From the left: Manfred Harnischfeger (Senior Vice President Corporate Communications), Clemens Beckmann (Business Consulting), Manfred Uedelhoven (Mayor Troisdorf) and Frank Appel (Board Member).
After the construction is completed in the fall of 2006, visitors can catch a glimpse into the world of modern logistics in the Innovation Center's 1,200 square meter exhibition area.

"The DHL Innovation Center allows us to develop tomorrow's solutions for our customers today," said Frank Appel, Board Member responsible for Deutsche Post World Net's Global Business Services, at Wednesday's topping-out ceremony. He announced that, together with experts from DHL, specialists from IBM, Intel, Philips and SAP would research innovations covering the entire logistics chain. These companies have recently joined forces in the DHL Innovation Initiative.

 Building site of the DHL Innovation Center in Troisdorf.
Development work will focus on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, geodata technology for optimizing travel routes and networks, as well as logistics-related GPS (Global Positioning System) applications. The DHL Innovation Center will be used by Deutsche Post World Net's business units from around the world as a platform for timely information and exchanges regarding technological innovations.

In addition to international researchers and logistics specialists, the Center will also welcome business customers, partners and guests of Deutsche Post World Net:

All elements of the logistics value added chain can be experienced interactively on 1,200 square meters of exhibition space - from ordering and warehousing through to delivery and billing.

 Model of the DHL Innovation Center.
Innovative technologies represent important potential for Deutsche Post World Net. State-of-the-art mail and parcel centers help move more than 71 million mail items and 2.8 million parcel items daily in Germany alone. Three IT service centers in Scottsdale (USA), Cyberjaya (Malaysia) and Prague (Czech Republic) process 1.3 billion electronic business transactions annually worldwide. Under the DHL brand name, the company is at home in 220 countries and territories throughout the world. DHL delivers to more than four million customers via an international network with over 6,000 branches. Ideas emanating from these branches now flow together into the global DHL Innovation Center. These ideas can be implemented to effect further improvements to business processes.
Source: press release