DHL invests US$ 2.5m on colombo office:

Visiting CEO sees significant economic boom in Sri Lanka

BY SHIRAJIV Sirimane

SRI LANKA is on its way to achieve a significant economic boom within the next few years, predicted Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express Asia Pacific, Scott Price.

Price who is in Sri Lanka as a part of the DHL 25th anniversary said the present political conditions are very favourable for economic development.

He said that DHL plans their expansion programmes for ten years and due to the encouraging situation and to meet future growing demand would be investing more in Sri Lanka.

"We are planning to invest US $ 2.5 million for a new country office in Colombo," he said. He also said that Sri Lanka has recorded the second highest growth in terms of their operations the region after Cambodia.

Slated for completion in November 2006, the purpose-built 40,000-square-feet office at Vauxhall Street in Colombo will house both the administration and operations arms of DHL in Sri Lanka.

This new country office will feature shipment handling and security systems, including digital surveillance systems, access control, a quality control centre, and a larger shipment-processing area.

Price, in Colombo for DHL Sri Lanka's 25th anniversary celebration, laid the foundation stone for the new office complex.

"Sri Lanka is an important market for us, and we have been enjoying double-digit growth and market dominance. This new country office will enable us to continue to provide our customers with safe and reliable products and services, as well as expand our operational capacity," he said.

"For instance, DHL commitment towards the textile and apparel industry was underscored with the recent appointment of DHL as the Preferred Logistics Partner of the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association. We intend to work closely with the association to continue educating local textile and apparel manufacturers regarding our customized solutions for the industry," he added.

DHL recently donated US$60,000 to the Gangaramaya Temple, to be used for a 'Shop House' housing project at Seenigama, where 50 shop houses will be built for displaced families.

" I must say that I am impressed with the resiliency and resolve shown by all of you in the face of adversity".

"Few weeks ago, DHL unrivalled network infrastructure was boosted by the announcement of a US$110 million expansion of the Central Asia SuperHub in Hong Kong, which is being built six years ahead of schedule to meet the huge growth that DHL is experiencing in the Asia-Pacific region.

The expansion forms part of the US$1.6 billion network infrastructure investment plan that DHL has put in place for Asia-Pacific since 2000," he said.

With annual revenues of over 24 billion Euros in 2004, DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specialising in providing innovative and customised solutions from a single source. DHL has been in Asia for 30 years.