DHL eyes 80 percent UK coverage in next 12 months

DHL Global Mail is expanding its national business-to-business network to bolster plans to cover 80 per cent of the UK by June next year.

The company is opening a mail hub in Birmingham, just a few weeks after setting up a northern division in Warrington, Cheshire.

The Warrington arm represented DHL’s first opening since the acquisition of business mail specialist Smartmail International last year. DHL also plans to open a distribution centre in Sheffield in August, and increase its London coverage in the autumn.

During the first half of 2006, it will open centres in Scotland, Northampton and Watford, claiming it will create a nationwide, end-to- end network. Tony Allsop, head of Smartmail Citispeed services at DHL, explains: “We’ve made a significant investment in our network, as we believe Birmingham is a key strategic location in our bid to build a significant postal network.

“We have total control over how and when post gets delivered, which means we can provide businesses with tailored mail services.”