DHL heralds $192 million investment in its CVG Americas global hub

Global express delivery and logistics services provider DHL recently announced it is making a major $192 million investment into its Americas global hub, which is located at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

The DHL CVG hub currently operates on 194 acres with 67 aircraft parking gates and 6.4 million sq. ft. of ramp area, according to the company. It is a key part of the DHL U.S. network with 130 daily flights and a fleet of 60 aircraft, connecting customers from more than 220 countries and territories worldwide to “every corner of the U.S.” It is also one of three DHL global superhubs, with the other two based in Hong Kong and Germany, said DHL.

DHL said that this investment will support its growing aviation fleet, with a 305,000- square-foot, state-of-the-art aviation maintenance facility with additional space for aircraft components storage, offices, three maintenance parking gates, and eight new aircraft gates.

“We are committed to serving our customers and their growing demands, which require an investment to expand our footprint at CVG,” said Mike Parra, CEO for DHL Express Americas, in a statement. “Our Americas hub is one of three DHL global superhubs and completes the backbone of our intercontinental network. We are excited for this new project to meet the needs of our partners and employees with a new carbon neutral, state-of-the-art facility for maintenance operations of our growing fleet.”

What’s more, DHL said that the hub’s LEED-certified carbon neutral aviation maintenance hangar will be constructed on an additional 50 acres DHL is leasing, which it said will be able to house two Boeing-777s next to each other. And it added that through this expansion, line maintenance activities will be weatherproofed and accommodate maintenance tasks for DHL’s 737s, 767s, and 777s fleet.

DHL also noted that between 2018 and 2022, the company purchased 28 new B777-200F freighters from Boeing, with 19 are currently in service. It said that the remaining aircraft will be delivered between 2023 to 2025. And earlier this year, DHL said it ordered nine Mammoth-converted B777-200LR freighters from Jetran to be delivered between 2024 and 2027 as part of the company’s plan to modernize its long-haul intercontinental fleet following its sustainability commitments.

Going back to 2015, DHL said that it has invested more than $250 million in hub upgrades, which includes new aircraft handling equipment, autosort systems for a capacity of 80,000 shipments per hour, workplace safety initiatives and various facility remodels and enhancements.

With CVG Hub being DHL’s global super hub in the Americas, a company spokesperson told LM it operates as the main international hub in the U.S from EU and Asia.

“About 70% of all pieces from the region transit thought CVG,” she said. “We have in-house DHL Customs brokers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personal working on site to facilitate fast clearance of all shipments.”