DHL has announced its decision to establish the DHL Express North Asia Hub in Shanghai. To be located at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the new facility will serve China and the North Asia region.
This latest strategic US$175 million investment brings DHL’s total investment in Asia Pacific to over US$2.2 billion in the past few years, the group said.
Scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2010, the North Asia Hub will play a “catalytic role to boost DHL’s growth in Asia Pacific,” DHL said.
The establishment of the North Asia Hub reinforces its multi-hub strategy in Asia Pacific as it complements the Central Asia Hub in Hong Kong, as well as hubs in Bangkok, Incheon, Singapore and Sydney.
Together, the six Hubs will be linked to close to 50 DHL Express Gateways strategically located throughout Asia Pacific.
To be sited at an air side location adjacent to the upcoming Runway 3 in the West Cargo Handling Area of Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the new 55,000 sqm, 24/7 North Asia Hub, built on a total land area of 88,000 sqm, will be equipped with state-of-the-art features.
It will have the capacity to sort conveyable shipments to a peak capacity of up to 20,000 parcels and 20,000 documents per hour and will improve transit times across North Asia and, in particular, benefit customers located in the Yangtze River Delta.
This year, DHL entered two strategic partnerships to further boost its global aviation strategy. In June, DHL Express completed a strategic partnership transaction with air cargo carrier Polar Air, in which DHL Express holds a 49 per cent stake.