TNT is heading west in China with the launch of the industry’s first dedicated freighter servicebetween Chongqing and Europe in response to growing demand from high-tech customers in the
region.TNT Express will operate a direct scheduled B747 service between Chongqing, a fast-growinghigh-tech manufacturing centre in Western China, and Europe, through its Liege air hub. In a firstphase the service to Chongqing will operate three times a week.
TNT said it is the first express company to offer dedicated flights between Europe and Chongqingin response to growing demand from the region’s high-tech industry.
The Chinese government’s “Western China Development Strategy” has boosted the economicdevelopment in the region. In the first eight months of 2010, exports from Chongqing rose 62.1% to$4.2 billion. The city’s GDP increased by 17.6% in the first half of 2010 to $54.51 billion. Thegrowing manufacturing and trade in Chongqing, largely driven by the high-tech sector, creates hugemarket opportunities for TNT.
“Chongqing has developed as an important high-tech manufacturing centre in Western China. We arepleased to contribute to the high-tech industry’s development in the region by providing pioneeringinternational delivery services between Chongqing and Europe,” said Michael Drake, RegionalManaging Director, TNT North Asia. “As the first company to provide dedicated freight service toChongqing, we are well-positioned to seize the growing business opportunity between Western Chinaand Europe by providing our customers with the fastest, most consistent and reliable expressservices.”
“China is a strategically vital market for TNT globally,” Drake added. “By leveraging ourstrengths and capability in both international express and domestic road transportation services,we are in a unique market position to offer customers a combined delivery service that can meetboth growing export and domestic demand across the country including Western China.”
Since September 2010, TNT has increased its flight frequency to Shanghai and Hong Kong to sevenand six times a week respectively. The company is also strengthening its Chinese domestic roaddelivery services and in particular its national day-definite road distribution network.
