TNT marks fifth year of the Asia Road Network with a further injection of USD 5.5 million over next two years
Bulk of
investment earmarked for new fleet of trucks specially designed for
Asia
Cambodia, June 2010 – TNT, one of the world’s leading express
integrators, today announced that it will make a further 5.5 million
USD investment in its successful Asia Road Network (ARN), which
currently serves six countries and 127 cities in Southeast Asia and
southern China. This brings the total investment to date in the
fully integrated ARN to more than 15 million USD.
Most of the new investment will be to acquire a fleet of trucks
specially designed to suit pan-Asian routes. The 41-foot trucks and
trailers are larger and more environmentally friendly than their
predecessors. This announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary
of TNT’s unique ARN.
TNT has had brisk and growing demand for its road solutions in
the last five years. Capacity on the ARN has grown over 20 per cent
year-on-year. At the same time, volume between 2009 and 2010 (year
to date) has grown by 70 per cent.
Onno Boots, Regional Managing Director of TNT Southeast Asia and
India said, “Five years ago, we announced our intention to develop a
road network in Asia, very much like our Europe Road Network. We
were the first to attempt such an ambitious project in Asia, and we
faced a set of unique challenges. TNT did what we do best, which was
to innovate, facilitate and create an unrivalled road network that
offers our customers a combination of cost efficiency, speed,
security and reliability. Over the years, we have seen the profile
of freight diversify to include more high-value goods, such as
electronics, healthcare products and automotive and industrial
equipment.”
Transporting goods by road on the ARN is, on average, 30 per cent
cheaper than air transportation and three times faster than sea
transportation. Apart from cost efficiencies from using the ARN, TNT
has also noted that more businesses in Asia are taking steps to
reduce their carbon footprint by using overland transportation when
the speed of delivery is not the most important factor. In the
future, TNT expects to see a further shift in transportation from
air to road as the ARN and other international transport routes
continue to develop.
The ARN is seamlessly linked to TNT’s air networks and is supported
by its multiple facilities across the region.
Redefining road transportation in the APAC region
TNT’s new fleet will comprise of 12 trucks and 14 41-foot
trailers. Produced by Scania, the model R380 trucks were specially
designed for TNT and tailored specifically for maximum efficiency on
pan-Asian routes. The trucks are also amongst the first Scania
R-series assembled and sold in the region, coinciding with TNT’s
requirement for double beds for the long, 7650km routes within the
ARN. These new trucks represent the future of road transportation in
the region. TNT and Scania have collaborated closely on design and
security features which are still, to this day, completely unique in
the region. The security systems have been provided by Astrata, with
whom TNT will continually partner to ensure systems and processes
are kept up to date.
Some of the design features of TNT’s new trucks include:
• Increased capacity – capacity on the new trucks is 20 per cent
greater than that of previous trucks
• Lighter – three tons lighter than predecessors, meaning reduced
wear and tear
• Enhanced security – in-built security system that enables
efficient, round-the-clock remote monitoring of the trucks
• Greener – improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions; new
trucks are 17 per cent more efficient when measured against the
industry benchmark.
Sjaak de Klein, General Manager Cambodia & Laos said, “In a recent
report , the total volume of road freight carried domestically and
internationally in Asia is expected to grow by 8.4 per cent for the
next four years, from 2,090 billion tonnes-km in 2010 to 2,889
billion tonnes-km in 2014. A number of years ago, TNT recognised
that there was a fantastic opportunity to create and invest into a
road network that spans the region and offers customers an
attractive and safe middle option in freight transport, outside of
air and shipping. We are very proud of our new fleet of trucks, they
represent the future in trucks, as does our ARN in road transport.”
About the Asia Road Network
Established in 2005, the Asian Road Network currently links 6
countries across 127 cities - a distance of more than 7,650
kilometres. The TNT Asia Road Network offers businesses a cost and
time effective solution with a land transport service that will
provide significant savings compared to air freight and with transit
times that are two to three times faster than sea freight.
About TNT’s Express division
TNT provides businesses and consumers worldwide with an extensive
range of services for their mail and express delivery needs.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, TNT offers efficient network
infrastructures in Europe and Asia and keeps optimising its global
network performance. TNT serves more than 200 countries and employs
about 160,000 people. Over 2009, TNT reported €10.4 billion in
revenues and an operating income of €648 million. TNT is quoted on
the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. TNT recognises its social
responsibility and has formed partnerships with the United Nations
World Food Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme to
fight hunger and pollution in the world. Our efforts are being
recognised: In 2009 TNT again reached the highest score of all
companies included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. More
information about TNT can be found on its website
