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Tag: DHL

  • Logistics company unveils two fully branded aircraft

    Logistics company unveils two fully branded aircraft

    DHL has unveiled two fully branded Boeing 737-400 aircraft at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, marking a major step in the company’s continued investment in logistics infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

    The additional aircraft are expected to enhance transit times, improve delivery predictability, and expand DHL’s operational reach to support businesses across West Africa and international markets. The move comes as demand for reliable air freight services grows across the region.

    As the only integrator operating a dedicated air network in Sub-Saharan Africa, DHL said the expansion strengthens its ability to serve key sectors such as e-commerce, perishables, energy, life sciences, and healthcare.

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    The  Vice President of Operations and Aviation at DHL Express SSA, Anthony Beckley, said the investment aligns with rising trade activity on the continent, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    He said, “As trade expands across Africa, businesses are demanding predictable transit times and consistent delivery performance

    “The two dedicated aircraft will be integrated into DHL Aviation’s African air network, strengthening connections on critical Africa–Europe and Africa–Asia trade lanes.”

  • DHL suspends high value U.S. deliveries over tariffs

    DHL suspends high value U.S. deliveries over tariffs

    DHL Express is suspending deliveries to the United States (U.S.) worth more than $800 (£603) because of a “significant increase” in red tape at customs following the introduction of Donald Trump’s new tariff regime.

    The delivery giant said it will temporarily stop shipments from companies in all countries to American consumers today “until further notice”.

    It added that business-to-business shipments will still go ahead, “though they may also face delays”.

    Previously, packages worth up to $2,500 could enter the U.S. with minimal paperwork but due to tighter customs checks that came into force alongside Trump’s tariffs earlier this month, the threshold has been lowered.

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    DHL said that the change “has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock”.

    It said that while it is working to “scale up and manage this increase, shipments worth over $800, regardless of origin, may experience multi-day delays”.

    The company said it will still deliver packages worth less than $800, which can be sent to the U.S. with minimal checks.

    But the White House is set to clamp down on deliveries under $800 – specifically those sent from China and Hong Kong – on 2 May when it closes a loophole allowing low-value packages to enter the U.S. without incurring any duties.

    The removal of the so-called “de minimis” rule will impact the likes of the fast-fashion firm Shein and Temu, the low-cost retail giant.

    Shein and Temu have both warned that they will increase prices “due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs”.

    The Trump administration has claimed that “many shippers” in China “hide illicit substances and conceal the true contents of shipments sent to the U.S. through deceptive shipping practices”.

    Under an executive order, the White House said the measures were aimed at “addressing the synthetic opioid supply chain” which it said “play a significant role in the synthetic opioid crisis in the U.S.”.

    Beijing has said that the opioid fentanyl is a “U.S. problem” and China has the strictest drug policies in the world.

    Last week, Hongkong Post said it was suspending packages sent to the U.S. by sea and, from 27 April, would stop accepting parcels destined for America.

    It said: “The U.S. is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively.”

  • DHL, Temu sign MOU to support local businesses

    DHL, Temu sign MOU to support local businesses

    DHL Group, the world’s leading logistics company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the e-commerce marketplace Temu to deepen their cooperation and to further expand their successful partnership. The agreement aims to enhance collaboration to better support local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in established markets as well as in growth markets, such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Both parties are committed to fostering compliant trade and sustainable practices.

    DHL Group will support Temu through its logistics expertise, including multimodal transportation solutions, to provide more efficient and sustainable supply chain services. With its dense network and global presence, DHL Group is the ideal partner to support Temu’s growth in both established and new markets.

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    “Through our various DHL divisions, we are already providing a wide range of logistics services and solutions, including air freight and last-mile delivery. We are excited to elevate our partnership with Temu to the next level. By combining our logistics capabilities with Temu’s innovative platform, we can create more efficient, compliant and convenient solutions that benefit both consumers and local businesses in the markets we serve,” states Katja Busch, CCO and Head of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.

    As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, DHL Group will utilize its logistics expertise to support Temu’s operations in Europe, including its local-to-local model, which enables local merchandise partners to sell on its platform and supports local fulfillment. Temu expects up to 80% of its total sales in Europe to come from this local-to-local model. Additionally, the e-commerce platform will enable European-based sellers to reach global markets in the future. This allows, in particular, SMEs to scale and expand their businesses. DHL will also assist Temu in growing its presence in e-commerce markets, including the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) regions.

    “This letter of intent marks a significant step in our partnership with DHL Group. Its extensive network and logistics capabilities will help support our mission to increase consumer access to affordable products and help increase growth opportunities for sellers,” states Qin Sun, co-founder of Temu.

  • Meta, DHL, Opay, others face sanctions for data breaches

    Meta, DHL, Opay, others face sanctions for data breaches

    The federal government has begun probes into the activities of Meta formerly known as Facebook, a haulage company, DHL, and online payment platform OPay for alleged data breaches. 

    The companies, if found liable, would forfeit two percent of their annual gross revenue to the government. 

    Findings by our correspondent revealed that there have been a barrage of complaints against the companies by Nigerians over the violation of data subjects’ rights.

    It was learnt that the Nigeria Data Protection Commission has opened investigations into the data processing activities of the affected data controllers. 

    This is the second time the NDPC would open probes into the activities of some companies, banks and universities in the country over alleged data infractions. 

    Our correspondent gathered that the National Commissioner of NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, had warned during the Commission’s presentation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 to the public that infractions would attract penalties in accordance with the letter and spirit of law.

    Olatunji said the commission would not hesitate in “safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria data economy ecosystem.”

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    He warned data controllers and processors against all forms of data processing which are not in tandem with the Act, insisting that the Chief Executive Officers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government would be held liable for infractions. 

    The Nation learnt that complaints against Meta touch on behavioural advertising without explicit consent of data subjects. Approximately 40 million Facebook accounts in Nigeria might have been affected by the data processing under investigation. This also has significant implication for the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.

    DHL on the other hand is facing investigation for allegedly violating the lawful basis and principles of data protection, it was discovered. 

    Sources privy to the investigations said DHL’s data processing falls short of the confidentiality standard prescribed under the Nigeria Data Protection Act. The Act in section 24(2) (2) notes that “A data controller and data processor shall use appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal data.”

    On its part, Opay might be called upon to answer for allegations that it opens bank accounts for data subjects without their consent. If this is true, it would amount to a grave violation of data privacy rights of affected data subjects, our Correspondent gathered. 

    A report attributed to Opay says the platform has about 40 million data subjects. 

    Finding by our Correspondent shows that Nigeria Data Protection Commission has served each of the data controllers with Notice of Investigation. The companies, it was learnt, have ample opportunities to defend themselves against the law of the country. 

  • DHL eyes 40 countries with mobile app

    DHL Express said following the launch its DHL Express Mobile app in Nigeria and seven other African countries, it targets to roll out the app in 40 countries across the region by the end of 2020.

    The app offers a number of key benefits that facilitate tracking and faster delivery of shipments with greater ease and convenience.

    It was an exciting new addition to DHL’s service offering in sub-Saharan Africa and was launched during the week in eight African countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Tanzania and Uganda.

    Its CEO of Sub Saharan Africa, Hennie Heymans, said the DHL Express Mobile app was part of DHL Express’ ongoing commitment to drive innovations that enhance customer experience.

    He said the app, which allows customers to access valuable features on the move, will be rolled out in a further 40 countries across the region by the end of 2020.

    “Customers can access accurate shipping quotations, find their closest DHL service points for easy collections and deliveries and of course, track their shipments in real time.

    “Embracing digitalisation is the name of the game when it comes to enhancing customer experience and we are excited to introduce yet another exciting mobile application to our customers across the region,” Heymans said.

    A report by GSMA Intelligence revealed that mobile phones and services are enabling business growth in Africa. The mobile ecosystem has made a significant contribution to the economy in Sub Saharan Africa so far, with an economic value contribution of $110 billion, equivalent to 7.1 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017.

    Heymans added that it’s not only about new technology, but also a different mindset and culture. “Our customers are constantly evolving and changing the ways that they communicate, work, travel and consume, so we need to ensure that we are providing them with solutions that are agile enough to adapt to their changing needs,” he said.

    With online transactions growing exponentially in Africa, Heymans says that there is a clear demand for integrated mobile solutions that allow customers to transact whenever and wherever they are.

    “As the global leader in express logistics, DHL is constantly working towards providing cutting-edge solutions that help to connect Africa’s consumers and business owners with the global market,” Heymans said.

  • DHL Express plans workshop for SMEs

    Global courier service provider  DHL said it is determined to teach small business in Africa the benefits of international trade.

    To this end, the company is  launching its Growing Beyond Borders entrepreneurial training programme in several Sub Saharan Africa (SSA)  countries this month.

    They include Botswana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Mauritius.They will be followed by South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Uganda.

    The programme will be expanded to 16 more markets in the region before the end of the first quarter of next year. The programme  is designed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) understand the economic potential of international trade.

    Managing Director  DHL Express SSA Hennie Heymans  said  the continent is attractive for business expansion. The stable Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecasts for SSA 4.6 percent in 2016 and  five  percent in 2017 coupled with a booming ecommerce sector will create significant opportunities for innovative SMEs to service online-savvy customers.

    “In South Africa alone, the demand for online retail is growing rapidly,” Heymans said, “with significant opportunities existing to create crossborder ecommerce partnerships throughout Africa.”

    A recent report revealed that the majority of South African online shoppers could be cross-border shoppers in the coming years. It also showed that 46 percent already shop outside of South Africa. Similarly, the research shows 30 percent of Nigerian crossborder shoppers have purchased goods from South Africa in the past 12 months.

    While local entrepreneurs are identifying expansion and growth opportunities across Africa, many simply do not have the know-how to capitalise on these, Heymans said.

    “Many SMEs develop a plan to grow their business internationally, but battle to turn this plan into a reality,” he added.

    “Our Growing Beyond Borders program will provide practical guidance on how to make the most out of the opportunities available, and assist SMEs to grow and connect across Sub Saharan Africa.”

    The free workshop will explore new markets, provide guidance on how to find key geographical opportunities for the business’ specific products and services, and how to identify various marketing avenues and ways to build long-term relationships with target customers.

    The event is borne out of the DHL Express Certified International Specialist programme, an internal learning and development platform, which has seen about 4,000 DHL employees in 51 countries in SSA and 100,000 employees globally, receive comprehensive training on the fundamentals of international shipping.

     

  • DHL Group to increase investments in Nigeria, S/Africa, others

    DHL Group to increase investments in Nigeria, S/Africa, others

    Deutsche Post DHL Group, the leading company in global logistics industry, sees excellent opportunities to increase its investments in Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries.

    Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Frank Appel, who visited Nigeria and South Africa to highlight the group’s focus on the emerging markets, especially in the SSA region, said Nigeria’s growing gross domestic product and diversifying markets are indicators of the growing potential of the market and possible future contribution to the group’s revenue.

    He said the visit to the SSA region demonstrated the overall importance of emerging markets in the group’s Strategy 2020, especially the need to encourage the development of Sub-Saharan Africa.

    “Today, emerging market revenues contribute over 20 per cent to Deutsche Post DHL Group’s revenues, but by 2020 the Group expects this figure to climb to 30 per cent. Therefore, we will continue to concentrate on organic growth by investing into promising present and future markets.DHL already has a strong footprint in Africa, but we see some excellent opportunities to further increase our presence in the Sub-Saharan region. South Africa’s exceptional geographic location as the gateway to Africa, and Nigeria’s growing gross domestic product (GDP) and diversifying markets are only two of the many important indicators for this,” Appel said.

    He noted that staying close to the market and being responsive to customer needs are DHL’s fundamental principles pointing out that the group has established world-class facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa to support its global network.

    “We are committed to Sub-Saharan Africa and will continue to build on our successful four-decade legacy in the region,” Appel said.

    According to him, DHL continues to significantly invest in Sub-Saharan Africa. In October 2014, DHL already announced investments totaling EUR 30.5 million in South Africa, by both its Supply Chain (EUR 14.5 million investment) and Global Forwarding divisions (EUR 16 million investment). These commitments signal the group’s long-term growth plans for the region as they bring state-of-the-art infrastructure, IT systems and world-class services to support businesses operating in Africa.

    For DHL Global Forwarding, the leading provider of air, ocean and road freight services, the EUR 16 million facility, located at the Plumbago Business Park boasts 12,000 square meters of warehouse space and 5,500 sq meters of office space. A TAPA ‘A’ certified warehouse, the new premises are a world-class facility in South Africa, strengthening the country’s growth capabilities as the hub for distribution into the region.

    With a EUR 14.5 million investment, DHL Supply Chain’s 25,000m² multi-user warehouse facility caters to its technology client portfolio, as well as some key fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) clients.

    During his stay in South Africa and Nigeria, Frank Appel met with employees and customers, and visited several logistics facilities.

    DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The group generated revenues of more than 56 billion euros in 2014. DHL offers portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

    With more than 325,000 employees in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses, enabling global trade flows. It boasts of specialised solutions for growth markets and industries including e-commerce, technology, life science and healthcare, energy and automotive sector.

     

  • How to build environmental supply chain

    THE environmental supply chain has been revealed as an untapped opportunity to capture value and drive topline revenue. Where the supply chain was formerly the weakest link from a sustainability perspective, the new, closed loop environmental supply chain is a business imperative that can reduce carbon, deliver significant cost savings and improve favourability with consumers.

    “Closing the loop, building the environmental supply chain,” according to Lisa Harrington, President of the lharrington Group LLC, was commissioned by DHL, the world’s leading logistics company. It makes the case for businesses to think differently about their supply chains and the ‘costs’ attached to going green. She argues that best-practice businesses – such as P&G which recently reported nearly $1billion in cost savings from its environmental supply chain – no longer perceive sustainability as a cost, but recognise it as an opportunity to create value.

    Lisa Harrington said, “A great shift in attitudes is currently underway across industries. Gone are the old and dated misconceptions that ‘green’ means higher costs. Where the environmental supply chain model is executed correctly, companies are capitalising on increased revenue and social kudos from customers, while also ensuring their business is operating in line with necessary compliance measures.

    “The recipe for success is to get the four principles right. These are reduce, reuse, recycle and recapture. Reduction is all about eliminating waste by injecting efficiency, reusing involves product refurbishment, while recycling is ensuring that your waste becomes opportunity. Recapturing is the process of breaking down end-of-life products to harvest residual value such as precious metals.”

    Faced by driving market trends such as escalating consumer pressure, the need to improve efficiency and reduce cost, the compliance squeeze enforced by legislators, and rising expectations of corporate responsibility; companies are re-evaluating their approach to environmental supply chain management. Leading companies are creating value by modifying their supply chains to manage their key inputs and outputs such as energy, carbon, water, materials and waste in a way that can reduce the environmental footprint of a business and generate new sources of revenue from residual value.

    The whitepaper identifies solutions that will enable companies to realise the four principles of the environmental supply chain. A Lead Environmental Partner (LEP) fulfils a control tower role by monitoring the forward and reverse flows of the supply chain to identify opportunities that make environmental and economic sense. The next solution is the closed loop supply chain management approach which integrates waste recycling, value recovery and environmental protection compliance through an LEP that manages collection, sortation and recycling streams. Finally, the LEP provides visibility through its detailed carbon reporting that allows progress tracking better management.

    Chris Jackson, Vice President, Envirosolutions, DHL Supply Chain, said, “The environmental supply chain has fast become an opportunity and necessity for companies. Companies demonstrating best practices are driving down costs and saving millions while also ensuring their business is up to the standard of modern compliance measures which can potentially incur damages if not.

  • U.s. reviews visa procedure

    The United States (U.S) Mission to Nigeria has said the expanded DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Programme wil  hold on June 2.

    The programme allows certain visa applicants, who have previously been issued U.S. visas, to renew their visas without attending an interview.

    The expanded DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Programme now covers B1/B2 visas, which have expired no more than two years prior to reissuance and the F, L and H visas, which have expired no more than one year prior to reissuance.

    A statement by the mission explained that “to find out more about the specific qualification criteria for renewals, applicants should visit the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria’s website’s Drop Box page at http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/niv_dropbox.html

    The CGI visa appointment website will ask applicants a series of questions reflecting the criteria for the expanded DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Programme.

    Qualifying applicants will be prompted to print a letter confirming their eligibility for the program and instructing them to drop off the letter with their passport, application confirmation sheet, passport photos, visa fee receipt, and appropriate documents to one of the DHL facilities in Abuja or Lagos.  The application packets are adjudicated and returned to the applicant’s selected DHL location within 7-10 business days.

     

    Please note that participation in this program does not guarantee visa issuance.  Additionally, the consulate may request applicants to attend a visa interview in certain cases.

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  • DHL restates commitment to SME

    DHL restates commitment to SME

    Africa is not only the last frontier but possibly the biggest frontier for business”. That comment was made by Ken Allen, Global CEO for DHL Express. This probably highlights how serious Africa is being taken in the global boardrooms of large corporations. Charles Brewer, Managing Director for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa shares his sentiment and adds, “More than ever, companies are now looking to expand into Africa. More than ever, companies are looking to invest in its diverse markets. More than ever, commercial opportunities abound across the continent. It’s clearly time for Africa…”

    DHL, the world’s leading postal and express group announced its full year results. The group posted revenues of more than EUR 55 billion with boosted profitability once again in 2013. These improvements have been particularly attributed to the company’s exceptional market position in the world’s emerging markets, including Africa.

    Brewer adds, “DHL Express is the market leader across Africa, and our unparalleled footprint and continued investment in the continent is testament to that. During 2013, we continued with our expansion plans throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, investing heavily in facilities and increasing our vehicle and aviation fleet. We have continued to showcase our commitment to Africa and have a firm belief and vested interest in Africa delivering on its obvious promise.”

    Brewer points to the recent International Air Transport Association (IATA) Airline Industry Forecast 2013-2017 report, which revealed that Africa is estimated to be the fastest growing region globally over the forecast period, with an expected five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.0%, while a growth rate of 3.2% (CAGR) is expected for international freight volumes.

    “The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecasted economic growth of 2.8% in 2014 for South Africa, and 6.1% for the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region, and with the continued growth from intra-Africa and international trade, the outlook for the SSA logistics industry is extremely positive,” says Brewer.

    He says that the routes expected to experience the most significant growth in Africa in 2014 are linked to the fastest growing markets which include Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria.

    Brewer attributes DHL’s positive trade forecast to more than just the economic statistics, and adds, “Africa is an unbelievably entrepreneurial and dynamic continent and I firmly believe that the SMEs will be the engine of growth for the years ahead”.

    Brewer says that this year, the company has various planned investments into Sub-Saharan Africa, including the opening of a number of new facilitates, and planned expansion in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Angola. DHL Express SSA, will also be expanding its dedicated air fleet adding a number of new planes to the West Africa region, including a Boeing 737.