EXCELLENCE, SIMPLY DELIVERED
Enabling global trade by connecting people and markets across the world, DHL Express Singapore has delivered first-class services for over 50 years. Christopher Ong, Managing Director, tells us more about the company’s inspirational beginnings and plans for a cutting-edge future
Writer: Lauren Kania
Established in 1972 as Singapore’s first door-to-door international express document delivery company, DHL Express Singapore (DHL Express) was born from humble origins.
With no physical warehouse facility and all document sorting done in a Shell petrol kiosk carpark, the company worked diligently to gain a reputation for success and reliability, quickly finding domestic and international prosperity.
Today, DHL Express proudly boasts over 1,000 employees in Singapore, four service centres, and more than 140 retail outlet partners, alongside operating the DHL South Asia Hub, which serves the region connecting Singapore to the rest of the world.
Christopher Ong, Managing Director
“We have over 50 percent international air express market share in the country, serve a diverse client base ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to multinational corporations, and have clients who span industries including technology, retail, and manufacturing,” opens Christopher Ong, Managing Director.
Having grown up around airports and aircraft due to his father’s work in the airline industry, Ong fell in love with all things aviation and logistics at a young age, immediately recognising this was the industry he wanted to pursue.
“In 2006, when I first joined DHL Express, it was like a dream come true,” he impassions.
Having held various positions in the company and run myriad programmes, Ong now holds the position of Managing Director in Singapore and is responsible for driving sustainable growth in the logistics market.
Currently, DHL Express’ main products and services include Time Definite International (TDI), which guarantees global delivery within a specified timeframe, demonstrated by its Express Worldwide and Express 9:00/10:30/12:00 services.
The company’s industry solutions, meanwhile, centre around its Medical Express (WMX) services for healthcare logistics needs and Express Breakbulk (BBX), offering comprehensive shipping solutions.
LIFE SAVING DELIVERY
DHL Express is a proud leader in
the pharmaceutical, life sciences, and healthcare sectors, offering its customers a full suite of specialised solutions built around more than two decades of deep medical expertise.
Today, the biopharmaceutical sector in Singapore contributes over USD$19 billion in output, a threefold increase from 20 years ago. Additionally, eight of the top 10 biopharmaceutical companies in the world reside in the country alongside 60 manufacturing facilities in active operation.
“To support the growing medical and healthcare industry and its unique needs, we provide a specialised shipping solution known as WMX,” insights Ong.
This service is designed to handle the transportation of biological substances, clinical drugs, and pharmaceutical active pharmaceutical
ingredients (API), which require transportation in a temperaturecontrolled environment with the shortest lead time.
Every WMX shipment supports crucial research to help save lives.
Additionally, the company collaborates with its counterparts in other DHL business units, DHL Supply Chain and DHL Global Forwarding, to offer a full suite of solutions for customers in coldchain warehousing, pharmaceutical finished goods, and clinical trials.
“At DHL Express, we are committed to delivering innovative healthcare solutions to cater to the evolving needs of the medical sector,” asserts Ong.
This is achieved through key initiatives such as deep-frozen solutions, one-stop shop solutions, and direct from/to patient services.
“AT DHL EXPRESS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DELIVERING INNOVATIVE HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS TO CATER TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE MEDICAL SECTOR”
– CHRISTOPHER ONG, MANAGING DIRECTOR, DHL EXPRESS SINGAPORE
Additionally, further features of WMX include medical express handling, ensuring the integrity of temperature-sensitive shipments, enhanced delivery solutions, customer service, and the advantages of a DHL Express network.
Specifically, customer service is provided by dedicated life science specialists who ensure expert assistance tailored to industry needs. The offering features 24-hour monitoring through the Advance Quality Control Centre (AQCC) and
a customised e-booking tool to streamline the booking process for clients with unique requirements.
Equally, the integrity of temperature-sensitive shipments is achieved through specialised temperature-controlled packaging equipped with various conditions including ambient, chilled, frozen, and ultra-frozen, achieved through contingency set-up with industrygrade fridges and dry ice top-up opportunities in key hubs and gateways.
“These features make WMX an
ideal solution for healthcare providers, laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, and other entities in the medical field that require reliable and efficient logistics services,” expands Ong.
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
Connecting over 220 countries and territories across the globe and boasting a network of nearly 300 dedicated aircraft, DHL Express is proud to offer innovative solutions to create seamless, consistent, and comprehensive services.
DHL EXPRESS OFFERINGS
AN EXCLUSIVE NETWORK:
Boasting assets of 500+ aeroplanes, 34,000 vehicles, and over 100,000 employees.
SUPPORT BUSINESS GROWTH:
Focusing on improving business to continuously grow and expand their global reach.
SPEED: Optimised network and scheduling help the company reach the furthest destinations in the shortest time frame.
24/7 CUSTOMER SERVICE: Helping customers track and trace all their shipments and resolve all their shipping needs.
IN-HOUSE CUSTOMS TEAM: Facilitating smooth customs clearance for shipments around the world.
INTEGRATION: Offering a range of online tools, portals, and guides to simplify the shipping process.
“IN ADDITION TO OFFERING CUSTOMERS SPEED AND RELIABILITY, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS”
– CHRISTOPHER ONG, MANAGING DIRECTOR, DHL EXPRESS
Just as significant to DHL Express’s continuous growth are its sustainability initiatives.
The company is the leader in sustainable logistics, having started its DHL GoGreen programme in 2009 that focuses on driving carbon efficiency.
Moreover, in 2017, DHL was the first organisation in the transport and logistics sector to set a 2050 net zero target, which it has been working diligently towards ever since.
“In Singapore, we have over 100 electric courier vans plying our roads daily, which has enabled us to reduce our Scope 1 carbon emissions by over 300 tonnes per annum,” details Ong.
“In addition to offering customers
speed and reliability, we provide them with more sustainable logistics solutions to reduce their Scope 3 emissions.”
Given that the transportation industry is an energy-intensive sector with an undeniably large carbon footprint, DHL Express is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through various decarbonisation methods.
The company’s sustainable initiatives include its
GoGreen Plus service, the conversion of its ground fleet to electric vehicles (EVs), and a partnership with Pick Network – a nationwide parcel locker network by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) of Singapore that allows it to consolidate deliveries at a single service point.
Launched in 2023, DHL Express’ GoGreen Plus service enables customers to reduce GHG emissions generated by their international shipment deliveries using sustainable aviation fuel for aircraft.
Equally, in 2019, the company implemented its electrification plan in Singapore in order to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
“By electrifying 30 percent of our daily delivery routes, we are on track to meet our global goal of expanding our EV fleet to 60 percent by 2030,” details Ong.
“This initiative also aligns with Singapore’s broader sustainability goals under the ‘Energy Reset’ pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which aims to promote the adoption of EVs.”
As DHL Express continues to look ahead to a sustainable, prosperous future, it is planning to extend the company’s geographical footprint even further.
In 2016, the South Asia Hub was built to serve as a central axis for the region and connect Singapore to the rest of the world. Eight years later, it expanded the facility to cater for rising volumes coming through the country.
Additionally, the company has added substantial air capacity in the last few years, doubling its air cargo volume throughput at Changi Airport. In 2022, for example, DHL Express’ partnership with Singapore Airlines took flight with five B777 freighters, connecting the nation directly to the US.
“This guarantees capacity on our critical routes out of Singapore, in anticipation of the ongoing growth in Asia Pacific trade,” concludes Ong.
Tel: +65 8240 0610
www.dhl.com/discover/en-sg
Tel:
www.dhl.com/discover/en-sg