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DHL Express heavyweight shipments, due to the launch of Heavy Weight Express HWX in 2026 has resulted in a 16% growth in Time Definite International Weight per Day in Asia Pacific excluding China for DHL Express from January to July 2026. This is a reflection of the positive results DHL’s Smart Industrial Growth Strategy is delivering as companies move larger, more critical components, machinery, and industrial equipment beyond borders.
The heavyweight market has seen progress in recent years. Industry research estimates that 10.2 million tonnes of heavyweight shipments are being transported annually in Asia Pacific, which excludes China.
Companies have spent years trimming inventory and boosting productivity throughout their supply chains. But today’s companies are operating in a far more uncertain environment, with trade interruptions, manufacturing obstacles, and shifting demand. The rising volumes of heavyweight shipments are a reflection of how businesses are rethinking supply chain risk, with a growing number of them using express logistics not only to respond to sudden changes in demand but also to gain flexibility, assurance, and control over delivery times.
What the numbers don’t tell you is a simple fact – businesses are shipping a lot when timing is important and when it’s critical, said Asia Pacific CEO DHL Express, Ken Lee. Speed and reliability have also factored into the business decision as companies keep on dealing with an environment of complexity where ambiguity has become standard. Customers are making thoughtful choices about what they are putting through our network, he adds. He further says that our Heavy Weight Express solution ensures that companies minimize downtime, safeguard working capital, and keep operations moving when supply chains don’t quite go as planned.
Asia Pacific’s heavyweights top the charts in Technology, Engineering & Manufacturing and Automotive
Technology-related cargo, including computer chips and semiconductors, is the largest cargo type in the DHL Express heavyweight shipments throughout the region, accounting for more than 34%. The growth of this cargo type is fuelled by fast investment when it comes to data centers in order to support the increasing demand for computing capacity, data storage, cloud services as well as artificial intelligence. This has pushed up the demand for shipments of technology-related goods such as semiconductors and servers, as well as cooling systems along with electrical infrastructure. But a data center shortage is causing supply chain obstacles as demand for semiconductor manufacturing outstrips the supply of infrastructure. This means express logistics services are deployed rapidly to ensure the fast and efficient movement of critical components, thereby supporting the adherence to project timelines.
Automotive is the fastest-growing industry
The HWX service is also seeing good traction in the automotive segment, with shipment weight growing at almost 20%. Asia Pacific is the dominant export region for this industry and is also observing the rise of Asian automotive brands, especially EV makers from China and Southeast Asia. As these brands expand into new markets, they are also crossing borders with parts for vehicles from various suppliers and manufacturers. This has led to a demand for faster deliveries so production can keep going. In this business, one late or failed shipment could cost automotive manufacturers millions of dollars in a matter of seconds.
Asia reaffirms its role as a major trading hub
India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and Hong Kong recorded the greatest growth in heavyweight shipments within Asia Pacific, excluding China, in the first 7 months of 2026.
These markets represent two of the region’s most powerful trade corridors – the strong status of Southeast Asia as a manufacturing and sourcing base, and also the strategic position of North Asia as a center for high-value technology and industrial along with automotive supply chains. India, the Philippines, and Vietnam are identified as major markets of the Geographic Tailwinds initiative.
Says Ken Lee, CEO for Asia Pacific, DHL Express, “As companies continue to manufacture out of Asia, balancing project timelines and building more resilient and agile supply chains become a priority. To maintain production continuity and ensure certainty, they are consolidating goods into heavier shipments. These non-negotiable conditions are also “urgency drivers” that put us at an advantage to help deliver our customers’ shipments at a definite time.”
Over the past few years, DHL Express has invested in a number of new infrastructures throughout the region, such as an expanded global hub located in Hong Kong, facilities near Manila and Cebu airports, a standard gateway at Christchurch airport, Hanoi gateway near Noi Bai airport, as well as Delhi gateway, totalling about 1,000 facilities in the Asia Pacific region. This is additionally backed by a strong aviation network of approximately 810 flights each day.
