DHL's business growth rate to the United States, Europe and the Asia-Pacific outperformed Hong Kong's exports to each of these destinations last year. The express company reported 15 per cent year-on-year growth to the US, 23 per cent to Europe and 28 per cent to Asia-Pacific. That compares with Hong Kong's 4 per cent growth in its exports to the US, 5 per cent to Europe and 8 per cent to the Asia-Pacific region. 'We are looking for double-digit growth this year,' DHL International (Hong Kong) general manager Lee Wai-tong said. Mr Lee said the Internet was playing a major role and changing the company's way of doing business. This was especially true for sourcing and shopping for certain products, he said. Mr Lee said DHL had developed two pieces of software - DHL Connect, which enables customers to manage their shipping; and Cats Eye Scanner, a hand-held, mobile wireless computer which allows couriers to transfer information to DHL's global data network in real time. DHL, which has been involved in e-commerce for the past 10 to 15 years facilitating shipment handling processes, expects 37 per cent of air cargo to be delivered by air express by 2015. The company plans to open five new service centres by next year with an investment of more than US$14 million. This will mean an increase of more than 200,000 square feet of operations space and a rise in shipment processing capacity to 19,700 pieces per hour. DHL International area director for Greater China Andy Tsang said the company had expanded its operations to include six service centres in the mainland last year with an investment of $3.8 million.
