DHL Express Expands Its Mexican Infrastructure

Jan. 29, 2009
The new $6.2 million facility at Mexico City’s International Airport combines an advanced logistics gateway with a customer service call center

The new $6.2 million facility at Mexico City’s International Airport combines an advanced logistics gateway with a customer service call center.

The company says that through its use of advanced technology and automated systems at the facility it is the first smart gateway in Mexico and the only one able to inspect 100% of all imported shipments with its advanced X-ray system. The center is able to handle 100,000 shipments per month.

Technology at the gateway includes a mechanized system for sorting shipments and equipment that automatically classifies and sorts pieces according to their declared value. The facility has the capability to simultaneously unload three air shipment containers, with the ability to unload 25 pieces per minute per container—that’s 1,500 pieces per hour.

The customer call center handles 18,000 calls each day and provides proactive tracking for more than 40,000 shipments. DHL claims that 93% of incoming calls are answered within 15 seconds. The center represents a 103% increase in capability over the previous center. Services offered customers are expertise in import and export, pick-up requests, tracking and monitoring shipments in transit, and information about DHL’s products and solutions.

Opening of new centers in Mexico is part of a DHL Express $112 million 5-year strategic investment plan. In addition to building a $4.5 million hub in Panama, the express carrier has opened a gateway facility in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Over the next two years, DHL Express will spend $200 million in Latin America to upgrade its operational capacity.

During opening ceremonies at the new Mexican facility, Roger Crook, CEO of DHL Express International Americas said, “Our commitment to the region remains strong and, although we realize the current challenges in the global economy, it is important for DHL to foster and establish a solid base that will enable commercial trade in the region today, tomorrow and in the future.” www.dhl.com