DHL Express invests in infrastructure, aiming to increase volume capacity in the Americas by 30% by the end of 2022
DHL Express plan to spend more than $360 million in infrastructure investments throughout the Americas
Currently, B2C and B2B e-commerce is driving unprecedented growth in shipment volumes, and DHL Express have reacted to this with huge investments in their infrastructure. Overall shipment volumes have grown by 41% in the US, with 33% more shipments per day in Q1 2021 as compared to the previous year. From 2020 to 2022, DHL Express plans to spend $360 million in this sector within the Americas region, aiming to increase capacity and efficiency.
DHL Express have also announced additional investments to boost their air network, with both new aircrafts and additional routes. The company intends to spend millions on these measures, and introduce more direct flight routes to bolster its Americas air network.
The infrastructure investments will focus on the company’s facilities, including:
- Service centres for pickup and delivery options
- Gateways to manage the international clearance of shipments
- Hubs to operate as shipment transfer points, to and from regions of the world.
- Upgrading existing facilities throughout its regional network to support first and last mile pick-up and delivery operations
Examples of these are already under construction, with an expanded modern hub in Miami, Florida, which will be the sixth-largest DHL Express hub globally, as well as a new, 244,000 sq ft automated hub in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Once finalized, the new hub will be four times the size of the current one.
The investments are also assisting with expansion in Central and South America. In Mexico, to support first and last mile shipment processing, 105 self-service kiosks will be installed at retail counters for customer convenience during 2021. Hubs and gateways will also be upgraded and service centres will be expanded in key markets throughout the country.
In Brazil, the Viracops Gateway in Capinas will be upgraded, and expansions are taking place in other South American countries, including new retail service point locations in Chile and Colombia, and an expanded gateway in Lima, Peru.
"Globalisation has continued to show its resilience, fuelled by digitalization and the power of global trade," said Mike Parra, CEO, DHL Express Americas. "With an ever-increasing number of consumers shifting their shopping activities online, and the sharp rise in businesses selling their goods in the global marketplace, we need to continue the critical investments in our network infrastructure to meet the growth demands in international e-commerce and global trade."