DHL, one of the world’s leading express delivery and logistics companies, recently inaugurated the industry’s largest hub in Central America. The new facility increases DHL’s capacity to sort up to 5,000 packages per hour, representing a 250 per cent jump from its previous handling capacity, the company said.

Strategically located at Tocumen International Airport in Panama the new DHL hub boasts the infrastructure and capacity needed to efficiently respond to the accelerated rise in international trade, particularly between the US and Central America, which stems from the recent free trade agreements.

According to US Department of Commerce data, exports from the US to the six CAFTA-DR countries (Central America and the Dominican Republic) increased by 16 per cent, amounting to US$19.6 billion dollars, while imports from these countries to the US totaled US$18.6 billion. Similarly, Intra-Central American trade recorded double-digit growth last year.

The US$4.5 million hub was designed to optimise space allowing for greater operational and storage areas, which results in increased shipment capacity and improvements in aircraft departure times by 10 per cent. The new 83,000 square-foot centre – three times larger than the previous facility – includes a cold room for storing packages that require temperature control, material handling system and a re-packaging area.

The operations centre also includes security measures, such as a private room to store high-value shipments, ramps that enable packages to be unloaded directly from the plane and security cameras monitored real-time through the Internet, among others.