DHL Express has launched a new, standardized, scheduled express air freight service for businesses shipping heavyweight cargo, expanding the carrier’s offering for shipments requiring speed plus more certainty in handling and capacity.
According to Laurice Bancroft, SVP of network operations for DHL Express Americas, who spoke with Supply Chain Dive, the service, called Heavy Weight Express, is designed to move most shipments within one to three business days, depending on the origin, destination and characteristics of the shipment.
The service can handle up to 2,200 pounds per piece and up to 6,000 pounds per shipment. Available through the international network of DHL Express in more than 220 countries and territories.
An end-to-end network method
DHL Express will handle Heavy Weight Express shipments from pickup to final delivery, using a combination of its own air and ground infrastructure and that of external transportation partners.
“The network includes DHL’s fleet of aircraft, hubs, gateways, customs operations and last-mile delivery capabilities, as well as commercial air and ground transportation partners,” Bancroft said.
“The integrated approach is designed to bring greater consistency in delivery, more stable capacity and standardized handling procedures throughout the international markets,” the company commented.
“This integrated model provides DHL with greater control over the shipment journey and helps to provide predictable transit times and capacity even in times of disruption or constrained air capacity,” Bancroft said.
DHL is also developing the service with more transparency for shippers on costs and processes in mind. “Customers get one quote upfront, so there are no surprise fees that pop up during shipping,” Bancroft said.
DHL’s own customs operations are designed to help to minimize delays caused by customs clearance while end-to-end shipment tracking offers customers full visibility of their journey through transportation.
“This helps businesses cut delays, speed up program launches, reduce inventory risk and cut costly downtime,” Bancroft said.
Specialist teams for heavy shipments
DHL Express is also rolling out Heavy Weight Priority Desks to markets around the world. These dedicated teams are set up to proactively monitor shipments, catch potential exceptions early, intervene in real time and communicate with customers when issues are encountered.
“These teams will take full ownership of each of the heavyweight shipments,” Bancroft said.
The goal is to keep shipments moving while providing customers a particular point of oversight for cargo that can be especially important for production schedules, launches or other time sensitive operations.
Targeting different industrial sectors
Heavy Weight Express is being branded across a wide spectrum of industries. The target industries for DHL are technology, automotive manufacturing, engineering and machinery, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and oil, gas and energy, the company said in a Sept. 9 press release.
The service is especially targeted at companies that need to avoid production downtime or adhere to tight schedules and product launches.
Other potential applications include reducing inventory buffers to improve working-capital efficiency, and creating greater stability across supply chains that operate across multiple sites.
DHL combines the strengths of heavyweight handling and scheduled express transportation to address the logistics challenges of large, time-sensitive shipments, giving businesses greater visibility and control over the journey from pickup to final delivery.
