DHL Express Finland builds new gateway facility in Helsinki

• €100 million total investment
• Relocation scheduled for 2025

DHL Express Finland will build a logistics center serving international air express transportation at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. DHL Express’ total investment in new premises and technology in the Aviapolis area is around €100 million for the entire lease period. Once operational, the airside access allows DHL aircraft parked on the apron to be reached directly from the new building. All incoming and outgoing Express shipments in Finland will be handled in the logistics center, which is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2025.

The new facility comes in response to growing DHL Express shipment volumes in Finland, powered in the past few years by international e-commerce and remarkable growth in demand in all customer segments. “The flexibility, reliability, speed, and global coverage of our services are critical to our customers’ supply chain planning. Over the years, we have systematically invested in and strengthened our operations in Finland. With this project, we will significantly increase our processing capacity, ensuring the potential for future growth. The new state-of-the-art gateway facility will enhance our ability to continue to create reliable and fast transport services that support the competitiveness of Finnish export and import companies,” says Oktay Nuri, Managing Director of DHL Express Finland.

Some 150 employees will be employed at the new gateway and the number is expected to grow by several dozen. The head office of DHL Express Finland will be located in separate office premises.

"The new facility will be about 16,000 gross square meters in size, more than double the size of our current gateway in Vantaa. The automated sorting system can handle approximately 6,500 items per hour. 90 direct loading bays enable efficient sorting of shipments directly from the conveyor to the delivery vans. All bays will be equipped with charging stations for e-vehicles, supporting our goal to electrify our entire pick-up and delivery fleet within a few years", explains Janne Appel, Operations Director DHL Express Finland.

Sustainable network development

It is Deutsche Post DHL Group’s mission to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Reducing the carbon footprint of transportation and designing all new buildings carbon neutral are important steps in the sustainability roadmap. Accordingly, the new Helsinki Express gateway will be carbon neutral. Geothermal heat is used as the main heating solution and electricity is produced with photovoltaic systems. An advanced building management system, energy-efficient building materials and processing equipment, and LED lighting are among the environmentally friendly features. The employees will get a spacious and functional working environment, in which safety and environmental aspects have been taken into account.

The new gateway, designed according to global DHL Express standards, will be built by AVIA Real Estate Oy, with Meijou Oy as the main contractor.

The new Helsinki gateway is part of an extensive DHL Express network infrastructure improvement program. A corresponding gateway facility is currently being built in Munich, and a new Nordic Express hub was opened in Copenhagen a couple of months ago. In Finland, a new state-of-the-art 5,000 square meter Express terminal was completed in Pirkkala in 2019.