Deutsche Post World Net to restructure U.S. Express business
Deutsche Post World Net announced a plan to restructure its DHL U.S. Express business by working with UPS for airlift capacity and reducing costs in its ground infrastructure. Under the plan, DHL and UPS have agreed to develop a contract whereby UPS will provide air uplift for DHL Express U.S. domestic and international shipments within North America.
In addition, DHL will align its U.S. Express infrastructure to existing shipment volumes by redesigning its ground linehaul network to better match capacity with customer requirements. The impact on service levels will be minimal with less than 4 percent of shipments affected. DHL remains focused on delivering international and domestic Express products, offering an attractive alternative for U.S. customers and keeping a strong commitment to the U.S. market.
The restructuring plan will lead to sustainable improvements in financial performance and provide a sound starting point for a more efficient and customer-oriented business in the future. In 2008, the company expects an underlying EBIT loss of USD 1.3 billion in U.S. Express. Through the expected cost savings of around USD 800 million in 2010 and around $1 billion in 2011, underlying EBIT will improve accordingly. First positive effects of the plan will start showing already in 2009. The company expects to spend up to USD 2 billion to finance the restructuring plan.
Due to the uncertain economic situation in the U.S., Deutsche Post World Net is reducing its guidance for underlying EBIT in the EXPRESS Corporate Division in 2008 to around 400 million euros from around 500 million euros. Subsequently, the Group's full-year guidance before non-recurring effects and restructuring costs will be reduced slightly by 100 million euros to around 4.1 billion euros.
Three main elements
DHL is taking action both in its infrastructure network and in aviation with a restructuring plan that focuses on three main elements:
1. Reducing infrastructure network capacity by approximately 30 percent through the following detailed measures:
Consolidating and closing smaller sorting facilities into modernized, larger stations, resulting in reductions of approximately 34 percent
Rationalizing pickup and delivery routes by 17 percent, including new courier routing plans to enable better route planning and avoiding peaks in the operation, as well as making changes to staffing plans
Ground linehaul network rationalized by 18 percent through improved capacity utilization and footprint reductions in some remote areas.
2. A proposed contract between DHL and UPS whereby UPS will provide air uplift for DHL Express U.S. domestic and international shipments within North America
3. Reduction in overhead and other administrative costs
Economic benefits for DHL and UPS
As one central part of its restructuring activities, DHL and UPS will pursue a contract to provide air uplift, creating a single airline partner for DHL Express in the U.S. DHL will continue to operate its courier and ground network as well as pickup and delivery services to its customers across the country. The proposed agreement, in character and scope representing an efficient model in the express industry, will extend for 10 years. The commencement of UPS service into the DHL network is expected to begin later this year.
The proposed contract provides both DHL and UPS substantial economic benefits in the U.S. Express market, which remains one of the most challenging marketplaces worldwide in light of the current economic downturn. DHL will continue to compete in the U.S. market under its own brand, offering attractive value to customers. The restructuring action in no way diminishes DHL's commitment to retaining a significant presence in the U.S. market, which is key to DHL's global network.
Strategic priorities
DHL's strategic priorities in the U.S. will be to continue to provide record service reliability, and accelerating growth in more profitable segments of the market through leveraging innovative sales channel strategies like the recently announced Walgreens partnership. In addition, DHL will be more selective in accepting business from a small number of scarcely populated areas and take advantage of capacity and cost reductions to grow a leaner and more focused ground business.
