DHL to expand India footprint, sets eyes on logistics

DHL Global Forwarding, the freight division of leading global logistics player DHL, today said it plans to set up facilities in five free trade warehousing zones (FTWZ) in the country by 2013.

These will be in addition to the $10 million (about Rs 45 crore) facility in the country's first FTWZ in Chennai.

"We plan to set up facilities in five FTWZs here in next two to three years to cater to the growing need of the trade as well as expand our footprint," Chief Executive Officer, South Asia Pacific, DHL Global Amadou Diallo told PTI.

Asked about the proposed investment in the facilities, Diallo said it was yet to be decided. "The Tamil Nadu FTWZ will be operational in January 2011. We have invested $10 million in that," he added.

He said DHL Global Forwarding will be the first global logistics company to operate a facility within the FTWZ that offers customers the benefits of a duty free zone with high quality infrastructure.

The new facility will be a one-stop-shop for all logistics requirement of customers, he said. DHL has such a facilities abroad, including Singapore, for customers for inbound and outbound logistics requirements.

FTWZs are zones to create trade related infrastructure to facilitate the import and export of goods and services.

On investments so far in India, Diallo said DHL Forwarding has so far invested around $315  million (about Rs 15,000 crore) in India.

The logistics market in India is expected to grow to $120 billion (over Rs 5.4 lakh crore) in 2014 from about $90 billion (over Rs 4 lakh crore) at present.

"We are well positioned to capitalise on this fast growing market with India poised for a 9 per cent growth," Diallo added.

Also, the company is eying public-private-partnership projects in logistics space in the country.