DHL Express will make its largest ever investment in Denmark and the Nordic countries with a new state-of-the-art hub at Copenhagen Airport.
The hub will be ready in 2023 and able to handle five times as many packages as today and is part of a DKK 1 billion (€134 million).
DHL Express said it will significantly improve the speed and quality of DHL Express’ activities in the region. With new state-of-the-art automated systems, DHL will be able to handle nearly 37,000 packages per hour, 24 hours a day, in the 26,172 square metre building, which also includes offices.
DHL Express global chief executive officer, John Pearson said: “We want to grow through quality. Therefore, we are investing significantly into the expansion of our infrastructure to increase efficiencies and to improve delivery capabilities.
“Our international hubs are the backbone of our global network which connects businesses from all industries and private customers alike, and enables them to benefit from the ongoing e-commerce growth.”
Packages to and from Denmark usually travel via the DHL hubs in Leipzig, Germany, or East Midlands, UK. However, once the new hub at Copenhagen Airport is built, planes will reach their destinations more directly and without additional stops along the way. Fewer stops mean faster delivery, which is critical for many companies’ business and vital for consumers today.
DHL Express managing director for Denmark, Atli Einarsson said the express freight company is seeing “enormous growth” in cross-border online trade.
Einarsson added: “We are also preparing for our customers’ growth, including manufacturing companies within the pharmaceutical and fashion industries. This massive upgrade of our facility will turn it into one of the most modern of our 19 regional hubs worldwide.
“This demonstrates the importance of our country’s future role in the network. The new regional hub will benefit businesses and consumers in Denmark and throughout the Nordic region.”
DHL Express is in the midst of further strengthening and future-proofing its business. In 2018, the logistics giant announced to purchase 14 new Boeing 777Fs and five Airbus A330s, expanding the fleet to over 260 aircraft.
In Denmark, the company also broke ground on a new terminal in the central city of Fredericia at a price tag of more than DKK 100 million (€13.4 million). It is set to open in early 2020.
Copenhagen Airport Group CEO, Thomas Woldbye said the DHL project is an important investment for Denmark – and a pat on the back for the airport, following many years of strong and close collaboration.
“Air freight is crucial for maintaining and developing the Copenhagen Airport as a key Northern European hub. We consider expansion a key target in our strategy, and we are very grateful that DHL has chosen CPH for their new hub.
We can see growing demand for high-quality air freight facilities to handle the increasing volume of freight to and from places like China. It also meets the needs of consumers, who do more and more of their shopping online. This really is great news for Denmark and the region.” Woldbye said.
