DHL expands Hong Kong superhub

DHL announced an additional $110 million investment to expand its Central Asia air express hub at the Hong Kong International Airport. The center of DHL’s regional network, the Central Asia SuperHub is being built six years ahead of schedule to meet soaring demand, the company said. The flagship facility, serving the Pearl River Delta manufacturing center, “is strategically positioned for us to meet the growth in intra-Asia, as well as inter-regional trade,” said Scott Price, chief executive, DHL Express – Asia Pacific. The expansion was originally scheduled for completion in 2013. DHL said more than 70 percent of all its China traffic is routed through Hong Kong. In 2004, the hub handled more than 22 million shipments — more than 60 percent for intra-Asia destinations. The hub is expected to handle more than 30 million shipments in 2005. One of six DHL hubs in the region, Hong Kong will be the largest when the expansion is completed by the end of 2007. The expansion will double the size of the existing facility from 18,200 square meters to 35,000 square meters. The useable shipment processing area will also be more than doubled, to 52,000 square meters. Automation and tracking will enable the center to process 35,000 parcels per hour, up from the current 20,000 parcels per hour. It will also be able to sort 40,000 document shipments an hour, up from the current 15,000. The hub began operations in August 2004.