Europe

DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry. At a time when many market sectors are struggling to find growth, we look at the key role DHL’s Supply Chain division plays in keeping its customers within Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa competitive.

Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, and Norway’s Statoil have signed a strategic agreement for the supply of 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to the UK.

The 10-year, NBP-linked gas supply contract begins in 2015 and secures sufficient gas to meet around five per cent of the UK’s total annual demand—enough for 3.5 million homes.

The UK currently imports around 50 per cent of its gas requirements.

France’s Technip and its joint venture partner Odebrecht Oil & Gas have won a $1 billion contract for the charter and operation of two flexible pipeline installation vessels for Petróleo Brasileiro (Petrobras).

The contract is for a period of five years with the option to extend for a further five years. The twin vessels will be employed principally to install umbilical and flexible flowlines and risers to connect subsea wells to floating production units in waters up to over 2,500 metres deep offshore Brazil.

Healthcare products provider Covidien has announced it is to undertake six research and development projects in Ireland, representing an investment of €25 million.

The projects will be carried out in partnership with the company’s facilities in Galway and Athlone, with the support of the Irish government’s investment promotion agency, IDA.

Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a range of product lines across three segments: medical devices, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.

Qatar Airways has placed an order with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus for 88 narrow and wide body aircraft at the Dubai Air Show.

The agreement is for 50 of Airbus’ new generation A320neo (new engine option) airplanes with a further 30 on option, together with five additional A380s super jumbos and three on option.

The five new A380s will double the number of the airline’s super jumbos already in the delivery pipeline, taking firm orders up to 10 aircraft. Deliveries are due to begin in 2013.

Talisman Energy (UK) has awarded Wood Group PSN £500 million of North Sea contracts, it has been announced.

Under the terms of a new five-year contract, which includes an option to extend for a further five years, Wood Group PSN will provide operations and maintenance services on all 11 of Talisman's UK offshore assets and at the Flotta Oil Terminal on Orkney. The contract will be worth £90 million per annum and will begin today.

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has announced the creation of 1,000 new jobs in Solihull, West Midlands.

The car maker referred to the scheme as its “most ambitious growth plan in recent history”, as it embarks upon the delivery of 40 significant product actions over the next five years thanks to a multi-billion pound investment in product creation.

The new jobs will be located at Jaguar Land Rover’s advanced manufacturing plant in Solihull.

Sweden’s SCA has made a binding offer to acquire the EMEA operations of US-based manufacturer Georgia-Pacific, it has been announced.

The price offered by SCA is €1.32 billion.

The proposed transaction includes Georgia-Pacific's consumer and away-from-home tissue paper products and personal care businesses and manufacturing assets across Europe, including consumer brands as well as away-from-home and private label products.

German manufacturing group RKW has started production at its first plant in Egypt, it has been announced.

The new plant, RKW Egypt, was built in less than 16 months and will be officially inaugurated on Thursday.

RKW invested more than $30 million in the manufacturing building, warehouse and administrative offices on 20,000 square metres of land in 6th October City, 35 kilometres south-west of Cairo.