Blue Dart in sales alliance with DHL

News Clip : The Hindustan, Kolkata

Friday, 13th September 2002

International Air express service provider DHL Worldwide Express and domestic express company Blue Dart have entered into a sales alliance under which the two will leverage each others strengths to give clients a greater reach.

While DHL, with revenues worth 6.3 billion euros, holds 60 per cent international market share, Blue Dart holds 38 per cent of the express services market in India

The alliance signed for a period of five years, effective October 1, was signed after Blue Dart parted ways with FedEx.

In other to service the clientele routed through Blue Dart, DHL will invest heavily in airport and ground handling facilities, on adding fleet, and having four state-of-the-art international gateways in place at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Calcutta, According to DHL Worldwide Express Area Director (South East Asia) Bryan Jamison. "While the infrastructure in Delhi will be up and running by the fourth quarter of this calendar year, the other three will be functional by the first quarter of next calendar." Refusing to divulge the investments details, blueprint will be in place in the next three months".

According to Blue Dart managing director Clyde Cooper, "Nearly one-third of our 30,000 domestic clients are looking for international services. This alliance will enable us to service them according to global standards." The sectors which are likely to contribute the maximum express traffic out of India are fashion, textiles, garments,and electronics.

The two players will follow a revenue sharing model which will be able akin to telecom service providers where the partner pays on the basic of the use of network.

Blue Dart, which has a fleet of three freighters, will be able to get international reach that DHL boasts of with a fleet of 250 freighters and connectivity with 220 countries.