DHL Express Sri Lanka celebrates 40 years of service excellence and market leadership

• Has continuously invested in Sri Lanka and demonstrated its commitment to help local businesses succeed since 1980
• Marks anniversary milestone in Sri Lanka with launch of MyDHL+ global shipping platform and DHL Express mobile app

DHL Express, the world’s leading express service provider, is celebrating four decades of service excellence and pioneering work in Sri Lanka’s logistics sector this year.

Established in 1980, DHL Express Sri Lanka has continued to invest in the future of Sri Lanka and the development of its logistics industry. In the past four decades, the company has unceasingly deployed best practices from its international operations, showcased industry-leading solutions, strengthened its service presence and utilised extensive local experience to grow in tandem with Sri Lanka’s economic progress. 

“As DHL Express Sri Lanka marks its 40th anniversary, we are proud to look back at its history as a trailblazer that has shaped the sector, winning recognition and awards from customers and industry bodies alike. Our continued success and growth in Sri Lanka is all due to the dedication and passion for delivering excellence that the local management team and all employees have demonstrated time and again. Despite the current challenging environment, I am confident in our team, and we can look forward to many more decades of success and growth in Sri Lanka,” said DHL Express Asia Pacific CEO Ken Lee.

“We are extremely proud to mark our 40th year in Sri Lanka as an innovator and industry leader. As we stand on the threshold of a whole new chapter of growth, we are determined to continue serving the nation with a pioneering spirit. Our success throughout the four decades showcases a truly remarkable team culture. We are also indebted to our employees, customers and partners for their commitment and support. Looking towards the future, we pledge to serve our customers with a renewed focus driven by exceptional efficiency, unparalleled logistics capabilities and a continued legacy of excellent customer care,” said DHL Express Sri Lanka Country Manager Dimithri Perera.

Among the many milestones that DHL Express Sri Lanka has marked in serving the nation and growing its footprint, some of the biggest include the joint venture formed with blue-chip diversified conglomerate John Keells Holdings in 1992, and the construction of a state-of-the-art office complex facility and gateway facility at the country’s international airport. 

The air-side facility has 24-hour customs clearance and 24-hour customer service support, providing Sri Lankan businesses with seamless express deliveries in and out of the country. In 2016, DHL also commissioned 45 new Mercedes-Benz Vito vans to strengthen its local fleet of vehicles. The unveiling of the ‘DHL Parcel Locker’ in 2018 offered local customers a revolutionary and convenient option to pick up their packages based on a delivery preference which best suited their requirement, even when away from home. 

Meanwhile, the opening of DHL’s 19th ServicePoint at Union Place in 2019 reaffirmed the company’s commitment to providing customers with greater accessibility to DHL’s world-class services. 

With rapid development in e-commerce, DHL has also increased investments in offering high-quality e-commerce services and digitalisation to meet changing consumer expectations. Such investments include the recent launch of the new DHL Express Mobile app, offering customers the ability to track shipments and manage deliveries, locate the nearest DHL ServicePoint for parcel drop-off or collection, and check shipping rates – all in one app on a smartphone. In addition, continuing its commitment to help customers harness business opportunities and benefit from cross-border trade, DHL Sri Lanka will launch MyDHL+ next year. This revolutionary new app is a mobile and user-friendly shipping platform that provides a range of online logistics tools ensuring a speedier and seamless shipping experience.

To inspire the young to pursue their dreams whilst contributing to the nation’s socio-economic progress, in 2018, DHL Express Sri Lanka partnered with SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka to support youth from challenged backgrounds to gain employability and foster empowerment. 

Over the years, DHL Express Sri Lanka has also engaged in a variety of corporate responsibility initiatives including partnering with the ‘Mother Lanka’ charitable foundation (2017), partnering with Trail Sri Lanka, the 670km walk in aid of cancer treatment (2016), organising blood donation campaigns, renovating the IT centre at Gangodawila Children’s Home, and projects at Colombo’s Mental Hospital (2015). In 2015, DHL Express Sri Lanka was the first company in the country to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a young Sri Lankan to deliver the match ball at a Rugby World Cup game.

Deeply rooted in DHL’s global goals is the aim to become the employer of choice. Similarly, DHL Sri Lanka has been successful in retaining talent and has also been recognised and endorsed by staff for building a progressive and engaging work environment and culture. 

DHL Sri Lanka was listed in the inaugural ‘10 Best Workplaces for Millennials in Sri Lanka 2020’ and also as the No. 1 in the ‘Most Respected Entities’ list for logistics companies in 2020. In addition, DHL Sri Lanka has won ‘Great Place to Work’ accolades for nearly six consecutive years, demonstrating continued and strong validation by independent industry organisations.