Global logistics companies enlarge China footprint

BEIJING: Global logistics companies are expanding their presence in Chengdu, as the capital of China’s Sichuan province actively integrates itself into global industrial and supply chains.

International express cargo carrier DHL has nearly completed construction of its regional express transit centre in Chengdu’s Shuangliu district.

The new facility is expected to be officially opened between April and May, said Wu Jinkun, operations manager of DHL Express at Chengdu port.

Wu said DHL currently handles a daily cargo import and export volume of 30 tonnes in Chengdu, mainly focusing on electronic products.

“High-value products, including mobile phones, computers, tablets and chip equipment, account for more than 40% of our daily shipment volume,” he said.

To meet the growing demand, DHL Express China signed a cooperation agreement with the Shuangliu district government in 2022 to upgrade its port facilities at the Chengdu Airport International Express Centre into a regional transit centre.

Wu said the total area of the regional transit centre will exceed 4,000 square metres, and its maximum handling capacity will be around seven times the current volume of express deliveries.

The distance from the loading point of the transit centre to the apron of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is less than two kilometers, and the transportation process can be completed in just over 10 minutes.

Guo Wenbin, general manager of DHL Express China’s southwest region, said in a previous interview that the transit centre – once operational – will become a key hub for DHL Express in the southwest region, facilitating import and export operations in the region, including Sichuan, Chongqing municipality and Guizhou province.

“As one of the earliest international express companies to establish a presence in Chengdu, we have always been optimistic about the future development prospects of the express industry in the city,” Wu said.