Despite challenges, DHL has robust 2012

   Deutsche Post DHL experienced a 5.1 percent increase in group revenues during 2012 to 55.5 billion euros ($72 billion).
   Nearly 70 percent of this revenue occurred outside of Europe, reflecting the poor European logistics market and DHL’s growing marketshare in Asia and other regions.
   Revenues rose by 3.6 percent, year over year, in global forwarding, finishing the year at 15.7 billion euros. Air freight volumes fell, but ocean freight and land transport activity increased. DHL introduced a new information technology infrastructure this year, which affected the bottom line, but operating earnings still increased by 16.4 percent.
   Express revenues rose by 9.3 percent to 12.8 billion euros, while revenue in the mail division remained flat due to an expected decline in the volume of mail. Online retailing activity, which increased by 9 percent, eclipsed some of this decline.
   The supply chain sector saw an 8.4-percent increase in revenue, year over year, to 14.3 billion euros, spurred on by growth in the life sciences and automotive industries. Operating earnings for the sector grew by 14.9 percent when compared to 2011’s numbers.
   “With our strong performance in 2012, we have reached another milestone in our Strategy 2015,” DHL Chief Executive Officer Frank Appel said in a statement. “In the past year, we made major progress on a journey that was, at times, far from easy. And we delivered on our promises for the benefit of our customers, employees and shareholders.” – Jon Ross