DHL Express Australia officially opens new Gold Coast Service Centre to support small business exports

• DHL Express Australia invests AU$3.6 million in facility infrastructure
• The service centre will cater to anticipated growth in outbound shipments, driven by Gold Coast small businesses exporting to international markets

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, has officially opened its new AU$3.6 million (€2.4 million) Gold Coast Service Centre in south-east Queensland today to support the future growth of Gold Coast businesses in the global e-commerce market.

The new Service Centre is more than 600 per cent larger than the previous facility, with a total floor space of 3,000 square metres, features nine on-grade roller doors, and separate freight and customer access areas. Situated strategically within the industrial area of Molendinar, just off Ashmore Road, it will ensure easy access to key thoroughfares in the greater south-east Queensland region.

Gary Edstein, CEO and Senior Vice President, DHL Express Oceania said, “The state of business in the Gold Coast region has only gone from strength to strength in recent years, thanks to the many clever local entrepreneurs who have worked hard to establish their own small business and take it to international markets. These businesses make a significant contribution to the local economy, bringing local jobs and creating an environment of market positivity. Their can-do attitude and initiative in taking on new markets, as well as our commitment to help them succeed with our international networks, will bring their success to the next level.”

Gold Coast small businesses are set to benefit from continuing positive state economic growth, with export volumes for Queensland rising 6.8 per cent in the year from 2016 to 2017[1]. The top export destinations for Gold Coast businesses using DHL Express include the US, followed by New Zealand, the UK and Canada – a reflection of the popularity of online shopping among consumers in these markets, with 31 per cent of US consumers making a cross-border purchase at least once a year, 58 per cent in New Zealand, 38 per cent in the UK, and 57 per cent in Canada[2]. In the last 12 months, there has been a 40 per cent increase in Gold Coast outbound shipments handled by DHL Express. The new Service Centre is expected to meet DHL’s projected shipment volume growth in the next ten years.

One such business which DHL Express is working to help further expand internationally is Currumbin Waters-based jewellery brand, YCL Jewels. The company has been exporting to growing numbers of consumers in the US, the UK, Canada and Europe, a trend Fabienne Costa, CEO and Creative Director attributes to the accessibility of global e-commerce.

“When we started to use DHL Express, we definitely started to see a rise in orders from overseas. We really love hearing feedback from our US-based customers who now tell us they receive their orders within one to two business days,” Costa said.

“With this new Service Centre, Gold Coast small businesses can now provide global consumers with faster access to great Gold Coast products, utilising DHL’s unparalleled door-to-door express services,” Edstein concluded.

DHL Express Australia’s new Gold Coast Service Centre follows recent investments across the country, including the launch of an upgraded Boeing 767-300F service between Australia and New Zealand in mid-2018 to cater to growing e-commerce volumes and delivery network expansion into Tasmania in 2017.

[1] Australian Government, Australia’s Trade by State and Territory 2016-17, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, https://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/Documents/australias-trade-by-state-and-territory-2016-17.pdf

[2] The Consumer Barometer with Google, 2016, https://www.consumerbarometer.com/en/insights/