The recovery under way in global economic growth has encouraged logistics firm DHL to launch an investment plan that earmarks Hong Kong as a key distribution centre for the region, Paul Graham, the chief executive of DHL Supply Chain Asia Pacific told The South China Morning Post.

"The market in the fourth quarter of last year and the first two months of this year has made us quite positive," Graham said.
The firm will continue to increase its investment in the Asia-Pacific after it committed earlier this month to invest US$46.36 million in building a multipurpose distribution warehouse in Tsing Yi.

DHL last year announced it would open 10 new transport hubs on the mainland.

The company had noted an improvement in shipment demand and turnover over the past few months, Graham said.

But while customers are expressing greater confidence about the outlook for their businesses, a full recovery in the global economy is still some time off and DHL is therefore cautiously optimistic about the signs.

Graham said the firm's supply chain business in the Asia-Pacific was "ahead of the curve" since half of its revenues in the region came from domestic transport and many Asian countries, led by the mainland and India, were registering economic growth.

DHL believes that investing in talent is as important as investing in infrastructure, he said, particularly in the Asia-Pacific where few people regard the logistics industry as a natural career path.

Growth was curbed due to the resulting shortage in talent, he said.

Source: Cargo News Asia