DHL takes logistics aim at Africa

DHL takes logistics aim at Africa    DHL said it will renew its focus on Africa by helping to ease the movement of goods within and out of the quickly emerging continent and boost trade within regional economies.
   In Africa, DHL will increase its focus on industry sectors such as oil and energy, industrial projects, life sciences and health care, aid and relief, and the consumer segment.
   'DHL has been supporting business in Africa for more than three decades now and we're committed to keeping Africa well-connected to the rest of the world while identifying new opportunities in the intra-African market,' said Amadou Diallo, chief executive officer for Africa and South Asia-Pacific at DHL Global Forwarding. 'To support the region's vast growth potential, we are using our deep knowledge of the markets to help spur growth and enable businesses to discover new opportunities in Africa.'
   In particular, DHL will start a pan-African road service. Dubbed 'Africa Connect,' the service will be offered from Mombasa and Dar es Salam in East Africa, Spain and Morocco in West Africa, and Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa.
   DHL anticipates rapid cross-sector growth chiefly driven by increasing population, rising consumer spending and technology-driven economic transformation. From 2005 to 2008, consumer spending across the continent increased at a compound annual rate of 16 percent, more than twice the GDP growth rate, indicating that economic growth is also resulting in wealthier communities and greater demand on the African continent.
   Africa's 50-plus economies are growing at a remarkable pace across the region, with real gross domestic product increasing an average of 4.9 percent a year from 2000 to 2008. Foreign direct investment increased to $62 billion in 2008 from $9 billion in 2000. DHL is especially tracking the inter-continental growth between Africa and Asia, which reached $100 billion in 2010.
   'A significant amount of growth in our business is resulting from small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This group is going to be one of DHL's main focal points as we look at how we can help these companies expand beyond current limits and leverage more opportunities in and out of Africa,' Diallo said.
   In 2010, DHL Global Forwarding saw significant freight volume increases in Africa in both its regular operations and charter operations connecting all regions with Africa.
   'Already, DHL serves key markets such as South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana three to five times a week by air, offering capacity in excess of 2,000 tons a month,' Diallo said. 'A new road freight solution that balances cost and transit times is just what the market needs next to respond to fast changing demands driven by rapid growth in key sectors.'