DHL opens state-of-the-art logistics center in Greven

At a ceremony attended by the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister for Economics, Mid-Sized Businesses and Energy, Ms. Christa Thoben, DHL's most advanced logistics center was opened in Greven near Münster today. In just a few days, the express and logistics service provider of Deutsche Post World Net will begin full operations there. Starting in July, the center will handle the complete logistics operations for the shopping channel HSE24 (Home Shopping Europe). About EUR35 million was invested in the center, and 250 new jobs will be created. Up to 40,000 packages can be shipped from LC Greven each day.

Peter E. Kruse, a member of the Board of Management at Deutsche Post World Net, described the project as a trend-setter. Kruse said: "With the latest technology, we are offering HSE24 in Greven a tailor-made solution for the rapidly growing teleshopping business. Short distances, fast delivery - DHL brings customer proximity to long-distance retailing."

The basis for this service is advanced technology, a 30-meter tall, fully automatic high-bay warehouse, flexible working hours and the direct link to DHL Express' neighboring package center. In this process, the packages will flow directly into the DHL network, and HSE24 customers will receive their products much faster than before. DHL's services for HSE24 cover goods receipt, quality control, warehousing, order picking, package delivery and returns management.

Teleshopping is considered to be a boom market in Germany. In 2005, sales in the sector reached EUR1 billion for the first time. They are expected to hit about EUR1.6 billion by 2010. Konrad Hilbers, managing director of HSE24, discussed the company's selection of DHL from this perspective: "After we decided three years ago to overhaul our logistics in light of growth and business potential, we called for bids. Among all of the bidders in our comprehensive selection process, DHL presented the most conclusive concept, particularly in terms of the interplay between the logistics center and the package center in Greven. We also believe that as a result of its know-how and size DHL is capable of implementing this concept in mass business every day." The channel will be able to offer its customers even better service in terms of speed, reliability and flexibility.

The decision for the site in Greven was primarily the result of the infrastructure that already existed with the package center. Another factor was the site's proximity to Germany's most heavily populated region, the area around the Rhine, Ruhr and Main, and the good transport connections to metropolitan areas in northern Germany.

Economics Minister Thoben welcomed both companies' decision for Greven: "New jobs and innovations are created only in places where a good economic climate exists - that is definitely the case in the North Rhine-Westphalian city of Greven. The cooperative relationship between DHL and HSE24 on the one hand and the city of Greven with its economic development agency on the other is exemplary in every way."