DHL Express opens €121 million gateway at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport
It is the first multi-service site of its kind in France, created to manage time-definite and day-definite shipments.
DHL Express France has inaugurated a new €121 million gateway at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, marking the company’s 40th anniversary at the site. The new facility, which will begin operations this summer, will handle international, European, national, and local parcels transported by air and road. It is the first multi-service site of its kind in France, created to manage both time-definite and day-definite shipments.
The 50,000 m² site, directly connected to the airport runways, will process up to 17,500 parcels per hour. Currently, the airport site handles 38,000 parcels daily, with holiday peaks reaching 60,000. Equipped with automated systems, the new facility aims to reduce operator movement and improve efficiency, saving up to 60 minutes per parcel processing cycle.
The gateway will house 400 employees and include DHL Express’s regional commercial and support teams. This investment is the company’s second-largest in France, after the €170 million air hub in Paris-Charles de Gaulle launched in 2021. DHL has invested €425 million in French infrastructure since 2018.
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region was chosen for its strategic location at the crossroads of major European trade routes. It accounts for over 20 per cent of DHL Express France’s volumes and is the second most important region for the company after Île-de-France.
Philippe Prétat, CEO of DHL Express France, said, "France is a key country in our European network. We have invested heavily to strengthen our infrastructure: €425 million since 2018. We are proud of this new construction, which we have designed to optimise parcel management, workplace comfort, and environmental impact.”
Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Europe, said: “This gateway provides an additional step to fulfil our mission: connecting people and improving lives. Our latest study, 'DHL Trade Atlas 2025', conducted with the Stern School of Business at New York University, demonstrates this: after the recovery of global trade in 2024, growth will continue, even amid geopolitical tensions that may lead to increased customs duties.”
Cédric Fechter, Chairman of the Management Board of Aéroports de Lyon, said, “At VINCI Airports, we welcome the long-term commitment of DHL, the world leader in express transport, to the Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport platform.”
The new facility also aligns with DHL Group’s goal of achieving zero emissions by 2050. It improves energy performance by 55 per cent compared to the old site and includes features like 78 EV charging stations, energy-efficient lighting, fast dock doors, a white roof for cooling, and rainwater harvesting systems.
The Lyon site represents a major step in DHL Express’s ongoing efforts to enhance its logistics network across Europe and respond to increasing demand in a recovering global trade environment.
