TNT appoints GM to helm Asia Road Network expansion

TNT has appointed David Stenberg as general manager of its Asia Road Network.

He will be responsible for the growth and expansion of the road network — which currently spans Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand — to Indochina and China this year.

Prior to this appointment, Stenberg was the country operations manager for TNT in Indonesia. He has also held various positions with TNT in five markets where he was responsible for operations and special services.

The road network expansion marks TNT’s strategic intent to expand its presence in Asia, particularly in key emerging markets in the region.

“Since its launch in December 2005, TNT has experienced a steady double-digit growth of the Asia Road Network. The demand for the road service has been largely contributed by small- and medium-sized enterprises that look for alternative transportation solutions to suit their business needs,” Stenberg said in a statement.

“This growth is expected to increase once the road network expands to Indochina and subsequently China,” he added.

As part of the expansion plans, Stenberg will also focus on developing related bespoke services to cater to the diverse needs of the company’s growing customer base across the region.

This includes the transportation of approved dangerous goods shipments within Asia, thereby expanding the service capabilities of the road network which traditionally targeted domestic and international companies from the high-tech, electronic and automotive sectors.

TNT’s Asia Road Network service offers customers a fully inclusive door-to-door, day definite express solution that offer businesses transit times that are two to three times faster than sea freight, as well as significant cost savings of up to 30 per cent compared with air freight.

It was unveiled in December 2005 with an initial investment of more than e2 million (RM9.5 million).

In a separate statement, TNT said it has won the “Best Road Haulier Asia” award for the third time running at the recent Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards (AFSCA).

“Having already established the largest door-to-door road and air network in Europe, we will replicate this success and are focused on strengthening Asia’s connectivity, both within the region and to Europe,” TNT regional managing director for South-East Asia Onno Boots said.

The criteria for Asia’s Best Road Haulier included timely pick-up and delivery of freight, extensive infrastructure to support business needs, effective and user-friendly IT systems and competitiveness of rates.