DHL SUPPLY CHAIN EXPANDS ITS OPERATIONS IN THE AIR CARGO TRANSPORTATION WITH AN EXCLUSIVE HUB IN THE MAIN AIRPORT IN BRAZIL

• The dedicated terminal consolidates, palletizes, and prepares cargo for air transportation with more agility, safety and efficiency
• DHL operates directly with the airlines and plans to expand the use of chartered aircrafts in order to create a domestic network oriented to air cargo
• With this move, the company intends to double the volume of air cargo transported per month

As a part of its plan to strengthen end-to-end domestic transport operations, DHL Supply Chain, the global leader in contract logistics, now opens its air cargo hub at Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo city. As a dedicated cargo terminal, the Hub consolidates, palletizes, and prepares cargo for domestic air transportation dispatched from São Paulo, providing more agility, safety, and efficiency to that kind of operation in the region. DHL operates directly with partner airlines and intends to expand the use of chartered aircrafts to consolidate, in the future, an exclusive air network for cargo transportation. Currently, DHL Supply Chain handles more than 1,000 tons per month by air and the goal is to double this volume in one year. The hub has full time team dedicated to the operations of air transportation and direct access to the flight tracks - DHL is the only logistics operator with such work configuration in Brazil.

“The Hub provides differentiated processing for domestic air cargo shipped through DHL Supply Chain. First, the hub has direct access to the airport's flight tracks and the airlines take the cargo directly from there. Second, DHL act as a consolidating agent, diluting costs of fees and minimum-rate packages and issuing all required documentation. We still add value by palletizing and packaging the products when necessary, thus reducing the risk of damage and loss during cargo handling. In addition, the fact that we have a warehouse within the cargo handling area of the airport increases the range of airlines that we can operate in partnership with,” explains Fábio Miquelin, Head of Transport at DHL Supply Chain Brazil.

The service is available for all cargo profiles that can be handled through air transport, being even more suitable for medium and long distance journeys and/or for perishable products that require urgent delivery. Currently, the predominant operation includes dry cargo, technology, and medicines, having as key destinations the capitals in the North, Midwest, and Northeast regions. These shipments can connect with DHL Supply Chain's transportation network throughout the country, both for complementary segments and for last mile service. The company also offers the most modern technological cargo handling systems, allowing end-to-end visibility and the monitoring of performance indicators in real time.

“Air transportation in Brazil is still closely linked to passenger flights, thus having some moments of capacity shortage, mainly during vacation periods and holidays. This has become even more evident during the pandemic with the drastic reduction in flights, which also significantly impacted the cargo sector. In this sense, the Hub is a great alternative for shippers, as it expands the options available - whether with other airlines, charter flights or even road alternatives, as is the case with the Rodo Expresso solution created by DHL Supply Chain during the pandemic. That solution has met a demand that otherwise would be essentially aerial, making medium and long distance road deliveries in up to two days, using up to two drivers where necessary. Such an alternative can only be accessed that quickly through experienced and structured logistics operators,” concludes Fábio Miquelin.