DHL Express has become the latest company to announce a rates increase for shipments to and fromthe USA from next January, following on from UPS, FedEx and USPS.
DHL yesterday announced a general average price increase of 5.9% for its US export and importservices, effective January 2, 2011. The increase will be partially offset by a 2.0 percentagepoint reduction in the fuel surcharge index, leaving a net increase of 3.9%.
Additionally, the company will change the way it calculates shipment sizes. Its dimensionalweight volumetric divisor for export and import shipments will be adjusted from 166 to 139 forpounds and from 6,000 to 5,000 for kgs.
DHL Express USA said it adjusts its prices annually, taking into account inflation and therising network costs of providing air express services. The general average price increase appliesto all customer accounts where contracts allow. Its 2011 Rates and Service Charges Guide will bepublished online on November 22. The company stressed that it is expanding its capabilitiesfor customers and had launched a new selection of Time Definite import and export express servicesin October 2010.
In comparison, FedEx Express will also put up US domestic and export prices by a net average of3.9% as of January 3, 2011. The full average rate increase of 5.9% will be partially offset byadjusting the fuel price threshold at which the fuel surcharge begins, reducing the fuel surchargeby two percentage points. The company will also implement a change to the dimensional weightvolumetric divisor from 194 to 166 for US domestic services.
UPS is hiking its prices by slightly more for 2011. Its US domestic and international outboundexpress rates will go up by 4.9% from January 3, comprising a 6.9% increase in the base rate partlyoffset by a 2% reduction to the index-based air and international fuel surcharge.
USPS is increasing its shipping prices for various domestic and international parcel and expressproducts by 3.6% on average from January 2.
