The company, which has been operating in Thailand since 1995, said that over the next few years it will expand its fleet with investment in its own vehicles and a boost to subcontractor partnerships.
Beyond the new infrastructure and recruits, DHL said it was also investing to expand its range of value-added supply chain services, specifically into the area of crisis management.
The company said Thailand was one of its fastest-growing markets at present, with its footprint growing by 30% in the last year. DHL Supply Chain currently employs about 9,500 people in Thailand at present, and operates more than 1,000 vehicles.
One of the first new facilities under the investment programme will be a new warehouse at Bangna, opening next year to support the company’s operations in the retail, fashion and consumer sectors.
The programme will include more training for drivers through the DHL Supply Chain Thailand Transport Driver Training School in Bang Yai. DHL said it also plans on opening its second Automotive campus in 2013, on Thailand’s eastern seaboard, to add to its facilities in Rayong and provide further support for the Thai vehicle manufacturing, assembly and parts industry.
Kevin Burrell, DHL Supply Chain’s new managing director for Thailand, said the country’s retail industry was expected to grow by 12% this year, the highest growth for three years.
“We are also expecting healthy retail growth,” he said. “The new facility will help us innovate and develop better and more efficient supply chain processes.”
“Thailand is now in the world’s top 10 in terms of auto production as a result of a full recovery of the industry from last year’s floods and the production increases by both assemblers and parts makers,” said Burrell.
