Driven by surging e-commerce and intra-Asian growth, DHL Express has continued with its planned investments across Asia with the latest annoucement of a €85 million investment in a new express hub at Singapore Changi Airport’s 24-hour Free Trade Zone.

Teo Ser Luck Singapore’s Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry said the fact DHL was upgrading its hub in Singapore also boosts Singapore’s attractiveness as a global logistics hub.

The construction of the DHL South Asia Hub is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2016 and will occupy a land area of 23,000 sqm and a total floor area of 23,600 sqm.

The fully automated express package sorting and processing facility will be able to handle a cargo throughput of more than 628 tonnes per day when at full capacity and process shipments at the speed of 14,000 shipments per hour. In comparison, the manual processing system in the current facility handles up to 225 tonnes per day at a speed of 2,400 shipments per hour.

Speaking at the event Jerry Hsu, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific said: “The DHL Express South Asia Hub reinforces our global multi-hub stragegy by leveraging the unmatched regional connectivity provided by Changi Airport and Singapore.”

DHL operates four key hubs in Asia – Shanghai, Hong Hong, Singapore and Bangkok. “With the continued growth of the Asia Pacific economies, the South Asia Hub will provide the necessary logistics capabilities to support growth of trade within the region.”