Import Express: Celebrating 25 Years of Importing Expertise

As of 1st of July 2020, DHL Express celebrates successfully operating our Import Express service for 25 years! Starting off as a simple billing idea in 1993, the inaugural import shipment was sent from Rome to Switzerland on the 1st of July, 1995. 

The idea of Import Express is to conveniently provide customers with the choice of managing freight configurations and costs instead of relying on the shipper overseas. This in turn provides the importer with a greater degree of control over their import shipments and of course, giving them the opportunity to manage their logistics costs.

Today, Import Express has become a core service in the DHL Express product line-up. Customers all over the world rely on this service to effectively access over 200 countries and territories for their personal or business needs. 

Customers also have a clear distinction for the type of account they can create with DHL Express upon successful registration. The first type will be the default shipping account, catered for all exporting needs and the second will be the import account, better known today as the “global account”.

Besides using the account for importing directly, the global account can also be used for third party cross-border trade. For example, if you, the account owner, resides in Singapore, your global account can be used to bear the costs for a shipment from China to Thailand, with you retaining control of the logistics arrangement and decisions from Singapore. 

This allows for greater flexibility and the opportunity to handle a wider network of shipments and more diverse supply chains, which is perfect for businesses looking to expand regionally or globally. 

The Import Express service is fully integrated in the DHL Express global network. Although it is a unique service that serves its own purpose, it runs through our fully optimized express process, like all the shipments that we handle independently. This in turn allows us to capitalize on the technology and resources that have been rinsed and refined over the decades. So when you send an Import Express shipment, rest assured that you will have full tracking visibility without any compromise on the speed and service quality that comes with the DHL Express brand.

Join us in celebrating this great milestone – 25 years running a successful service, dedicated to supporting DHL Express customers in bringing the world closer to them. 

Check out other DHL Express main services that suits your shipping needs. Alternatively, you can get in touch with our 24/7 customer service agents or your dedicated account manager to learn more!