With construction complete, international logistics company DHL has opened its $100-million facility at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.

The company announced the opening of the facility, which is four times the size of its previous facility in Hamilton, on September 29. The new building allows the company to meet what it described as a significant increase in its shipping volumes.

"The Hamilton Gateway facility is a significant milestone for DHL and will modernize our operations in the Canadian market," said Darryl Wettlaufer, VP of Operations for DHL Express Canada. "The new technology and services we've implemented, as well as the increased capacity for handling at the Hamilton Airport, will allow us to meet the double-digit sales growth we've seen in shipping."

The Hamilton facility spans 238,000 square feet, and features a fully-automated sort system with a capacity of processing 28,000 packages per hour. The company chose its location at the Hamilton airport due to a 24-hour landing capability with dedicated Canada Border Services Agency staff on site.

"We're thrilled DHL is opening the doors to its new facility at the Hamilton International Airport," said Hamilton Mayor, Fred Eisenberger. "The facility represents a significant investment by DHL Express in the City of Hamilton and demonstrates the importance of the international airport to create high-value jobs and economic prosperity for our city."

DHL Express' Hamilton facility previously employed 225 during peak season, with the expansion bringing about 150 more jobs to the area, some of those in the package sorting hub and others as part of the company's delivery team.

The expansion comes from the drastic increase in shipping demand across the country over the past years. Since 2019, international trade has generated continuous growth in shipments per day for DHL Express in Canada, averaging at around 40 percent growth.

The pandemic has also generated a double-digit growth for the company, which since early 2020, has experienced holiday season-like shipping volumes throughout the entire Americas region. Every month, 60 percent of DHL’s total Canadian shipments are cleared at Hamilton International Airport. 

"We are extremely excited and proud to officially celebrate the grand opening of DHL's largest gateway facility in Canada (by volume) right here at Hamilton International Airport," said Cole Horncastle, Executive Managing Director of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. "In addition to creating hundreds of front-line jobs in our region, this monumental investment into Hamilton ensures that DHL Express can continue operating on an upwards trajectory with the ability to meet the current and future demands of the rapidly growing logistics industry. We look forward to continuing our long-standing and successful partnership with DHL for many years to come at Canada's largest overnight express cargo airport."

Featured image: The DHL Express Canada Hamilton Gateway Facility. (CNW Group/DHL Express Canada)