Golf driving DP World's end-to-end supply offering

Logistics giant DP World says its involvement with the Ryder Cup is helping drive its expansion into end-to-end supply chain services, beyond its traditional focus around port terminal operations.

“As we moved increasingly into end-to-end supply chain services it became clear our changing customer profile was a good fit with the world of professional golf,” said Group Chief Communications & Government Relations Officer​​​​​​​, Danny van Otterdjik. 

van Otterdjik was speaking to Supply Chain Digital at Rome’s Marco Simone golf course, surrounded by 45,000 spectators lapping up the action at the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup, the biennial golf tournament between Europe and the USA.

“The values of golf reflect our values as a company,” van Otterdjik added. “All the KPIs show that our involvement with the sport is having a positive impact on our direction as a business.”

DP World’s Ryder cup involvement cements its ties with golf; it is also the headline partner for European golf’s main tour, the DP World Tour.

Cricket is another sport that the company sees as being synonymous with its market and values. In June, it announced a long-term partnership with the International Cricket Council, as the ICC’s official global logistics partner.

The partnership will culminate in next week’s ICC World Cup, which starts on October 5 in India. DP World was also involved in the recent Women’s World Cup, held in Australia. 

DP World providing sport with end-to-end supply nous   

The logistics challenges of international sports tournaments are onerous, with such events posing complex logistical challenges involving hundreds of partners and contractors.

“We’ve deployed our end-to-end smart logistics solutions to ensure the smooth running of the match,” van Otterdjik said.

He added: "Our smart logistics continue to support the growth of sports globally in reaching new audiences and markets with solutions spanning an interconnected global network across 75 countries and six continents. 

“By partnering with selected Ryder Cup suppliers, we have expedited the flow of facilities needed to stage the sporting spectacle."

Suppliers such as Aggreko Event Services, which delivers energy solutions to sporting events, as well as to mines, data centres, manufacturing sites and also cities.

Scotland-based Aggreko has spent the past six months installing temporary power and energy across the 350 acres of the Marco Simone course, for facilities including course lighting (fans queue from 5.30am to gain entry), hospitality facilities and for the massive media centre. The project has involved an estimated 1,200 days of work across its team.

DP World shipped Agggreko’s equipment from Dubai in 15 40-foot containers and three 20-foot containers. Equipment included:

• 120 generators
• 1.500 square metres of solar panels
• 220km of cabling
• 4km of hosing
• 2,500 light fittings

Across the three-day event Aggreko is providing a total of 30 megawatts of power – the equivalent of 30,000 kettles being used simultaneously.

“DP World is helping us deliver the most sustainable Ryder Cup,” said Jono Rose, GM Aggreko Event Services. “We’re committed to helping reduce the Ryder Cup’s carbon footprint, while still having safe temporary energy solutions.”