DHL expands into Uruguay with Aero Cargas deal
DHL Global Forwarding is expanding its Latin American footprint by acquiring Aero Cargas S.A. and strengthening its capabilities in healthcare, multimodal, and project logistics.
(L-R): Erik Meade, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Latin America, Natalia Sadurskas, General Manager of Aero Cargas S.A.
Ongoing geopolitical tensions and changes in global shipping routes are prompting shippers to seek more resilient and efficient trade routes across Latin America. Uruguay is emerging as a strategic gateway, positioned at the intersection of Atlantic shipping routes and the Southern Cone’s major inland waterways, connecting Mercosur, North America and other international markets.
DHL Global Forwarding’s expansion into Montevideo builds on Uruguay’s strategic location, Free Port framework and growing deep-water infrastructure. The move is expected to support more flexible freight solutions, help customers navigate global bottlenecks and improve access to high-growth markets across Latin America.
The expansion also aligns with DHL Group’s Strategy 2030, which focuses on sustainable growth through targeted investments in high-growth markets and evolving trade corridors.
Aero Cargas S.A., which brings more than 58 years of experience in South American logistics and has maintained a 33-year relationship with DHL Group, provides expertise across air and ocean freight, industrial project logistics, land transport and multimodal services. The company also has experience in Free Trade Zone operations, pharmaceutical logistics and regional inventory management.
By turning the long-standing partnership into a wholly owned operation, DHL Global Forwarding aims to strengthen its ability to serve customers across Latin America. The integration of Aero Cargas’ local expertise with DHL’s global network is expected to provide greater supply chain flexibility, improved market access and a wider range of logistics solutions.
Oscar de Bok, CEO DHL Global Forwarding said, “"Latin America is becoming increasingly important as companies diversify supply chains and strengthen regional distribution networks. With Aero Cargas S.A., we are establishing DHL Global Forwarding's first direct presence in Uruguay and are adding a strategic logistics platform that enhances connectivity across the Americas. Beyond expanding our geographic footprint, Aero Cargas S.A. strengthens our capabilities in Life Sciences & Healthcare, Free Trade Zone logistics and industrial project forwarding. Together, we are creating a stronger platform for customers across the Southern Cone, combining global reach with deep local expertise and operational excellence."
The acquisition will strengthen DHL Global Forwarding’s Life Sciences & Healthcare capabilities by adding expertise in pharmaceutical logistics, regional inventory consolidation and an established healthcare customer base. It will also expand the company’s capabilities in industrial project logistics and multimodal transportation, supporting customers across several high-value sectors.
The move comes as Uruguay’s data centre industry continues to grow, driven by significant investments from multinational technology companies and state-backed AI infrastructure projects, further strengthening the country’s position as a South American digital hub. DHL’s expertise in specialised logistics will support the movement and deployment of heavy machinery, cooling systems and advanced technology components required for data centre operations.
Erik Meade, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Latin America, said the expansion into Uruguay will accelerate the company’s Life Sciences & Healthcare strategy. DHL Group announced a €2 billion investment plan in 2025, with around 10% expected to be allocated to Latin America. Establishing a direct presence in Montevideo will allow the company to channel part of this investment towards meeting the needs of healthcare customers in the region.
More than $1 billion worth of pharmaceuticals moves through Uruguay each year, with global pharmaceutical companies increasingly using the country as a regional distribution centre. Uruguay also serves as an important hub for active ingredients and finished pharmaceutical products arriving from Europe and North America for processing, repackaging and re-export to markets including Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia. The expansion will enable DHL’s customers to access specialised logistics capabilities across some of Latin America’s key healthcare supply chains.
Aero Cargas S.A. will join DHL Global Forwarding’s Peru-Ecuador-Argentina-Chile (PAC) cluster, led by Eduardo Rodrigues, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding PAC. All employees of Aero Cargas will transition to DHL Global Forwarding as part of the integration.
