DHL is to upgrade infrastructure and expand services in Vietnam for its Express business, as well as increase its strategic presence around Vietnam for DHL Logistics.Under the newly formed DHL-VNPT joint venture, DHL Express will invest US$14 million in Vietnam, which is earmarked for new facilities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Haiphong and Danang, as well as fleet upgrades, direct service expansion to key industrial zones, and new vehicles.The expansion in Vietnam brings DHL’s total Asia-Pacific investment to more than US$1.7 billion.The logistics infrastructural announcement in China, the expansion of the Incheon facility in South Korea and, within the week, the inauguration of the new Bangkok hub, are part of a series of recent announcements that further reiterate DHL’s commitment to the Asia-Pacific region.The DHL Logistics business has announced that it will be increasing and strengthening its ties with Vietnam by continuing initiatives with its appointed agent, Macs Shipping, in terms of staff training, technological upgrade, and developing customs clearances and transportation services.
The logistics business unit will also build Vietnam as a mid-point to transit shipments from other regions into Laos, as well as develop cross-border transportation between Vietnam and countries such as Cambodia and South China, to serve the fast moving goods sectors.According to Peter Landsiedel, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia-Pacific, for the first nine months of this year, Vietnam’s total imports and exports have continued to grow between 19% and 24% year-on-year respectively, and this positive trend is expected to continue in the post-WTO Vietnamese economy.He added that DHL will develop its strategic presence in Lao Cai, Danang, Vung Tau, Moc Bai and Can Tho for cross-border transportation into South China and Cambodia, to cope with the high volume of FMCG imports and exports between these countries and Vietnam.DHL Vietnam’s infrastructure covers 30 facilities across Vietnam. DHL Express leads the industry with a 40% market share and handles close to one million shipments per year in Vietnam, while DHL Logistics is one of Vietnam’s top five forwarders, handling 7,350 tons of airfreight and 11,700 containers of sea freight in this fast growing country.