What DHL International does

DHL International is a core logistics division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, a publicly traded conglomerate listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker: DHL) and headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Founded in 1969 in San Francisco as an air express service and progressively acquired by Deutsche Post between 2002 and 2005, the business operates four divisions: DHL Express (time-definite international document and package delivery across 220+ countries and territories), DHL Global Forwarding (air, ocean, road, and rail freight with customs support), DHL Supply Chain (third-party logistics including warehousing, transport, packaging, and real estate for enterprise clients), and DHL eCommerce (domestic and international residential B2C delivery and returns for online retailers and suppliers).

The underlying technology stack is a multi-divisional logistics platform with eight dedicated customer portals — MyDHL+, myDHLi, MySupplyChain, MyGTS, DHL Express Commerce Solution, DHL Vantage, DHL SameDay, and LifeTrack — that handle shipment booking, tracking, documentation, customs facilitation, and supply chain visibility per division. The GoGreen program integrates low-carbon logistics options across warehousing and transport operations.

Revenue is generated through three principal models: per-shipment transaction fees for Express, Global Forwarding, and eCommerce; managed multi-year contracts and managed services for Supply Chain 3PL engagements with enterprise clients; and volume-discount business accounts for SMB and retail shippers. Distribution combines direct enterprise field sales, self-serve online booking and quoting, business account onboarding, and a global service-point network for drop-off and pickup.

Name

DHL International

Legal name

Deutsche Post DHL Group

Website

https://logistics.dhl

Company type

Public

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

DHL International is a logistics division of Deutsche Post DHL Group operating four segments — Express, Global Forwarding, Supply Chain, and eCommerce — serving individuals, SMBs, and enterprises across 220+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (492110)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

DDP/Delivered Duty Paid Managed Solutions (TLACAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border E-commerce Parcel (DDP/Delivered Duty Paid) (TLAAANAD), Cross-Border E-commerce Fulfillment (DDP/DDU, International Parcel Inject) (TLAIADAG), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

Keywords

• Express delivery services
• Freight forwarding
• Supply chain management
• E-commerce logistics
• Third-party logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Express Delivery Services: Time-definite international express shipping services for documents and packages to 220+ countries, offering next business day delivery options and flexible import/export solutions
2. Global Forwarding (Freight): Air freight, ocean freight, road freight, and rail freight services for cargo shipping including customs and logistics services
3. Supply Chain (3PL): Custom outsourced logistics solutions including warehousing, transport, packaging, service logistics, and real estate for enterprise organizations
4. eCommerce Logistics: Domestic and international residential delivery and returns solutions connecting businesses to consumers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DHL International provides integrated logistics services through four core divisions: DHL Express delivers time-definite international document and package shipping to 220+ countries; DHL Global Forwarding offers multimodal air, ocean, road, and rail freight with customs services; DHL Supply Chain delivers outsourced third-party logistics (3PL) solutions including warehousing, transport, packaging, and real estate for enterprises; and DHL eCommerce provides domestic and international residential delivery and returns solutions for online retailers.

Product overview

DHL International is a global logistics company offering a comprehensive portfolio of logistics services organized into four core divisions. DHL Express provides time-definite international express shipping to 220+ countries. DHL Global Forwarding offers air, ocean, road, and rail freight services with customs and logistics support. DHL Supply Chain delivers third-party logistics (3PL) solutions including warehousing, transport, and packaging for enterprise clients. DHL eCommerce provides domestic and international residential delivery and returns solutions for e-commerce businesses. The company also provides multiple customer-facing portals including MyDHL+, DHL Express Commerce Solution, DHL Vantage, myDHLi, MySupplyChain, MyGTS, DHL SameDay, and LifeTrack for shipment management and tracking. The portfolio is structured as a platform-plus-divisions model, with each division serving distinct shipping needs from urgent express delivery to large-scale freight and enterprise supply chain management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyDHL+: Customer portal for DHL Express shipping and tracking services
• myDHLi
• MySupplyChain
• DHL Express Commerce Solution

Products and services

• DHL Express Time-definite international express shipping service delivering documents and packages to 220+ countries, offering next possible business day delivery, flexible import/export options, and tailored business solutions for shippers.
• DHL Global Forwarding Freight services division offering air freight, ocean freight, road freight, and rail freight, plus customs and logistics services for pallets, containers, and cargo shipments for business customers.
• DHL Supply Chain Third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering custom supply chain solutions for enterprise-sized organizations, including warehousing, transport, packaging, service logistics, and real estate.
• DHL eCommerce Standard domestic and international residential delivery and returns solutions connecting businesses to consumers for e-commerce, supplier, or manufacturing companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Market valuation referenced: DHL identified as key participant in $318.4B retail logistics market (2025) growing to $825.7B by 2035
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FedEx: Direct global competitor in international express parcel, freight forwarding, and ground delivery. FedEx mirrors DHL's multi-divisional platform (Express, Freight, Ground/Services) and competes head-to-head for enterprise and SMB shippers worldwide.
• United Parcel Service (UPS): Closest large-cap peer in integrated express, freight forwarding (UPS Forwarding), and contract logistics (UPS Supply Chain Solutions). UPS competes directly with DHL on international air express, ocean/air forwarding, and enterprise 3PL contracts.
• DB Schenker: European-headquartered integrated logistics provider offering land, air, and ocean freight plus contract logistics. Direct competitor to DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain across global and intra-European lanes.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Top-tier global freight forwarder with strong sea and air forwarding share and growing contract logistics. Direct competitor to DHL Global Forwarding in ocean, air, and road freight arrangement.
• GXO Logistics: Pure-play contract logistics and warehousing provider competing with DHL Supply Chain for outsourced enterprise warehousing and fulfillment contracts across multiple verticals.
• CEVA Logistics: Global 3PL and freight management provider (majority-owned by CMA CGM). Direct competitor to DHL Supply Chain and DHL Global Forwarding in contract logistics and forwarding services.
• DSV A/S: Aggressive consolidator in global freight forwarding (including the recent DB Schenker acquisition). Competes directly with DHL Global Forwarding across air, ocean, and road forwarding with overlapping customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• XPO (now part of RXO, GXO, and ProMedica spin-offs): North American-focused less-than-truckload and asset-based freight operator. Adjacent competitor to DHL eCommerce and DHL Supply Chain for domestic parcel/3PL contracts in the US market.
• Maersk: Integrated ocean carrier that has expanded into end-to-end logistics and forwarding (Maersk Logistics & Services, Pilot Freight, LF Logistics acquisitions). Overlaps with DHL Global Forwarding in ocean freight and supply chain services.

Regional players

• Yamato Holdings: Japan's leading domestic parcel and logistics provider (TA-Q-BIN). Comparable to DHL eCommerce's B2C delivery model but geographically focused on Japan; useful benchmark for regional parcel economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/dhl
• Facebookfacebook.com/dhl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dhl-supply-chain
• Instagraminstagram.com/dhl_global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DHL International