Deutsche Post to expand Australian Operations

German-based international mail distributor Deutsche Post Global Mail GmbH plans to extend its operations in Australia and other countries in the region.

Deutsche Post chairman Klaus Knappik, who was in Sydney to attend a board meeting of its Australian operations today, said the company planned to compete directly with Australia Post for its share of international mail distribution.

Mr Knappik said the board was very much focused on expanding Australian operations.

“The Australian market is probably right now the most important one for us because it is the most developed in the region and in most other Asian countries we are not really that well represented yet,” Mr Knappik told AAP.

“Since the cross-border mail business is open and free in Australia we compete with Australia Post as much as any other competitor would and we would like to do so more.

“Australia is a much smaller market than Europe and the US but it is open and we have operations here,” he said.

Deutsche Post, which distributes between 97 and 99 per cent of German domestic mail, has one of the largest shares of international mail markets with 12 per cent stake in the sector, Mr Knappik said.

Mr Knappik, who joined the company five months ago, said Australia was a relatively new market for Deutsche Post.

“Compared with the US and Europe where we are a market leader, this area is a relatively kind of an infant stage for us but I also have a personal interest because I lived for quite a while in the region,” Mr Knappik said.

Mr Knappik said the company was also well placed to introduce Australian companies to European markets as it had one of the largest logistics networks.

“We are also seeing that Australian companies would like to seek business opportunities in Europe and we are helping many of them with advice and consultancy for this.”

Deutsche Post Global Mail’s Asia-Pacific operations were established in 1999, with offices in Singapore, Sydney and Hong Kong.

In June 2000, Deutsche Post Global Mail acquired the Australian mail divisions of The Letterbox Group, Letterbox Australia and SkyMail Australia.

Deutsche Post Global Mail’s markets in the region include publishing, direct marketing, catalogues, merchandise for e-business, mail order and tourism.

Deutsche Post Global Mail is part of Deutsche Post, which forms, together with DHL Worldwide Express, Danzas and Postbank, the Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN) Group.