DHL Indonesia to launch 'Europe First' campaign

JAKARTA (JP): Courier company DHL Worldwide Express plans to launch a massive promotional drive this month for its European service "Europe First", to follow up on the success of its "USA First" campaign.

Senior Technical Advisor Mike Fitzpatrick said on Tuesday the American campaign, launched this time last year at the height of Indonesia's political turmoil, bolstered DHL's business volume to the United States by as much as 130 percent.

The new campaign is aimed at companies which export to Europe, a market with great potential, Fitzpatrick said.

DHL has been expanding its operations over the past year, in spite of the economic and political crises, as it took a long- term view of business prospects in Indonesia, he said.

The company has opened a new facility in Bandung and bought a huge warehouse in Jakarta.

"We remain optimistic," he said, when asked about the timing of the launch, which coincides with the start of the national election campaign, a potentially explosive period.

He said that year-on-year, DHL's business volume had increased by 4.4 percent.

As a result of the financial crisis, DHL had seen a slight drop in orders from the banking sector and for delivery of letters of credits last year, Fitzpatrick said.

DHL stayed open for business during the turmoil last May, a decision widely appreciated by customers.

"We put up our people in a hotel so that they could turn up for work," he said.

Country marketing manager Soraya Rudianti said following the USA First campaign, DHL received plenty of new business from Indonesian companies which export to the United States. They send samples as well as products and documents.

The USA campaign promised customers speedy and cost effective service, including a pledge that the package would be delivered within 24 hours. The Europe First campaign would use the same theme, Soraya said.

Asia remains the largest destination for DHL customers in Indonesia, accounting for 45 percent of the business, followed by the United States at 25 percent and Europe at 20 percent, Soraya said.

Fitzpatrick said independent auditors estimated DHL's share of the Indonesian market at between 45 and 48 percent. Its major competitors in Indonesia are TNT, Fedex and UPS.

DHL has operated in Indonesia for 20 years in partnership with PT Birotika Semesta. It currently has 70 branches throughout Indonesia and employs 700 people. (emb)