TNT today announced the start of the only scheduled road services between China and five countriesof Southeast Asia, using its Asia Road Network. The express operator is targeting intra-regional
shipments with prices below those of air freight but faster transit times than sea freight.From China, international road services to Southeast Asia will first be available from thesouth of the country. The Asia Road Network connects Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam andLaos to the southern cities of Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Guangzhou,capital of Guangdong Province.
The Asia Road Network will be linked to TNT’s Chinese domestic road network in a next step.This move will eventually allow customers to benefit from seamless road connections in the region,TNT said.
Marie-Christine Lombard, managing director of TNT Express, said: “China is a very importantmarket for TNT’s strategic growth in the region; similarly, the Chinese market is also integral tomany of our regional and global clients. This extension in China is driven by customer demand.Being customer-focused is at the centre of how TNT approaches business.”
Michael Drake, managing director of TNT Greater China, commented: “Our road service providesmore choice to customers shipping to and from China. It is up to three times faster than seafreight and up to 30% cheaper than air freight. That is a winning formula in times of high fuelprices.”
The extension of TNT’s Asia Road Network into China is timely as regional trade is expectedto thrive. Under the impending China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to be set up with six ASEAN countries in2010, the estimated bilateral trade volume between China and ASEAN will reach $250 billion (€159billion), up from $160 billion (€101 billion) in 2006, according to the Chinese transport ministry.
TNT said that with the Asia Road Network, it is well positioned to offer businesses in thetwo fast-growing regions with secure, time-definite, and cost-effective delivery services, and inturn, facilitate the growing trade and business flows in the region. China’s geographical proximityand close business links, Vietnam, in particular, will benefit from the completed Asia roadnetwork, TNT noted. As Vietnam’s economy continues to grow, bilateral trade volume between bothcountries is on the increase and offers strong business opportunities for TNT.
Introduced at the end of 2005, TNT’s Asia Road Network is a fast, reliable, and secureintegrated road network linking China with over 125 cities across 5,000 km in Vietnam, Thailand,Singapore, Malaysia, and Laos. It features fully inclusive secure, door-to-door, day-definitedistribution service with complete track and trace capabilities, supported by a 24/7 real-time GPStracking system. The trucks depart on schedule like trains, leaving to arrive at one of TNT’s hubsand depots, in time for parcels to be unloaded, sorted, and shipped out again or delivered locally.Key customer segments include the electronic, automotive and computing components sectors.
