DHL to invest $6.5 million in Vietnam facilities

DHL to invest $6.5 million in Vietnam facilities DHL will build two service centers, two courier depots and expand its vehicle fleet in Vietnam, the express and logistics giant said Tuesday.
   The new initiatives in Vietnam are part of its $14 million investment program in the rising Southeast Asian country, announced in November last year. About $6.5 million will be invested to build the two service centers — one in Dong Nai, covering the Dong Nai and Binh Duong areas, and another in Ha Noi — as well as two courier depots in Da Nang and Hai Phong.
   The investment will also include the expansion of the vehicle fleet of DHL-VNPT Express Vietnam.
   'These investments span the three major regions of Vietnam — the north, the south and the center,' said Scott Price, chief executive officer of DHL Express-Asia Pacific, at the official inauguration of the DHL-VNPT Express joint venture in Ho Chi Minh City. 'With our market-leading position, and this expansion of our infrastructure in Vietnam, we can better serve our customers' requirements, with later cutoff times, same-day uplift, faster transit, faster pickup and delivery.'
   DHL-VNPT Express Ltd. also said it has appointed Tim Baxter as general director of the joint venture. Baxter, who was deputy country manager in New Zealand and chief financial officer for country operations in Singapore, will be primarily responsible for the growth and development of DHL Express in Vietnam.
   'Vietnam is one of DHL's fastest growing countries, recording growth of over 20 percent every year, and commanding a market share of over 40 percent,' Baxter said. 'With these new investments under our joint venture, we are able to consistently provide faster transit for our customers in Vietnam and offer expanded connectivity to DHL's global network of over 220 countries and territories.'
   DHL has 23 locations in Vietnam.