Asked to name the largest German employers in Japan, names most likely to come to mind would be car makers, auto parts manufacturers, or pharmaceutical giants. The second-largest is, in fact, DHL, the world's leading international express and logistics company. In Japan, DHL aims to continue its double-digit growth by changing perceptions and grabbing more of the market in the U.S.
Originally American-owned, DHL was founded in San Francisco in 1969 by three men, from whose last names — Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn — the company made its name. In Japan, its bright yellow-and-red fleet of 1,300 trucks, is now wholly under the wing of the Deutsche Post World Net brand. The Japan operation of the international express division is led by Representative Director and President Guenter Zorn, a native of Bonn, Germany.
A pioneer in international express in Japan, DHL debuted here 35 years ago and has, ahead of rivals FedEx and UPS, led the express market in this country since '03.