DHL highlights importance of connecting to compete in the global economy

Technology has resulted in shortening of product lifecycles, while globalisation and intensified competition has made trade logistics a strategic source of competitive advantage. With growing concerns on global trade, economic growth and development, DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, further emphasised the importance of trade logistics at the recently concluded Asia Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum (APTFF).

The forum was co-hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce along with United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Asian Development Bank.

Key highlights included the participation of DHL at a high level panel discussion, a DHL interactive stall at multimedia exhibition and presentations during the first day of the event. At the high level panel discussion, DHL highlighted the role express logistics plays in connecting SME exporters in industries like textiles, electronics and pharmaceuticals to their markets. The focus on speed and reliability makes air express a natural innovator when it comes to trade facilitation.

DHL Express Sri Lanka Country Manager Manish Patel presented on the DHL Global Connectedness Index. The Global Connectedness Index refers to the depth and breadth of a country’s integration with the rest of the world, as manifested by its participation in international flows of products and services, capital, information and people.      

During a lunch meeting, another speaker, Sean Van Dort, Divisional Manager, from MAS Active, discussed in detail the findings of the Logistics Performance Index, designed and implemented by the World Bank International Trade and Transportation Departments and endorsed and promoted by the Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and Trade.

The index helps countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in their trade logistics performance and what they can do to improve. He stated predictability and reliability of logistics services plays a pivotal role in trade efficiency.  

As part of this engagement, DHL also participated in the meeting of the Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and Trade (GFP). This bi-annual meeting was jointly organided in partnership with the UNESCAP, the UNECE and the Asian Development Bank, and was held back-to-back with various other trade facilitation events including the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2012 in Colombo.

The theme of the meeting was ‘Trade Facilitation and Connectivity: Recent Developments and new challenges’, to explore new available tools for trade and transit facilitation performance monitoring, including lessons learned from other existing corridor performance monitoring programs.

Patel from DHL presented on ‘private sector perspectives’ by sharing DP DHL’s GoGreen initiatives at the second round table session of this meeting, which was on ‘Improving Supply Chain Sustainability – recent developments’ held to outline emerging trends and new focus areas in logistics, supply chain management and trade facilitation.

Patel said, “Both events overall gave us an excellent opportunity to network with experts from different organisations and discuss challenges in transport and trade facilitation. It was also an ideal platform to share private sector perspectives and understand the next steps and our role in increasing trade efficiency. “

DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry and is ‘The Logistics Company for the World’. DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers.  A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 275,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting climate protection, disaster management and education. DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The group generated revenue of 53 billion euros in 2011.