Global express and logistics company, DHL, recently announced that its freight forwarding division, DHL Global Forwarding, has opened three new branches in inland China, designed to provide better customer service and greater access to and from China’s hinterland.

The three new branches are Changsha in Hunan Province, Hefei in Anhui Province and Changchun in Jilin province, which are all important second tier cities in inland China with booming economies and great potential in manufacturing, electronics and the automotive industries, the group said.

"With the ongoing development of the nation’s infrastructure, we are seeing more and more production shifting from coastal areas to the mid, northern and western areas of China," according to Steve Huang, managing director, DHL Global Forwarding China.

"DHL Global Forwarding is determined to link China with the rest of the world by offering a complete portfolio of international and domestic services and innovative solutions," added Victor Mok, senior VP, DHL, Greater China.

In the past few years, over US$30 million worth of investments have been made by DHL Global Forwarding in China to consolidate its market position, with another US$20 million to be invested in the next few years. DHL Global Forwarding is the first international forwarder to obtain the CATA (China Air Transport Association) domestic airfreight license, allowing it to operate within 17 Chinese cities by