DHL Express heavyweight cargo rises 16% in Asia Pacific

DHL Express has reported a 16% increase in Time Definite International (TDI) weight per day across Asia Pacific, excluding China, between January and July 2026, following the launch of its Heavy Weight Express (HWX) service earlier this year.

The growth reflects increasing demand for express transportation of heavier and time-critical shipments, including industrial components, machinery and equipment, as businesses seek greater flexibility in managing supply chains.

The heavyweight shipment market has gained momentum in recent years, with an estimated 10.2 million tonnes of heavyweight cargo moving annually across Asia Pacific, excluding China. While companies have traditionally focused on reducing inventory and improving supply-chain efficiency, ongoing trade disruptions, manufacturing bottlenecks and changing demand patterns are prompting businesses to reassess their logistics strategies.

The rise in heavyweight shipments indicates a growing reliance on express logistics to respond to sudden changes in demand while providing greater agility, predictability and control over delivery timelines.

Ken Lee, CEO for Asia Pacific, DHL Express, said, “Behind the numbers is a simple reality. Businesses are shipping heavy when timing matters and when it’s critical.”

He added that as businesses navigate growing supply-chain uncertainty, speed and reliability are increasingly influencing logistics decisions. Customers are becoming more selective about shipments routed through express networks, while the Heavy Weight Express solution is designed to help minimise downtime, protect working capital and maintain operations when supply chains face disruptions.

Across Asia Pacific, high-value technology cargo, including computer chips and semiconductors, accounts for more than 34% of DHL Express’s heavyweight shipments, making it the largest segment. The growth is being driven by rapid investment in data centres to meet rising demand for computing capacity, data storage, cloud services and artificial intelligence.

This expansion is increasing the movement of technology-related equipment, including semiconductors, servers, cooling systems and electrical infrastructure. At the same time, shortages in data-centre infrastructure and growing demand for semiconductor manufacturing are creating supply-chain bottlenecks. Express logistics is therefore playing a greater role in moving critical components quickly and helping data-centre projects remain on schedule.

Engineering and manufacturing businesses, along with the automotive sector, are among the other major contributors to DHL Express’s heavyweight segment.

The HWX service is also seeing strong growth in the automotive sector, with shipment weight rising by nearly 20%. Asia Pacific, a major export hub for the industry, is experiencing growing activity from Asian automotive brands, particularly electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in China and Southeast Asia.

As these manufacturers expand into international markets, they are increasingly moving vehicle components from suppliers and production partners across borders. This has driven demand for faster, time-critical shipments to prevent disruptions to manufacturing. For automotive companies, delays or failed deliveries of critical components can result in significant financial losses and costly production downtime.

In Asia Pacific, excluding China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and Hong Kong recorded the fastest growth in heavyweight shipments during the first seven months of the year. The markets highlight two key trade dynamics in the region: Southeast Asia’s growing role as a manufacturing and sourcing base, and North Asia’s position as a hub for high-value technology, industrial and automotive supply chains. India, the Philippines and Vietnam are also key markets under the company’s geographic tailwinds initiative.

Lee said businesses manufacturing across Asia are increasingly focused on meeting project timelines while building more resilient and agile supply chains. To maintain production continuity and improve delivery certainty, companies are consolidating goods into heavier shipments. These time-sensitive requirements are driving greater demand for logistics solutions capable of delivering shipments within defined timelines.

In recent years, DHL Express has expanded its infrastructure network across Asia Pacific to support rising demand. Key investments include an expanded global hub in Hong Kong, upgraded facilities near Cebu and Manila airports, a new gateway at Christchurch Airport, an enhanced Hanoi gateway near Noi Bai Airport and a Delhi gateway. These developments have helped expand DHL Express’s regional footprint to approximately 1,000 facilities, supported by an aviation network operating around 810 flights per day.

This story was originally published on Indian Transport & Logistics News.