DHL

DHL is the world's largest logistics company and a division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, headquartered in Bonn, Germany. The company was founded in San Francisco in 1969 by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom, and Robert Lynn (whose initials form the DHL acronym). Today DHL operates across more than 220 countries and territories — the widest logistics network on Earth.

Business Divisions

DHL operates through five distinct business divisions:

DHL Express: International time-definite door-to-door delivery. The dominant player in cross-border express shipping, offering services like DHL Express Worldwide (typically 1–3 business days internationally), DHL Economy Select, and same-day delivery in select markets.

DHL Global Forwarding: Air and ocean freight forwarding. One of the top two global freight forwarders by volume, handling over 2 million air freight shipments and 3 million ocean TEUs annually.

DHL Supply Chain: Contract logistics — the world's largest provider of outsourced warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution services. Operates more than 2,000 warehouses across 50+ countries.

DHL eCommerce Solutions: Cross-border and domestic e-commerce delivery, including the Packet International service widely used by Chinese cross-border sellers.

Deutsche Post: The German domestic postal and parcel service, separate from the international DHL brand.

Scale and Reach

Deutsche Post DHL Group reported €84.2 billion in revenue in 2023, making it one of the largest companies in Europe. The Group employs approximately 600,000 people — making it one of the world's largest private employers.

DHL Express alone:

• Delivers to 220+ countries and territories
• Maintains hubs in Leipzig (Germany), Cincinnati (US), Hong Kong, and Dubai
• Operates a dedicated aircraft fleet of 250+ planes
• Offers guaranteed time-definite delivery on all international express products

DHL for E-Commerce Businesses

For cross-border e-commerce, DHL Express is the premium option — faster and more reliable than postal routes, with strong customs clearance infrastructure. DHL eCommerce Solutions offers economy cross-border services for less time-sensitive shipments at lower price points. Chinese sellers commonly use DHL eCommerce for affordable tracked delivery to US, European, and Australian consumers.

Tracking

DHL tracking numbers are typically 10–11 characters for Express shipments (starting with numbers) or longer alphanumeric codes for other services. Tracking is available at dhl.com and through all major tracking aggregators.

For more information on how to track shipments and manage your deliveries, use our tracking form.