have signed 46 deals in these sectors, of which 13 are in the oil and gas sector and six each in the defence and technology sectors.

As many as 750,000 jobs are expected to be created in Saudi Arabia and the United States following the signing of landmark agreements worth a total of more than $400 billion in 10 key sectors during the ongoing visit of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defence.

These vital sectors including defence and oil are identified for attracting investments as part of a vibrant economic partnership program in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The Kingdom and US have signed 46 deals in these sectors, of which 13 are in the oil and gas sector and six each in the defence and technology sectors.

There are seven memoranda of understanding in the health sector, four in manufacturing, three each in mining and petrochemicals, two in investment, and one each in the aviation and energy sectors.

More than one-fourth of these investments go to the defence sector with an investment of $128 billion.

The signing of the deals showed the Kingdom’s keenness to build local capabilities in the military industries.

Five MoUs worth $18.5 billion were signed by Saudi Military Industries Corporation and Aviation Information Technology Company (SAVIT) with a number of leading US companies including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics for developing military hardware systems.

The total value of deals signed in the petrochemical sector reached $72 billion while the deals in the oil and gas sector amounted to a total of $54 billion.

In the investment sector, the total investment would account for $150 billion whereas the MoU in the aviation sector is for buying 16 wide-body aircraft with values ranging between $2 billion and $5 billion. There will be $5 billion investments in the technology sector, $6 billion in mining, $3 billion in health, $12 billion in energy, and $400 million in manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Muhammad arrived in New York where he is expected to meet several prominent businessmen and Wall Street bankers.The five-day stay of the Crown Prince in New York will be filled with meetings both political and economic in nature.

The Crown Prince will participate in the Saudi-US CEO Forum, the Saudi Embassy in Washington said.The forum will be attended by prominent figures, such as JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Co-Founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co Henry Kravis, and Chief Executive Officer of NASDAQ Adena Friedman.

Economic relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States are witnessing a new phase after the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding worth hundreds of billions of dollars in various sectors, including the technology sector.

Agreements signed between Saudi Arabia and the US in the technology sector included the signing of a MoU between the Saudi government and Microsoft to contribute to the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia through the transfer of knowledge and acquisition of systems related to artificial intelligence.

Four other MoUs were also signed between a number of Saudi companies, including Saudi Aramco, Saudi Electricity Company and Safnat, with a number of US companies to build the advanced data systems and optimize the utilization of 4G technologies in the areas of their work to improve business efficiency and development.

Agreements signed by Saudi Aramco included one with Honeywell to make use of the company›s services in the Fourth Industrial Revolution to create 400 jobs by 2020 and an agreement with GE to support the digital conversion of Aramco operations in the Fourth Industrial Revolution worth $4 billion and expected to create 750 jobs by 2020.

Saudi Arabian Mining Company Maaden signed an agreement with Alcoa to expand its mining capacity in Ras Al Khair Industrial City by investing $500 million in a deal expected to create 500 jobs by 2020.

Maaden and Mosaic also signed a feasibility study for Phosphate 3 project worth $45 billion and expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs by 2020.

GE Aviation to invest $105M in Asheville facility, create 131 new Jobs

Aircraft engine supplier GE Aviation plans to invest $105 million into its operations in Asheville, creating 131 jobs to support its new technology, machinery and additional equipment.

The Evendale, Ohio-based company said the investment made this year will help accommodate an uptick in local production of ceramic matrix composite components for jet engines. It also is expected to assist in creating increased capacity in its legacy nickel alloy rotating parts.

Additional investments create the need to expand its workforce, currently at approximately 425 employees, the company said. Wages for the new positions are expected to pay about 30 percent above the average wage in Buncombe County.

The announcement came in a ceremony at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce. During the event, Gov. Roy Cooper told a room of local leaders it is clear GE Aviation "knows the kind of state that we are."

"North Carolina is becoming a centre for aviation and the aerospace industry," Cooper said. "These jobs are advanced manufacturing jobs that pay an average of over $48,000 a year. Many middle-class families will get a boost in pay and a new job."

He added that GE Aviation has been "a great corporate partner in Western North Carolina." That they're doubling-down on the region shows that the region has desirable traits such as its "good, quality workforce," he said.

The company broke ground on it's $126 million facilities at 401 Sweeten Creek Industrial Park Road in 2013 and opened it the following year. GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, said at the time Asheville's site would "revolutionize jet propulsion."It was expected to generate $1.2 million annually in city and county tax receipts as well as create $34 million in annual income.

Its local facility, which measures out at 170,000 square feet, is one of the only factories in the world that manufactures jet-engine shrouds using a lightweight technology employing a ceramic matrix composite. The shroud is a stationary part in the hot section of the engine that directs cooling air.

GE Aviation said components manufactured in Asheville have contributed to an estimated $150 billion "industrial backlog for GE engines worldwide" with demand only expected to increase in the next decade.

The company also plans to add jobs and invest in its West Jefferson location, bringing the total size of the investment to 146 full-time jobs over four years between the two facilities.

Michael Meguiar, GE Aviation's Asheville plant leader, said the Asheville facility was "made for growth," and will serve a significant purpose for the company as it wins additional contracts. Prior to his remarks, Meguiar was presented with a china plate with the state seal, at which time Cooper told him, "We're glad you picked us."