"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." says John Pearson, Global CEO of DHL Express.

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.

"We are experiencing enormous growth in our cross-border online trade," states Atli Einarsson, Managing Director of DHL Express in Denmark. "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." 

Future-proofing capacity

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 777 air freighters and five Airbus A330s, expanding the fleet to over 260 planes. 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 (approximately EUR 13.4 million). It is slated to open in early 2020.  

"The new investments here in Denmark and at other locations in our network are part of our global plan to promote our future growth, efficiency improvements in day-to-day operations, and the quality for which our customers choose us," says Einarsson.

Copenhagen Airport Group CEO Thomas Woldbye considers DHL's billion-kroner investment as 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!" declares Woldbye.

DHL Express' new freight terminal will be located on a 43,116 m² site in the eastern freight area of the airport, where a new Airport Business Park is in the works as well.The new 36,500m² hub (including warehousing and offices) almost quadruples the capacity of DHL Express in Brussels. At full capacity, the hub's two automated sorting systems can process up to 42,000 packages per hour, making it the fifth largest hub in the global DHL network. It offers air and ground links to a broad number of European destinations, as well as direct intercontinental connections to the Americas, Middle East and Africa.

Koen Gouweloose, Vice President of DHL Brussels Hub, said: "This new hub is a great example of some of the latest state-of-the-art logistics technology. It allows us to process even more packages even more quickly and efficiently. As a hub, this allows us to play an important role in the network, while paying close attention to security and working conditions for our 1,200 employees, who are in turn ensuring that our clients are receiving the great service they expect from DHL Express."

At the official opening of the new hub, DHL Express welcomed 200 VIP guests, among them Belgian politicans, including Vice Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Jan Jambon, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Agenda, Telecom and Postal Services Alexander De Croo, Federal Minister of Mobility François Bellot, and Flemish Minister of Mobility Ben Weyts, and major customers, such as the RSC Anderlecht football club and luxury leatherwear producer Delvaux.

Danny Van Himste, Managing Director of DHL Express Belgium and Luxembourg, said: "The new hub allows us to provide an even better service to our customers. We can help Belgium be even better connected to Europe and the world. We are addressing the needs of customers of all sizes and from all industry sectors in the Belgian market. With the hub giving us extra capacity, speed and flexibility, national borders should be no barrier to our customers."

As part of DHL's GoGreen program the new hub reduces the company's ecological footprint by 768 tons of CO² per year, thanks to its more efficient sorting techniques and better insulation. It is also certified to the TAPA 'A' security standards.