Steps to Success

The Story of DHL.

1969 - 2005
DHL Company Portrait

Where does the name DHL come from? These are the first letters of the last
names of the three company founders, Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and
Robert Lynn. In 1969, just months after the world was marvelling at Neil
Armstrong’s first steps on the moon, the three partners took another small
step that would have a profound impact on the way the world does business.
The founders began to personally ship papers by airplane from San Francisco
to Honolulu, beginning customs clearance of the ship’s cargo before the actual
arrival of the ship and dramatically reducing waiting time in the harbour.
Customers stood to save a fortune. With this concept, a new industry was
born: international air express service, the rapid delivery of documents and
shipments by airplane.

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 Steps to Success

1969 DHL founded by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and Robert Lynn in San
Francisco.

1971 DHL’s network rapidly grows and the company becomes a trusted partner of
many companies. Expansion into the Far East and Pacific Rim.

1972 Services introduced in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia.

1974 The first UK office of DHL is opened in London. Globally, DHL now had
3,052 customers and 314 staff.

1976 - 1978 Three major geographies as DHL launches in the Middle East, Latin America
and Africa.

1977 The first German DHL office is opened in Frankfurt.

1979 DHL expands its services to delivering packages. Until that time only documents
were sent.

1983 DHL is the first air express forwarder to serve Eastern European countries. An
international distribution center (hub) is opened in Cincinnati/USA.

1985 A state-of-the-art hub is opened in Brussels. More than 165,000 shipments

are handled here per night.

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1986 DHL enters into a joint venture with the People’s Republic of China and be-
comes the first express company active in China.

1990 DHL enters into strategic alliances with Lufthansa, Japan Airlines and Nissho Iwai.

1991 DHL is the first international express service to restart service to Kuwait after
the Gulf war.

1993 DHL makes an investment of US$ 60 million in a new hub facility in Bahrain.

1998 Deutsche Post becomes a shareholder in DHL.

1999 DHL Worldwide Express invests over € 1 billion in a new state-of-the-art air
cargo fleet in the European and African network.
34 new Boeing 757SF cargo planes are acquired: These planes cut noise at take
off by 77% and CO2 emissions by 13% compared to the fleet of B737Fs they
replace.

2002 Deutsche Post World Net becomes the major shareholder in DHL from
1 January. It completes a 100% shareholding until the end of the year.

Network expansion in Asia: in October DHL enters into a joint venture with
Cathay Pacific for express air cargo.

A new global IT centre is being opened in Scottsdale, USA. There are two furt-
her centres in London (from 2004 in Prague) and Kuala Lumpur (since 1998).

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 Steps to Success

2003 DHL is increasing its share in Sinotrans to five percent, thereby becoming
Sinotrans’ largest strategic investor.

Deutsche Post, DHL and Postbank are building up the Group's current brand
architecture. DHL serves as the exclusive brand for all express and logistic
activities. For further details see next page.

DHL’s corporate colors are now yellow and red. In April, the worldwide opti-
cal conversion of all vehicles, packing materials and buildings begins.
Through the purchase of Airborne Express (2002 revenue: USD 3.3 billion),

DHL will be the third largest express service provider in the USA. DHL
bridges the last gap in its US/American network with Airborne’s overland
transport network.

Launch of a five-year investment program in China in October: DHL will signi-

ficantly expand its capacities through an investment of USD 200 million.

2004 New global IT facility in Prague, Czech Republic. It replaces the facility in
London.

DHL becomes the new brand for all international mail businiess of Deutsche
Post. About 4,000 employees worldwide are working for DHL Global Mail.

Acquisition of 68 percent stake in Blue Dart, the premium domestic courier

and integrated air express package distribution company in India.

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2004/2005 Directly after the tsunami in South Asia DHL, with over 40 offices throughout
the disaster region, can respond immediately to requests from governments
and aid organizations. The Group helps with free charter flights carrying relief
supplies, land transport as well as monetary donations. DHL employees from
around the world launch donation campaigns.

2005 Since August, DHL is introducing its new corporate wear. 110,000 DHL
employees in over 200 countries and territories in the next nine months will
be provided with new uniforms. More than 1.4 million garments will be ship-
ped by DHL. The design was tested through interviews with 3,600 drivers and
couriers taking part in extensive trials.

Deutsche Post World Net acquires Exel, the British logistics corporation, in
December for 5.5 billion euros. Around 111,000 employees work for Exel in
135 countries. Exel primarily offers transport and logistics solutions for key
customers. The company concluded the first half of 2005 with a 55 percent
leap in profits to 172 million pounds (251 million euros).

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 Steps to Success

Incorporation 2003 marked the consolidation of the Group’s express and logistics activities
into one single brand, DHL. The DHL expertise is pooled from a number of
companies acquired by Deutsche Post World Net. To name a few:

Deutsche Post Euro Express: in operation starting 1997 through inter-

nal growth and investments in leading European companies, network for
parcel and express services in more than 20 countries, market leader for
business customers in Europe.

Danzas: founded in 1815, based in Basel, Switzerland, acquired by

Deutsche Post World Net in 2000, world leader in air freight and ranked
second in ocean freight. Overland transport and supply chain management
complete the Danzas service portfolio.

Air Express International: largest American air freight provider, inte-

grated into the Danzas group in 2001.

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Deutsche Post World Net
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53250 Bonn, Germany
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Valid: 12/2005