DHL Taps Local Companies For Technology Upgrade Project At Its U.S. Hub

DHL announced today it has tapped several local companies to upgrade sorting technologies at its Express U.S. hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). The $12.5 million project will upgrade many existing hardware and software applications running its auto sort system, improving the speed and reliability of shipment scanning and sorting as volumes grow at DHL's U.S. Express hub at CVG.

"As U.S. importers and exporters increase their reliance on DHL to grow their operations on a global scale, we need to ensure the latest technologies are in place to continue providing the highest levels of service and reliability for our customers," said Jack O'Neill, Vice President of Operations for DHL Express U.S. "I am pleased that we have been able to tap many regionally-based, globally recognized technology providers to help keep our hub outfitted with the latest state-of-the-art technology."

Columbus, Ohio-based Mettler-Toledo, in partnership with Datalogic Automation in Hebron, Ky., will be outfitting the operation with new hardware and software for the CVG auto-sort scan tunnels, including optical systems that capture shipment data from packages to effect automated sortation and internal routing of international shipments. DHL is also working with Louisville, Ky.-based Material Handling Systems (MHS) to upgrade DHL's Programmable Logic Controllers - the systems that run much of the sort equipment hardware at DHL's CVG hub - with the next generation of computer hardware and software.

Additional enhancements for the CVG auto sort system include new software, control modules and visualization systems to improve system functionality and sorting speed. The entire project, which commenced in April 2010, is expected to be completed by April 2011.

DHL's auto sort system at the DHL Express U.S. hub at CVG is a state-of-the-art, fully automated system with over 4 miles of conveyor belts and has the ability to process shipments at the rate of 90,000 pieces per hour. The DHL Express U.S. hub at CVG connects over 100 service centers and gateways in the U.S., linking customers to its vast international network that spans more than 220 countries and territories worldwide.