DHL has announced that it would release a new product to provide express delivery services for heavy goods of 50 to 150 kg.
It is part of DHL’s efforts to capture a larger share when the express demand is surging in China. In China, goods heavier than 40 kg cannot be delivered through the nation’s postal system.
DHL France has gained a sustainable development award for its new city-centre B2B parcel delivery scheme in Paris. Since January, the express operator has been using a network of drop point machines in central Paris to deliver parcels. Business customers can then collect their goods at their convenience.
The Innovation Prize 2006 in the “sustainable development” category, which was awarded at the recent French transport fair SITL in Paris, was shared with the Paris city authority and Consignity, manufacturer of the self-service parcel machines.
Read MoreKuehne+Nagel sees ‘upside’ for its contract logistics business in Britain following the USSD6.7bn takeover of Exel by acquisitive German rival DHL. Dirk Reich, K+N executive vice-president of contract logistics, said: ‘On the one hand we are worried, because DHL has unlimited funds. It can take profits out of a subsidised industry and invest them in consolidation [of the logistics industry]. And Germany’s railway, Deutsche Bahn is starting to do the same thing with Schenker.’ But Mr Reich observed that for some shippers the enlarged DHL had now become the sole supplier of contract logistics, a situation which would see shippers seek a second provider. Peter Ulber, K+N’s chief executive for northwest Europe based in Britain, agreed: ‘There are definitely opportunities as well as challenges. In British contract logistics, for example, DHL and Exel together have a combined market share of 25%. I would argue that such a position is not sustainable and that the numbers two and three, K+N and Wincanton, will get some of that business.’
‘Lots of customers are going out for an RFI [request for information] and they may split the business,’ he added.
Read MoreExpress and delivery markets across the 10 new EU countries are poised for double-digit growth rates over the coming five years, spearheaded by central and eastern Europe. Early entry into these countries is paramount; the four integrators already have a presence in the region, and other pan-European players are ready to move in.
Read MoreAccording to La Libre Belgique today, DHL could leave Brussels much earlier than anticipated (April 2008), because the works at Leipzig are nearing completion. The move out of Zaventem would be coupled with an early withdrawal of DHL from Cologne to Leipzig. According to Knack magazine dated 15 March, DHL would stop its activities at Cologne in September 2007, i.e. 3 months earlier than announnced, to move to Leipzig where extension works are progressing at high speed. DHL management has submitted new requests to the Belgian trade unions in order to leave earlier.
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