This latest investment highlights Singapore's importance in the company's long-term regional business development.

 

In response to growing demand for express and freight services in Singapore and the region, TNT opened its expanded Singapore Country Depot and enhanced Customer Contact Centre in one integrated complex on 29 July 2008.

The Singapore Country Depot is a first-in-class operations depot that serves as a model for the rest of the company's operations in the Asia Pacific region. Together with the Customer Contact Centre, it is located within TNT's 180,000-sq-ft premises in Changi South Lane. This integrated facility also houses TNT's Life Sciences Express Hub, the company's largest dedicated life sciences facility in the world, and other regional distribution centre operations.

By co-locating both the Country Depot and Customer Contact Centre in one integrated facility, TNT seeks to deliver seamless supply chain management solutions and enhanced service levels for its customers.

 

Investing In The Future

This S$15 million (US$11 million) investment is part of TNT's broader S$213.6 million (€100 million) investment strategy in Southeast Asia to establish a leading position in the region over the next five years, by strengthening its network coverage, connectivity and infrastructure.

"Singapore saw a 15.6 per cent increase in external trade last year, and is one of TNT's fastest growing markets. At the same time, demand for freight express services between Southeast Asia, China and Europe, especially by customers in the high-tech, equipment and machinery and healthcare sectors, have been strong and make up almost 50 per cent of total air trade volume, according to a study by TNT," says Damien Tan, Managing Director, TNT Singapore.

The expansion of the Singapore Country Depot and Customer Contact Centre follows the launch of TNT's freight services for time-sensitive heavy shipments last month, and both operations occupy an area that's four times the size of their previous premises. These will cater to the growing demand for TNT's express and freight services in Southeast Asia.

"These new investments in infrastructure go towards enhancing the overall service levels for our customers, and positions TNT Singapore for a significant role in TNT's long-term regional growth strategy." - Damien Tan, Managing Director, TNT Singapore

"The key challenge in times of growth is to maintain high service levels. These new investments in infrastructure go towards enhancing the overall service levels for our customers, and positions TNT Singapore for a significant role in TNT's long-term regional growth strategy," adds Tan.

Continued Service Excellence

The enhanced Customer Contact Centre will handle the complete range of TNT's services, from express and time-sensitive air freight to tailor-made solutions, and offers customers a single point of contact. This cuts down on time wastage, as customers need not be re-routed through various departments before getting their business needs met. The Centre also features dedicated customer service departments that manage TNT's customers in the healthcare, high-tech, and equipment and machinery sectors, and houses its training facilities for employees.

"Apart from the hardware - such as infrastructure and process technology - TNT also recognises the importance of investing in and training our employees, who play an integral role in the customer experience and growing the business. The establishment of these new facilities represents our commitment to our employees by providing them an effective working environment and opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills," Tan remarks.

 

By situating both the Depot and Contact Centre within the same premise as its regional distribution centre, the company can expect to reap the benefits of better synergy, communication and operational efficiencies internally. This, in turn, translates into a more seamless supply chain management solution and higher service levels for its customers.

"TNT's move to expand and consolidate its logistics operations in one integrated facility raises the bar again, in terms of how the logistics industry is responding to the needs of its customers. This also represents a strong signal of TNT's continued commitment to Singapore," says Aw Kah Peng, Assistant Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). "Singapore-based manufacturers and trading companies from the healthcare, high tech and equipment and machinery sectors will benefit from the enhanced operational efficiencies and service standards that TNT Singapore offers."

"The investment we are making in the Singapore Country Depot and Customer Contact Centre represents our statement of intent, a reiteration of our strategy and a sign of continued and continuing commitment to Southeast Asia and, importantly, Singapore." - Onno Boots, Regional Managing Director, TNT Southeast Asia

Strategic Partnership

Since it first established its presence in Singapore in 1967, TNT has been a key partner of Singapore's logistics and supply chain management sector. Today, besides the Singapore Country Depot and Customer Contact Centre, its country office here employs more than 500 people while its Asia Regional Office, also based locally, has some 60 employees.

In addition, earlier this year, TNT routed its Boeing 747-400 ERF via Singapore, en route from Liege, Belgium to Shanghai three times a week, and added 900 tonnes of capacity weekly for its customers based in Singapore.

While the global economic outlook remains uncertain and supply chains become more complex, Singapore presents an ideal base for the company to tap into the region's strong growth potential. Onno Boots, Regional Managing Director, TNT Southeast Asia, remarks, "The investment we are making in the Singapore Country Depot and Customer Contact Centre represents our statement of intent, a reiteration of our strategy and a sign of continued and continuing commitment to Southeast Asia and, importantly, Singapore."