TNT today announced plans for strong growth in India based on its growing air and road networkconnectivity and service expansion, as well as expected higher freight demand resulting from the
impending national sales tax introduction.The company said it will be launching a high growth strategy this year that will includeenhanced international connectivity of the India network to its China and European network as wellas a focused growth plan for its India Domestic Network. The announcement on TNT’s extended airnetwork to India will be made by the end of the second quarter this year.
Onno Boots, regional managing director of TNT Southeast Asia and India, said: “India holds avast wealth of potential. Despite the global economic challenges, the country surpassedexpectations by growing 7.9% last year up to the third quarter.” Many Indian firms are expandinginternationally, he pointed out.
“These are exciting times for TNT as we intensively build our connectivity within India toprovide customers a strong, integrated air and road network across the country, and across keyinternational trade lanes such as China, Europe and Southeast Asia,” he declared.
TNT said it saw impressive growth in India in 2009, especially in the hi-tech sector,including the service logistics sector and the healthcare sector. In the hi-tech sector, TNT hasbeen working with several Fortune 500 companies in the management of their after-market businessthrough the establishment of key regional distribution centres that reduce delivery time and costssignificantly. Such distribution centres spread beyond India into Southeast Asia tapping on to TNT’s air network and Asia Road Network.
As the global economy recovers, TNT intends to see stronger growth in these sectors whichwill be accelerated by the implementation of a country-wide goods and services tax in April.Current taxes in India consist of national, state and local taxes which hamper the development ofmore sophisticated supply chain solutions that will propel domestic and international trade, andsubsequently the need for more time and day definite services.
TNT Airways last week received the runners-up award for the ‘Air Cargo Integrator of theYear’ title awarded at the Air Cargo India 2010 event.
