DHL History and Corporate Information

Deutsche Post – DHL History, Statistics and Achievements

 

 

DHL stands for and is derived from the first letter of the last names of the founders Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and Robery Lynn.

 

DHL History and Corporate Information

 

Larry Hillblom took up a part time courier job with insurance company Michael’s, Poe & Associates (MPA) while studying for a law degree in 1967.
Larry after finishing his law degree had a brief encounter in a grocery store parking lot with former work colleague courier salesman Adrian Dalsey.

Legend has it they got talking about the need for a specialty express courier service and later together with Robert Lynn organised a meeting about a possible venture in to the express courier business of which both Larry and Adrain had now gained valuable experience from.

Robert Lynn was more of a silent partner and albeit small financier of the new venture after already establishing a company called ‘Real Estate Data Inc’ in the early 60’s.
Founders Deaths

Adrian Dalsey sold his share of the company in 1980, he died in Walnut Creek, California on October 10, 1994 aged 79.

Larry Lee Hillblom died May 21, 1995 aged 52 – Larry an enthusiastic pilot himself was onboard a seaplane when it crashed, he wasn’t the pilot at the time of the incident. The pilot and other members of the plane where found dead, Larry’s body was never found.

Robert Lynn the last survivor of the founders died February 8, 1998 aged 78.

 

Company History and Moving Forward

 

First established in 1969 the same year man first landed on the moon.

 

The company was able to swiftly establish a unique service – to fill a void in the need to fast track customs and shipping documents before arrival and upon the arrival of shipping containers to ports and land based warehouses so that the large ships were not stuck in port waiting for release documents.

Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn had started the very first express delivery service of these customs documents and had them delivered and waiting for process before the vessels arrival saving thousands of dollars to shipping and trucking businesses.

Freight and Logistics Industry Competitors

 

Major competitors are FedEx, UPS, USPS, TNT, TOLL Group, Australia Post and Royal Mail although all do help deliver on occasion each others items in particular mail in accordance with the ‘Universal Postal Union’ commonly known at customer level as EMS.
First Expansion from Air Only to Present Day and Beyond

The Companies first main business expansion came in 1972 moving from only delivering air freighted documents to delivering more widespread door to door courier services in and to and from east coast Cities and States of San Francisco and California then on to Hawaii and Honolulu and return.
Followed one year later in 1973 by adding additional services to Greater Los Angeles, Ohio and Western Pacific U.S territory of Guam.

Worldwide Growth

 

Throughout the 1970’s DHL expands into more Worldwide locations including Asia notably Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Sydney Australia by 1972, Thailand, Malaysia, Fiji and New Zealand in 1973.

A milestone of 500,000 shipments dispatched and delivered in one year was reached in 1974.

Mid 70’s to mid 80’s and beyond sees expansion in to India, Africa and most Countries of South America.

In 1983 and with FedEx gaining market share in the United States DHL now with a large International presence focuses it’s operation on the domestic US freight market.

 

The Only Express Courier to Cold War Countries

 

During the latter part of the cold war and beginning in 1984 DHL gained notoriety for being the only express courier service operating to and from suppressed and communist Countries Cuba, North Korea, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe (Eastern Bloc Countries), China, Iran, Iraq and Vietnam.

 

 

DHL Boeing 767 Cargo Plane

 

DHL has over 250 cargo planes, here is one of the newest in the fleet a Boeing 767-300.
Watch it take off from Halle/Leipzig Airport in Schkeuditz Germany.
Halle/Leipzig is the fifth largest cargo airport in Europe and second largest in Germany after Frankfurt in terms of transporting air cargo.

 

 

Start of the Information Technology Age

 

1984 was also the year DHL adopted the ‘Unix’ computer system and associated software to automate it’s customer services which included parcel tracking.

1985 saw the largest freight Hub outside of the US open in Brussels Belgium to serve the rapidly expanding demand in Europe for express International delivery services.

During 1986 the now well established express freight and logistics company partners with the ‘China National Foreign Trade Transportation (Group) Corporation’ a state owned enterprise founded in Beijing in 1950 now known as ‘Sinotrans’ the largest logistics organisation in China.
Sinotrans listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK) in 2003 under the name Sinotrans & CSC Holdings Co. Ltd.

 

World Mail and Further Expansion

 

Worldmail was introduced in 1986 to provide first class passenger like treatment for priority mail and printed products transportation to the World and is delivered under various banners including International Priority Airmail (IPA – USPS integrated), International Surface Airlift (ISAL) and Global Mail Priority.

Expansion in the late 1980’s to over 180 Countries produces customer satisfaction and loyalty with more than 500,000 customer accounts.

1989 Marks the 20th anniversary of the company and the Worldwide expansion of the workplace computer, ‘Easyship’ is introduced to facilitate the in house, in office booking and tracking of shipments all from desktop computers.

 

Shares and Takeovers Commence

 

Forms a Global Transport Alliance in 1990, selling company shares to Lufthansa Cargo, Japan Airlines (JAL) and Nissho Iwai while remaining in control.
A much needed acquisition in the dog eat dog freight industry, using assets of other established airlines and at the same time adding capital to further expand it’s operations.
The deal was a success and saw the new alliance partners all buying more shares just a few years later, increasing to a total of 57.5% owned.

In 1998 Deutsche Post AG becomes an initial 25% shareholder of DHL International.
In 2002 Deutsche post becomes the majority shareholder with total purchase of 51% of the company.

 

New Millennium – New Logo

 

2002 sees the introduction of the new company Logo from purple and white that we all new so well to the red and yellow colour scheme to coincide with the Deutsche post yellow background. I think it is fair to say we all have grown to love and easily recognize the new logo.