Express delivery and logistics company DHL launched a new program designed to streamline cross-border shipping in North America.
The DHL North America Trade Lane initiative is designed to speed and expedite cross-border shipments, saving time and money for U.S., Canadian and Mexican companies participating in the $8.8 billion cross-border express and ground parcel shipping market in North America.
Plantation, FL-based DHL developed the program to help customers better address the changing needs of global commerce. The program includes:
- Enhancements to DHL’s facilities, fleet and other infrastructure, including new international gateways and expanded Border Operating Centers;
- Additional bilingual customer service representatives to help customers navigate the regulatory aspects of cross-border shipping; and
- Additional representatives to help customers with cross-border shipping solutions.
During the first five years of the new initiative, DHL will launch several expanded centers to facilitate customer shipping across U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada. These centers will streamline and expedite cross-border service in express and ground parcel shipping within North America.
Beginning in 2007, each of DHL’s centers will expand operations to include everything needed to speed customers’ cross-border shipments. The DHL centers will feature advanced technology inspection equipment, fast-track customs clearance systems and specially trained staff.
The centers are important because Canada and Mexico together represent nearly $300 billion a year in export business to the United States, and they are the first- and third-largest trading partners for the United States, respectively, according to DHL. The United States is also the leading trading partner for each country.
To serve the U.S.-Mexico trade route early in 2007, DHL will launch centers strategically located in Tijuana, Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Matamoros, Mexico-with companion U.S. locations just across the border.
DHL will also expand U.S.-Canada cross-border operations to facilitate expedited northbound and southbound shipments. DHL has already expanded its Canada network with the purchase in 2003 of Loomis, one of Canada’s leading express and ground parcel shipping networks that added new facilities to the DHL express network and recently reconfiguring its network operations to accept larger aircraft.
DHL’s North America initiative also includes new, efficiently bundled services designed to save customers time and money.
With DHL’s “Break Bulk Express,” for example, customers can combine individual packages into one large shipment to speed and simplify customs clearance. DHL then “breaks” the bundled shipment back into its individual package components and delivers each individually.
Future DHL improvements to support the flow of goods and documents throughout North America will include additional ground network upgrades and ground fleet enhancements, added flights in all three countries, specialized customer-focused call center operations and additional centers along the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada.
