TNT and DHL expand in Brazil
TNT and DHL Express are stepping up their business in Brazil with new products and expansion plans, according to local newspapers. TNT has outlined medium-term investment of EUR 100 million in the country, and DHL is introducing time-definite international express products.
TNT CEO Peter Bakker told the business newspaper Valor Economico that the Dutch group planned to invest EUR 100 million in Brazil over the next 5-10 years to extend its market leadership. Following the acquisition of the domestic express market leader Mercurio in January 2007, he did not exclude further acquisitions.
Investment will be made in new vehicles, storage and distribution centres, enhanced call centre technology and an intra-regional road network, he said. Mercurio’s fleet will be increased from 1,500 vehicles to about 1,900.
Bakker said the poor road infrastructure in South America would not prevent the creation of a road network linking Brazil to neighbouring countries. “The local conditions are very similar to what we encountered in other parts of the world, especially in Asia,” he commented.
Roberto Rodrigues, head of TNT Brazil and Mercurio, said the company’s volumes, including European traffic, were growing so fast that TNT was considering operating exclusive cargo flights between Brazil and Europe. A possible re-branding of Mercuro to TNT will be decided on in mid-2008.
Meanwhile, DHL is launching two new time-definite services for international deliveries from Brazil to the US and other Latin America countries, the Gazeta Mercantil reported. Until now, DHL Express has offered its DHL Express Worldwide, with delivery by the end of the next working day, to customers in Brazil.
The new DHL Express 10:30 service provides next-day delivery to US destinations by 10:30 backed by money-back guarantees. The DHL Express 12:00 service offers next-day delivery by 12:00 to eight Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile and Mexico, the newspaper reported.
Juliana Vasconcelos, marketing director of DHL Express in Latin America, said that by delivering documents or goods on a time-definite basis, DHL customers or their clients would be able to speed up their decision-making to the same working day.
