Beyond DHL Express: A Complete Guide to DHL's Different Divisions

Being one of the largest logistics and delivery service providers in the world, DHL operates    in more than 220 countries and territories globally  where  a strong team of 400,000 employees work hard to connect people and business securely and reliably. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, ecommerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.  In this article, we delve more into  DHL Express, while outlining the other DHL divisions and each department’s functions that help our business run smoothly.

But First, How Many Divisions Are There in DHL? 

DHL is composed of five main divisions  DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Freight, DHL Supply Chain and DHL eCommerce Solutions. All of these logistics solutions are available in Singapore aside from DHL Freight. The logistical harmony amongst our divisions is a valuable asset for our customers.

What is DHL Express? 

At DHL Express, our  unique value proposition to our 3 million customers is that we pick up and deliver urgent documents and parcels quickly around the world using our scheduled Express network consisting of 320 dedicated DHL Express aircraft with more than 2,300 flights per day. Utilising our expert knowledge in customs clearance, we have a dedicated team of 4,800 DHL custom experts worldwide who ensures that shipments are cleared quickly on arrival so that customers receive their  shipments on time. In addition to being fast and reliable, DHL Express offers international door to door service with a full track and trace capability throughout the network. The Time Definite International (TDI) is the core business of this division which allows clients to send and receive parcels at a predetermined time. We provide industry-specific services under the TDI which includes Medical Express Transport and temperature controlled delivery options for the Life Sciences & Healthcare sector.

How is DHL Express different from other international DHL Services?

Firstly, unlike some of the other divisions covered below, the DHL Express division does not deal with domestic shipping but only concentrates solely on international shipping. For local logistics solutions in Singapore, consider DHL Supply Chain or DHL eCommerce as alternatives.

On top of that, while other divisions are able to deliver within a short window of time by industry standards, DHL Express specialises in urgent transportation of goods - with its same-day delivery option and ability to send packages by the next possible business day. Below, we explore what the other different international DHL Services entail.

A glimpse of other DHL Services

DHL Global Forwarding features standardised transport in international air, ocean and overland freight forwarding. This includes multimodal, industry-specific solutions and industrial projects tailor-made for clients’ needs. Operating alongside this division is DHL Freight that optimises international delivery for clients. It specialises in road freight, rail freight, customs, transport and integrated solutions in Europe. In terms of practical transport services, DHL Freight can offer end-to-end tracking, customised solutions for oversized and heavy cargo, cargo insurance and comprehensive quality management. For supply chain experts, look no further than the DHL Supply Chain division. Overseeing supply chains in more than 50 countries for over 1,400 customers, this DHL division spans warehousing and transport alongside value-added services such as e-fulfilment, Lead Logistics Partner (LLP), Real Estate Solutions, Service Logistics and packaging solutions for key industrial sectors. This innovative department employs new technologies in the automation and digitalisation of the supply chain to optimise warehouse storage and packing.

Complementing these divisions comes DHL newest department — DHL eCommerce Solutions. Oriented towards providing top-notch solutions to the constantly expanding e-commerce market, DHL eCommerce Solutions offers domestic last-mile parcel delivery in selected countries in Europe, the US, India and emerging Asian markets, and non-TDI cross-border services largely to, from and within Europe.

Different Divisions For A Diverse Range Of Needs 

DHL understands that every business has different technical and logistical needs. With that in mind, the DHL divisions are set up to ensure that businesses can direct their needs to the forum where they will receive the best support. 

Among them, DHL Express is dedicated to providing a stellar logistics service and international door-to-door delivery to all our customers. With time sensitive services like DHL Jetline, DHL Secureline, and DHL Same Day courier service, DHL Express got your back for unforeseen circumstances and mission critical emergencies for important shipments. To get a preferential corporate shipping rate, sign up for a DHL Express account today!