DHL Supply Chain has revealed that the first customer for its ‘end of runway’ facility at Leipzig/Halle airport in Germany will be from the automotive sector.

While a confidentiality agreement prevents DHL discussing exactly which company that is, in an interview with Automotive Logistics magazine, Holger Tillmanns, vice president of Business Development – Automotive, Engineering & Manufacturing DHL Supply Chain EMEA, confirmed the company will benefit from the warehousing and special services provided by the centre, including late configuration, customisation and repair and returns services.

BMW, Porsche and Volkswagen all have facilities within 100km of the Liepzig/Halle airport.

The 15,000m2 Integrated Solutions Center, which complements the DHL Air Hub at Liepzig/Halle, caters for specific high-end warehousing and value-added services according to the company. The company said that the facility is central to its European express network, including time-definite delivery services, and that orders received by 23:00 can be picked, packed and processed into the DHL Express network for delivery to all major European locations by 9:00 the next morning.

The facility also offers pre- and aftersales technical services including assembly, configuration, screening and repair.

DHL’s Supply Chain division has recently reported Q3 revenue of €3.7 billion, 10% above the same period in 2011. The company said that, as well as positive exchange rates, the increase was fuelled by “organic growth” in the automotive and life sciences/health care sectors, the latter sector one for which the end-of-runway facility was also particularly suited according to Tillmans. New and renewed contracts worth €290m helped the division’s performance in Q3 said the company.

Read more about developments in DHL Supply Chain’s European business in the next edition of Automotive Logistics magazine (January-March 2013)

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