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Technology and 89 percent in Saudi Arabia who have adopted new automation technologies said they have seen a positive impact on productivity. Overall process automation in the Middle East and Africa market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.15% between 2018 and 2023.  At the expo, Alain Kaddoum also hosted a session to present intelligent automation in warehousing and distribution with insights into achieving the highest productivity and accuracy. He also participated in a panel talk conducted on the same day to discuss the latest technologies available in the sector as well as address the key pain points faced by businesses in the region.   “Future-ready warehousing and distribution solutions will enable companies to stay ahead of the competition. At Swisslog, we are constantly innovating our competitive technology to meet the demands of today’s omni-channel storage and distribution. We are extremely proud to demonstrate the power of big data with Industry 4.0 while laying the foundations for artificial intelligence to achieve new levels of warehouse automation dynamics,” commented Alain Kaddoum, General Manager at Swisslog Middle East. Since inception, the Middle East team at Swisslog has grown steadily in size year-on- year and plays a critical role in supporting the company’s Logistics Automation continual global growth strategy and in driving its leadership position in automated intralogistics solutions throughout the region. As a growing global company, Swisslog has a presence in more than 25 countries; in partnership with KUKA, the company covers the entire automation value chain with robotic and data-driven automated solutions that create additional value for businesses.   Most recently, the company added to its strength by appointing Anis El Shaar as Sales Manager specifically for the UAE and KSA markets, whose role will be to support new clients through the complete sales cycle and manage relationships with existing accounts. Anis El Shaar brings vast experience working with companies that design, manufacture and deploy advanced robotics systems for automation in warehouses, distribution and fulfilment centres. Premikati and SAP Ariba Deliver Enterprise-class Procurement for SMBs For small and medium- sized businesses (SMBs), shrewd spending decisions can mean the difference between failure and success. But many lack the systems and staff to make procurement a mission-critical priority.  P remikati Inc. has a solution to their problem. Leveraging technology from SAP Ariba, Premikati introduced the JANUARY 2019 | 29