Delivering Innovation to Expo 2020 Dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai is focused on highlighting the latest technology and innovations from around the world, calling itself “the greatest showcase of human brilliance and achievement”. And so it’s appropriate that French start up IMMERTECH^®, founded by Stéphane Brard, would be there to present its Voyager By Immertech^®, a virtual reality capsule that offers almost unlimited traveling possibilities in a safe and accessible way.

But how do you get a virtual reality machine weighing almost 900 lbs from France to Dubai with minimal impact to the product? Expo’s France Pavilion suggested that Brard call on UPS, the Official Logistics Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai.

The Future of Exploration

The Voyager By Immertech capsule allows visitors to immerse themselves in an unforgettable teleportation experience, either comfortably seated in the capsule, or standing and moving inside of the cabin. 360° videos teleport the voyagers into another place or time in sessions that will last around 15 minutes. Virtual time travellers will be able to experience remarkable moments in history, like man’s first visit to the moon, or the 17th-century glamour of the Palace of Versailles, for example. The World Expo, which opened on October 1, 2021, is a perfect showcase for this one-of-a-kind high-tech machine.

Every Piece Handled With Care

But such a unique invention requires unique handling. “As I’m new to exporting, I needed a reliable partner to take care of that for me so I could focus my time and energy on promoting our product,” Brard explained. 

Brard and UPS identified several hurdles in the way of the completing their mission to deliver the Voyager By Immertech on time and ready to quickly assemble. The capsule itself is quite bulky, with a large footprint, and its tech is fragile, which made packaging an issue.  In addition, time was of the essence, as the temperature in Dubai can reach peaks of 50°C (122°F). And of course, complete and accurate export documentation was essential for timely border crossing.

“I found a real partner with UPS.”

– Stéphane Brard, Founder, IMMERTECH

“It’s really been a team effort between UPS Supply Chain Solutions in France and Dubai,” said Derek Irving, UPS director of operations for Expo 2020. “The recipe of our successful delivery was synchronizing all operations, from crating, transport by road to Paris CDG airport, customs operations and delivery on time for the flight booked well in advance.”

How UPS Supply Chain Solutions Went the Extra Mile

UPS and IMMERTECH put their brainstorming into action to help ensure that the Voyager By Immertech had a smooth and safe trip from France to Dubai.

From the start, carefully packaged and numbered crates were transported with care, and a dedicated Customs and Freight Manager was on standby to make sure that any issues with the capsule’s arrival were anticipated and resolved smoothly.

Once the shipment had arrived in Dubai, UPS Global Freight Forwarding crews with vast experience handling valuable, unique exhibits made sure to keep the capsule under ideal temperature conditions, and then moved the capsule piece by piece to the fourth floor of the pavilion in a particular order to facilitate easier building and set up.

“Until the end, it was a step-by-step operation," Irving recalled.

Brard believes he benefited from fully dedicated support at all stages of this operation, which he admits he didn’t realize would be so complex and time consuming without a global logistics provider.

“The teams in France and on-site at Dubai listened to me and advised me in all aspects,” said Brard. "I found a real partner with UPS."

The Voyager By Immertech will remain on display at Expo 2020 Dubai through March 31, 2022.

For more information about the Voyager By Immertech and Stéphane Brard’s work at IMMERTECH, visit the IMMERTECH website.

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