DHL Global Forwarding is Africa's International Freight Forwarder of the Year

NAIROBI, Kenya and SINGAPORE, February 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Third award win for DHL's outstanding performance in the region's air cargo sector

DHL, the world's leading logistics company, was named International Freight Forwarder of the Year in Africa at the 2011 STAT Times Awards last night in Nairobi, Kenya. The International Award for Excellence in Air Cargo was voted by STAT Times' readers worldwide.

(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2010/09/02/20100902467742-l.jpg )

According to a recent report (1) by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), air freight recovery hit a peak in 2010, followed by a fall in the later months. Only Africa showed year-on-year growth from October to November, affirming its position as one of the twelve emerging 'hotspots' in the world, according to the IMF's World Economic Outlook.

With Africa fast revealing a future worth investing in, companies need a partner with first-mover knowledge, expertise and experience. As a global logistics player with a strong focus and lead on Africa, DHL Global Forwarding is the leading service provider in the region's air freight industry. In 2010, DHL Global Forwarding saw significant volume growth in Africa in both its regular operations and charter operations connecting all regions with Africa.

Amadou Diallo, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding, Africa and South Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding, said: "DHL has been supporting business in Africa for more than 30 years now and we're set to keep Africa well-connected to the rest of the world while identifying new opportunities in the intra-African market to support the region's fulfillment of its vast growth potential. The award is a testament to our unparalleled service in Africa and a signal from the market that we're on the right track to meet our customers' business needs."

Receiving the award on behalf of DHL, Madhav Thapar, Senior Vice President, Air Freight, Africa and South Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding, said: "DHL offers tailor-made solutions to businesses in Africa with second-to-none access to capacity thanks to our in-house carrier StarBroker. This award goes to DHL's strong team in Africa that's dedicated to always ensuring customers are satisfied, service quality is improved and excellence is simply delivered."

With more than a quarter of StarBroker volumes destined for Africa, the in-house carrier has been instrumental in giving DHL Global Forwarding a competitive edge in Africa. Key markets such as South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana are served 3 to 5 times a week, offering capacity in excess of 2000 tons a month. The India-Africa and China-Africa lanes are growing strongly, driven mainly by the life science, pharmaceutical and high tech sectors.

Headquartered in Bonn, DHL manages Africa out of Singapore with the largest group of logistics experts dedicated to Africa and its major trading lanes, particularly Asia.

Held bi-annually until its fourth installment this year, the STAT Times International Award for Excellence in Air Cargo recognizes global logistics leaders in the air cargo industry for their outstanding contributions to Africa's growth.

(1) Air Traffic Dipped in November - IATA, 30 December 2010

    
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DHL -The Logistics company for the world

DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry and "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 300,000 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 more than 46 billion euros in 2009.