DHL takes steps to meet increased logistics demand in Japan
Express delivery and logistics services provider DHL held an inauguration ceremony yesterday heralding the expansion of its expanded facility at the Kansai International Airport.
The USD 41 million investment into the DHL Kansai International Airport Gateway, which is located at the International Cargo Warehouse C is comprised of 10,100 square meters, and is the largest facility operated by an international express company at the airport, according to DHL.
DHL said in a press release that the DHL Kansai International Airport Gateway began operations at the airport’s International Cargo Area in July 2003. The gateway provides transportation, logistics, and express delivery services for shippers in the Kansai region of West Japan. And this expansion will allow DHL to meet continued business growth throughout Japan and in Kansai, which is a major import center for exports from China, according to the company.
The new facility, said DHL, is five times bigger than its previous facility, and will help the company to better handle cargo volume increases and weight handled by the company in Kansai. It includes state-of-the-art customs clearance and bonded warehouse facilities, and DHL expects it to spur international trade, as well as the air express and logistics industry in Kansai. It added that it expects the new facility to enhance efficiency and speed in cargo processing, providing customers with better time-to-market capabilities.
And Air Hong Kong, DHL’s joint venture with Cathay Pacific, currently operates a ten-time weekly dedicated service to the Kansai International Airport to and from DHL’s Central Asia Hub in Hong Kong. In Japan, DHL also utilizes close to 100 commercial flights daily.
“We welcome the opening of DHL’s newly-expanded facility,” said Atsushi Murayama, President of Kansai International Airport Ltd., in a press release. “Come August 2007, Kansai International Airport will be Japan’s only airport providing 24/7 operations. We firmly believe that the opening of the expanded facility by DHL, which has the world’s most extensive international network, is significant in that it enhances Kansai airport’s capabilities as an international air logistics hub, opening up new business opportunities for our customers,” he said.
