DHL: 50 Years of Disrupting the Parcel Delivery Industry

Founded in San Francisco in 1969 when three friends came together to take what was then described as the biggest risk in parcel delivery business with hope to shake up an industry monopolized by national postal services. The three entrepreneurs Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom, and Robert Lynn used the initials of their last names to form the name of the company-DHL.They initially started by transporting customs documents by air and as a result, the time taken for customs to process freight shipments was dramatically reduced.

Adrian Dalsey, Co-Founder DHL
Adrian Dalsey, Co-Founder DHLAdrian Dalsey, Co-Founder DHL

With the initial success, DHL started circumventing bureaucracy with an innovative new service to deliver documents by air overnight. Since then, DHL has grown into a globe-spanning family of DHL companies with about 380,000 employees in over 220 countries and territories that covers the entire spectrum of logistics and supply chain services. DHL’s customer-centricity and can-do culture have fueled five decades of innovation – from the DHL 1000, one of the first word processing computers in the world, to using the purpose built StreetScooter, an environmentally friendly delivery vehicle powered by an electric drive and developed by Deutsche Post DHL Group. With the Mission 2050 commitment to reach zero group-wide emissions by 2050, DHL is continuing to be a trailblazer in the logistics industry.

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Today, the company offers an unrivaled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivaled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

 

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry