A new infrastructure for DHL: Michiel Greeven on location choices

DHL Express invests 45 million in Dutch branch', newspapers and news websites headlined in the middle of last year. Due to the substantial growth DHL Express managed to achieve in the Netherlands in recent years, an investment in new and existing branches was inevitable. During Logistiek Vastgoed on 16 February, Michiel Greeven,Managing Director of DHL Express in the Netherlands, explaining that process. An introduction:

According to Greeven, DHL owes the growth of its Dutch market share largely to a strategic move by the company. "Until two years ago, we operated all transport activities, from b2c to business shipments, from one company. To grow faster, we turned that into two divisions. DHL Express, which does international express shipping, and DHL Parcel, which handles parcel shipping to consumers and businesses mainly in the Benelux. Each business was given its own focus and that has been a good move. Until two years ago, for example, I was the commercial man for all transport activities. Now, as managing director, I am responsible for only DHL Express. This clear focus works to my advantage. That applies to the whole of DHL. As a result, we have gained considerable market share on all fronts in the past two years."

Read also: DHL expands in The Hague/Rotterdam region

That growth meant that DHL's infrastructure had to be addressed. Where DHL Express and DHL Parcel were initially housed together, a new accommodation for Express is now being set up. "With that 45 million in investment money, we will build seven new branches and double the capacity of two existing branches."

But where to place these new branches? By now it is known that DHL Express will visit Utrecht, Breda and Den Hoorn, but there was quite a process leading up to that. During his lecture at Logistiek Vastgoed 2016, Greeven will give an insight into this process. "Setting up a whole new infrastructure involves quite a lot. Which location do you choose, for example? Here, we look at a bit of history and what is good for your employees. But we pay particular attention to inbound and outbound flows - in our case via Brussels and Schiphol - and to the concentration of delivery addresses." Greeven points out that those same choices are subject to change. "Some locations from the original plan are already under discussion again. Reconsiderations are inherent in such a major operation."

Michiel Greeven will speak on 16 February at the Logistiek Vastgoed 2016 event in Venlo, an event for demanders and providers of logistics real estate. There are still spots available for the day. Register here.

Editorial LogistiekProfs