European self-storage operator Big Yellow broke ground on a five-building, 280,000-square-foot facility in the International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) in Dubai to cater to local companies as well as the residential community within the zone and neighboring developments. The construction, being carried out by Core Construction Co. and Steel Storage Middle East, is expected to be complete in 12 months. The facility will be one of the most advanced warehousing structures in the Middle East, according to Ryan Cornelius, chairmain of Big Yellow FZ, a franchise of UK-based Big Yellow Group PLC.

Also present at the ground-breaking ceremony were Fahad Hareb, operations manager of IMPZ, and Ihab Al-Ramlawi, managing director for Core Construction.

Big Yellow is a U.K.-based self-storage developer and operator. Launched in 2000, the company has purchased 58 storage sites, 42 of which are open. It aims to expand its portfolio internationally, providing more than 3.6 million square feet of storage space. For information, visit www.bigyellow.co.uk.

IMPZ, part of Dubai's vision to develop itself into a global media hub, aims to provide a pro-business environment, sophisticated technology and community infrastructure to support and foster the growth of media-production companies from around the world. Catering exclusively to in the graphic-arts, publishing and packaging industries, it is an initiative of the Dubai government under the patronage of parent company TECOM Investments (A member of Dubai Holding). The complex will be housed on more than 43 million square feet of land in the heart of commercial Dubai. For details, visit www.impz.ae.