TNT marks 5th anniversary of ARN with another €4.5m investment
TNT marks 5th anniversary of ARN with another €4.5m investment TNT celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Asia Road Network (ARN) with the announcement of a further investment of €4,5 million, bringing the total investment to date in the fully integrated ARN to more than €12.5 million. The ARN already serves seven countries and 127 cities in Southeast Asia and southern China, and TNT plans to expand the road network further into Mainland China and subsequently into India. Most of the new investment will fund the acquisition of a fleet of trucks specifically designed to suit pan-Asian routes. The 41-ft trucks and trailers are larger and more environmentally friendly than their predecessors. The new trucks also feature an in-built security system that enables efficient 24/7 remote monitoring of the trucks. The first two trucks have been delivered to TNT and will begin service immediately. Capacity on the ARN has grown by more than 20% year-on-year. At the same time, volume between 2009 and 2010 (year-to-date) has grown by 70%. Singapore alone recorded volume growth of 52% between January 2009 and January 2010. Onno Boots, regional managing director of TNT Southeast Asia & India commented: "Five years ago, we announced our intention to develop a road network in Asia, very much like our Europe Road Network. We were the first to attempt such an ambitious project in Asia, and we faced a set of unique challenges." Over the years, TNT’s ARN has seen the profile of freight diversify to include more high-value goods, such as electronics, healthcare products and automotive and industrial equipment. TNT has also noticed that more businesses in Asia are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint by using overland transportation when the speed of delivery is not the most important factor. In future, TNT expects to see a further shift in transportation from air to road as the ARN and other international transport routes continue to develop. TNT accepts that airfreight will continue to be an attractive proposition for companies with time-sensitive requirements. However, the company’s Regional Hub in Singapore allows a seamless link between its air and road services. Quelle: eyefortransport |