DHL launches a new motor of innovation: DSI

Frank Appel in the spring of this year is progressing according to plan. Deutsche Post DHL presented DHL Solutions & Innovation (DSI), its newly launched business unit at the 26th German Logistics Congress in Berlin. As a motor of innovation and a cross-cutting function of DHL it pools and drives technological development within the Group. Headed by Petra Kiwitt, it reports directly to CEO Frank Appel. "Logistics is becoming a sector for trendsetters and setting standards not only with respect to technological development.

Petra Kiwitt and her team will contribute to ensuring that our Group remains one of these trendsetters and helps to secure the economic success of our customers by offering future-oriented logistics solutions," said Frank Appel. The newly created organizational unit consolidates the innovation activities of the individual branches of DHL. Based on the results of market studies, analyses of sector strategies and intensive customer surveys, DHL Solutions & Innovation lays the groundwork for future-oriented and standardized logistics solutions that are becoming applicable across sectors.

"Our customers expect sustainable solutions, understandable services that are easy to use and uncomplicated access to their service provider. We are achieving this among other things by enhancing connections between the various DHL Units dealing with research and development. This is a way to tap the full creative potential of our staff," Petra Kiwitt stressed.

Right from the start, DHL Solutions & Innovations has been able to benefit from successful platform approaches, such as the Control Tower Concept. Used for several customers, this concept enables a strategic transport management through modern IT solutions which provide a permanently updated access to all details of the supply chain.
Strengthening the leading role

The experience and innovative strength of the DHL Innovation Center, which opened in 2007, is another asset. This is where groundbreaking logistics solutions such as the parcel robot, the carbon offsetting procedure and the smart truck originated. DSI also proves that the Group Strategy presented in March 2009, which is aimed at strengthening Deutsche Post DHL's leading role in the international logistics market, is being implemented.

The strategy is aimed at leveraging the full potential of the world's leading logistics provider and increasing the profitability of DHL by improving cooperation as "One DHL" and increasingly dovetailing operations with DHL Global Customer Solutions (GCS). The needs in particular of the 100 biggest customers handled by GCS are valuable indicators, which are now being fed into development processes at an early stage.

DHL Solutions & Innovations is also the result of the study "Delivering Tomorrow - Customer Expectations in 2020 and Beyond" that was recently presented by Deutsche Post DHL. "Our study shows that the omnipresence of the Internet, sustainable resource management and climate change are issues of relevance to society. The logistics sector too must respond to these challenges," stated Frank Appel. "DHL Solutions & Innovation is another building block that will help Deutsche Post DHL turn these challenges into opportunities."