DHL Express invests in China with expanded facility and new flight

DHL Express has expanded its presence in Shenzhen and added a new China-Southeast Asia-Europe flight as part of efforts to capitalise on fast-growing data centre and pharma demand.

The expansion of the firm’s Shenzhen “Super” Gateway facility at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport came at a cost of €177m and has tripled processing capacity to approximately 900 tons per day.

The expanded facility will support cross-border trade, e-commerce shipments and time-definite international express services.

Meanwhile, the express firm has also added a new dedicated air route with a widebody Boeing 767 freighter linking Shanghai, Bangkok, Bahrain and Brussels.

DHL said that the new service launch comes as demand is growing among customers in sectors such as technology, industrial manufacturing, semiconductors, healthcare, data centre infrastructure and new energy, “many of which rely heavily on manufacturing and supplier networks in China and across Asia”.

DHL said the new service would also support its recently expanded Heavyweight Express offering that moves larger shipments through the DHL Express international time-definite network.

The company said that while supply chains are becoming increasingly diversified, China remains an important hub for “manufacturing, sourcing, innovation and consumption, and continues to play a significant role in international trade and regional supply chains”.

DHL Express chief executive John Pearson said: “Global supply chains continue to adapt to changing economic conditions, geopolitical disruption and evolving customer requirements.

“Our focus is on ensuring customers have the flexible, reliable and high-quality logistics networks they need to connect with suppliers, production locations and consumers around the world.

“These investments enhance the connections between China and global markets and reinforce DHL’s role as the logistics partner of choice for international e-commerce and fast-growing sectors such as data centre and semiconductor logistics, life sciences and healthcare and new energy.”

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