DHL Express, the world’s leading international express servicesprovider, has opened its new international hub at Paris-Charles deGaulle airport. DHL invested €170 million into the new location,which is ten times larger than the previous site. It is DHLExpress' largest investment in Europe in recent years and thebiggest ever in France since its arrival in 1976. The facility willstrengthen DHL’s foothold in France, having also invested €80million in its French infrastructures over the last six years. Witha solid network and next-generation infrastructure, DHL has all thetools to support and plan ahead for the increase in global trade byshortening delivery times, enhancing parcels tracking and security,and further improving the employees’ working conditions.
John Pearson, CEO DHL Express, explained: “The DHL Express hubatParis-Charles de Gaulle airport will play a key role in ourinternational network. This is the fourth largest hub in ourEuropean network in terms of size and parcel processing volume,after Leipzig, East Midlands and Brussels. It is one of our 23 hubsaround the world, 12 of which are in Europe. The new facility isanother step towards fulling our mission: Connecting people,Improving lives. Our role was decisive during the Covid-19 crisis.Even at the height of the pandemic, we managed to maintain the linkbetween countries to ensure global trade. Our agility, supported bythe strength of our global network and the commitment of our teamshave enabled us to deliver more than one billion doses of Covid-19vaccines to more than 160 countries. With ultramoderninfrastructures fitted at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and our presencein 220 countries around the world, we have all the tools needed tomeet the new challenges of an increasingly connected world.”
Both in France and the rest of the world, the growth in parcelshipments linked to e-commerce has considerably accelerated due toCovid-19 and is continuing at a very sustained pace in 2021. In2020, e-commerce enabled DHL Express France to grow its volume byabout eight percent compared to 2019. With the recovery of tradefor its long-standing B2B customers, activity at DHL Express isintensifying in 2021.
Extraordinary processing capacities and 239 jobs created
The new facility's ultramodern sorting system alone representsa €45 million investment. Its processing capacity is 38,000 pieces(parcels and flyers) per hour, 15 times more than the previousfacility. Nearly 720 employees, including almost 239 new recruits,will be running the 32,000 m2 centre around the clock. Forcustomers in the Paris region, this new Paris-Charles de Gaullelocation already means a substantial one-hour time saving on theirdeliveries and pick-ups.
The hub is located in a 91,000 m2 space, the e of 13football fields. The construction work, which began in March 2020,took 20 months. Now up and running, the location is sized to absorbthe growth of the next 10 years, with an option for furtherexpansion.
Philippe Prétat, CEO DHL Express France, added: “The hub is anerve centre for our network in France, but also in Europe. Thisnew location comes at the right time, as e-commerce is booming. Thetrend was already under way, but has accelerated with the Covid-19pandemic and looks set to continue. We are here to support thisunprecedented growth. I am proud that the 3,350 DHL Expressemployees in France can count on next-generation infrastructurewhich is up to the challenges. DHL Express will support all thosewho want to trade under the best conditions with the rest of theworld. The consolidation of our network will benefit ourlong-standing business as well as individual customers.”
A smaller carbon footprint
The DHL Express hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle will meetstrict environmental criteria, including LED lighting with motiondetectors, a sorting system with IE4 high-efficiency motors,energy-efficient air conditioning. The site aligns with thezero-emission target for 2050 set by Deutsche Post DHL Group. DHLExpress France, which also has an intermediate objective ofcarrying out 70% of its pick-ups and deliveries using greentransport by 2025, is multiplying initiatives in this direction.The company has more than 100 clean vehicles and delivers more than50 city centres with zero-emission solutions. It is also developingmany innovative solutions, such as on-demand deliveries,collaborative deliveries by bike or on foot, consignments andRelais Colis service points.