DHL Express aims to make Istanbul regional logistics hub

ISTANBUL

DHL Express has signed a memorandum of understanding with the operator of Istanbul’s third airport, IGA, in a bid to make Turkey a regional logistic hub with around 60 million euros of investment, the company announced at a press meeting March 4. 

“DHL Express plans to establish a regional logistics hub in Istanbul to connect the Asian, Middle Eastern and European markets with each other for a planned investment at around 60 million euros. We are glad to sign a memorandum of understanding with the IGA on our way to realizing this target,” DHL Express Turkey CEO Markus Reckling said, in a press release after the meeting. 

DP DHL, the parent company of DHL Express, has chosen Turkey as one of the eleven prior markets and it plans to invest around 100 million euros in the country over the next five years, he said. 

DP DHL recently announced its global 2020 strategy, which focuses on achieving growth in emerging markets, where the group hopes to elevate its share of revenue from 22 to 30 percent. Eleven countries have been globally prioritized as part of this strategy, including Turkey. 

In line with the deal with the IGA, DHL will build a regional operation center on 20,000 square meters of land in the airport’s area. 

Reckling also said DHL Express achieved growth of 11 percent in 2014 from the previous year, adding that DHL Express was among the first 25 units of DHL’s global businesses in terms of revenue and among the first 15 in terms of profitability.