DHL to build its largest U.S. on-airport service center in Charlotte, N.C.

PLANTATION, Fla.-DHL has announced plans to build its largest U.S. on-airport service center facility at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. The company expects to invest $6 million in the development of the new facility, consolidating four Charlotte, N.C.-area facilities into a single service center location.

The new 80,200-sq.-ft. facility will serve the Charlotte, N.C. and surrounding areas, including Morrisville, Concord, Kings Mountain and Salisbury, as well as parts of South Carolina.

“This new facility underscores our commitment to increase efficiencies, enhance network connectivity and improve the DHL customer experience,” said Mike Parra, senior area vice president of operations for DHL, “and will enable us to provide our growing customer base in Charlotte and the surrounding areas with the highest quality of service to meet their shipping and logistics needs.”

The facility will handle a wide variety of shipments — including domestic and international parcels as well as palletized and container freight – and initially employ at least 175 personnel when fully operational in April 2006.
Construction of the Charlotte facility began in late September 2005. The facility will be fully operational in April 2006 and will operate six days a week, increasing DHL’s throughput capacity in the area by 15 %.