DHL

How DHL Became the Byword for Time Definite Cross Border Delivery.


The inside story of how DHL disrupted the status quo to become an essential component of world trade by delivering time-sensitive documents between far-flung countries. 

This roller-coaster adventure was undertaken by a mainly young, inexperienced, eclectic and enthusiastic workforce who in twenty years created the world’s largest global network with dedicated operations in 197 countries – uniquely being considered local everywhere.

The narrative chronicles survival against the odds in the face of cultural challenges, severe cash problems, crippling regulation, and competitors with deeper pockets and establishment connections.

Wherever the customer was located – in a capital city, in a provincial town, in the middle of the desert, or behind the Iron or Bamboo Curtains – DHL ensured quick and secure delivery. Shipments that took weeks before DHL’s advent, if they arrived at all, were now guaranteed a one or two day delivery. The company set the stage for sourcing goods globally, enabling manufacture to move from high-cost to low-cost countries. Today’s internet-enabled, 24/7 global business environment is a natural extension of DHL’s service.

Throughout, the company lived on the brink of bankruptcy, a legacy of the bitter fight for control between two of its founders.