DHL 2008 Annual Report Download - page 100

Deutsche Post World Net Annual Report 2008
Preparations for the launch of cargo carrier AeroLogic in the summer of  are
making good progress. AeroLogic is a joint venture between  Express and Lu hansa
Cargo whose o ces will be located at Leipzig / Halle Airport. Flight operations will com-
mence in the summer of  with new Boeing  aircra , all fully capable of ful  lling
the company’s performance and environmental standards. During the week, the cargo
carriers will  y to Asia and at the weekends they will supplement the Lu hansa Cargo
 eet.  is arrangement bene ts both partners by increasing capacity and  exibility.
Customers bene t from shorter transit times and lower per-unit costs.
We have ordered six Boeing  cargo planes, particularly for our connections
between the  and Europe and the emerging markets.  ree of the planes will be
delivered in  and commence operations under  Air .
In Asia, the new northern Asia hub in Pudong will add to capacity in Hong Kong
starting in  and will cover additional geographical regions, such as the extensive
area encompassing the Yangtze River delta.
For customers with less time-critical shipping requirements who nonetheless
wish to take advantage of our reliable service, we have developed a new product called
Economy Select. In , we will o er this product on major trade lanes, particularly
those to and from Europe.
Expanding freight forwarding business services for SME
In the coming year we plan to implement suitable solutions that will limit the
impact of the anticipated economic downturn and gain additional market share. As part
of this process, we will focus in particular on the important customer group of small
and medium-sized enterprises . We are aware that in times of economic di culty,
it is especially these customers who need a competent logistics service provider to help
reduce haulage distances and transport costs. We will also expand our competence in
certain industries. In , we will focus on the transport of perishable goods such as
 owers and food, the pharmaceuticals industry and the technology sector.
Our First Choice initiative has shown us the progress that can be achieved with
the help of dedicated employees and methodical processes. Following the 
   Board, all managers in our worldwide organisation will have
successfully completed the appropriate quali cation programmes by June . Hence-
forth, a certi cate of completion will be a prerequisite for our employees to be pro-
moted.
We will also be supporting our employees in gaining specialist quali cations even
more energetically than in the past. In , we will establish a Forwarding Academy
for this purpose, which will link employees all over the world via online training pro-
grammes and forums suited to their level of competence.
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