TNT today unveiled major expansion in India with the launch of domestic express services. TheDutch group will invest 100 million euros in the country over the next five years and aims to
overtake DHL as the local market leader by 2010. TNT said it was the first multinational brand inIndia to offer international and domestic services using an integrated air and road network.Domestic air express services within India are available to customers as of today, TNTannounced. Road network services will commence by mid-March 2006. To spearhead its expansion plans,TNT has increased its offices from 17 locations to over 50 locations. By the end of 2006 there willbe more than 144 offices spanning the length and breadth of the country. TNT has also expanded itsdepot space from 80,000 square feet to over 300,000 square feet, with a fleet of more than 1,000vehicles that will traverse close to 300,000 km per day. TNT will by then also have over 1600trained professionals lined up towards meeting the customers’ express distributionrequirements.
TNT’s domestic air network solutions will offer Time Definite, Day Definite and Value AddedServices. It will also be the first express company to launch two unique services under TimeCritical called TNT Sameday & 9am Express. ‘TNT Sameday’ offers a delivery solution thatensures that an urgent consignment is delivered door-to-door the very same day. ‘9am Express’guarantees the delivery of a document early next day as soon as offices open. Both these servicescome with a money back guarantee and proactive delivery updates within 1 hour via mobile / email.TNT said it would acquire customers in India through an aggressive direct marketing campaign.
James McCormac, Chief Operating Officer of TNT’s Express division, said: “India is a country weare all excited about. It has huge business potential and our expansion plan is clearly in linewith our strategic intent to focus on and develop in emerging markets. We have been operating ourinternational express services in India for the past 12 years. With this launch, we will be able tocater to a larger base of customers. Huge investments across manpower, infrastructure and IT havebeen made to ensure that the customer experiences the same international quality of service thathas become the TNT hallmark.”
Abhik Mitra, Managing Director of TNT India, added: “As the economy booms, surface transportwill turn out to be the real advantage. TNT’s expertise in this segment is clearly established withthe successful operation of the European, Asian and Middle East road networks. The TNT India roadnetwork will offer an attractively priced, fast and reliable mode of transport to customers. Itwill also be one of the most critical factors in establishing us as a clear leader in theintegrated express distribution segment.”
TNT, which started business in India in 1993, claims to have a market share of 28 per cent ofthe Indian express market. TNT India is headquartered in Bangalore.
