DHL will open 57 new retail Express Centres through a partnership with Mail Boxes Etc. Japan, afranchise unit of the UPS-owned office services chain.
The new Express Centres will be established in major cities in the Tohoku, Hokuriku, Shikokuand Kyushu regions between November 4th and 17th bringing the total number of drop-off centres andother facilities operated by DHL Express in Japan to 134. DHL Japan said it expects the ExpressCentres to be used not only by corporate customers but also by office workers, business travellers,tourists and other individuals wishing to send shipments overseas.
The service counters operated by MBE Japan will accept overseas-bound document and packageshipments dropped off by DHL Express account holders. Also available is DHL’s Simple Pack offeringcustomers dedicated packaging with fixed shipment fees based on a simplified destination zone (AsiaPacific, America, Europe, Rest of World) instead of on the shipment weight.
President of DHL Japan, Guenter Zorn, said: “DHL is committed to enlarge its footprint inJapan and now boasts the largest network of Express service centres within the industry. DHLExpress will achieve a significant increase in package drop-off centres resulting from the businessagreement with MBE. As the international express industry market leader, DHL Express is dedicatedto enriching its services to provide greater convenience to customers in Japan.”
DHL’s 134 locations in Japan comprise three gateways (facilities dedicated to the movement ofshipments into and out of a country), 42 Service 2/4 Centres (collection, delivery and drop-offcentres), 88 Express Centres (drop-off centres) and one Business Centre.
Masashi Kojima, President of MBE Japan, Inc., commented: “The partnership with DHL ExpressJapan offers new overseas shipment service options to customers visiting the MBE stores we operatenationwide. The partnership also benefits DHL customers by giving them access to MBE services oncethe shipment has been dispatched.”
The franchise network Mail Boxes Etc. was acquired by UPS in 2001 and the two companiesintroduced THE UPS Store brand in 2003. There are currently some 5,900 The UPS Store and Mail BoxesEtc locations worldwide offering business services and international shipping. MBE Japan is awholly owned subsidiary of Office 24 Co. Ltd., a leading company of office convenience stores inJapan.
