PLANTATION, FL DHL announced today plans to enhance its foot-courier network within New York City by building a new facility on New York’s West Side.

The $10.4 million investment includes the leasing and retrofitting of an existing building near Times Square to serve DHL customers throughout New York’s Upper West Side and Midtown business district.

DHL has the largest foot-courier network of any major U.S. express delivery company operating in New York City.

This network is comprised of three facilities serving Manhattan from the Financial District, Murray Hill on the East Side and Times Square on the West Side. DHL’s 300 foot couriers handle pickup and distribution of letters and small packages to customers throughout Manhattan: West Side, East Side and Downtown. DHL’s new foot-courier facility will expand from DHL’s service center on 12th Avenue to a dedicated foot-courier facility closer to Times Square and major DHL customers in the advertising, mass media, retail, and other industries.

“By dispatching our foot-couriers from our new location on New York’s West Side, DHL is able to operate closer to the highest density areas in this case to best serve our Midtown and Upper West Side customers for delivery of letters and small-packages earlier in the morning,” said Mark Munoz, Senior Vice president, Area Operations, for DHL. “DHL is always looking for ways to improve and enhance service through investments in its U.S. operations, and we are pleased to be able to provide enhanced services to the largest metropolitan area in the United States.”

Approximately 65 percent of DHL’s delivery volume within Manhattan is handled by foot-couriers. By leveraging couriers on foot within New York City, DHL is able to reduce the deployment of vehicles, decrease emissions and fuel consumption, and help mitigate urban traffic congestion, the company says.

DHL foot couriers can usually reach businesses in Manhattan more quickly than vehicle bound couriers by using “ice cream” style push carts that can carry a large collection of letters and small packages, and maneuver quickly around city streets and within buildings. DHL foot couriers also avoid parking issues as well as the lengthy wait for freight elevators that oftentimes delay courier deliveries.

DHL’s new facility will handle letters and small packages and initially employ 120 DHL employees when fully operational in May of 2006.

Additional key facts about today’s announcement include:

– Construction of the New York foot-courier facility begins this month. The facility will be fully operational in May of 2006 and will operate from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday Friday, and from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
– The new facility will cover 12,500 square feet, which includes 1,500 square feet of office space.
– DHL’s total investment in the new facility is approximately $10.4 million, which includes the lease commitment, construction and tenant improvements, and other capital expenditures such as warehouse and dock equipment, operational infrastructure, phone and IT systems.
– The location of the new West Side foot-courier facility is 321 West 44th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues in New York City, New York.