DHL has strengthened its partnership with Malaysian cargo carrier Transmile.

It has signed a long-term network alliance with the carrier that will allow DHL the flexibility to add new air services or upgrade existing service offerings to its customers.

Through the partnership, both companies will work closely on the strategic development of both intra-Asia and inter-continental air services, to meet the booming trade within the region and beyond.

DHL says the new strategic network alliance with Transmile will boost its current service offerings to its customers — and significantly strengthen its market-leading position in the region.

Currently, through guaranteed blocked space with Transmile, DHL customers already have the use of connections beyond Hong Kong to the United States, as well as to Asia-Pacific countries such as India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The enhanced partnership comes soon after the recent upgrading of DHL’s 2200sqm gateway facility at Sultan Abdul Aziz Sha airport in Subang, Malaysia. DHL claims that with regular, scheduled Transmile flights operating at the Subang facility, its customers in the Klang Valley gain a half-day delivery advantage for shipments to Asia-Pacific, Europe and the west coast of the United States, as well as extended pickup cut-off times of up to two hours.

The company offers a direct, 10 times weekly service out of Subang to and from its Central Asia Hub (CAH) in Hong Kong — DHL’s major hub in the Asia-Pacific and a gateway to China — operated by Transmile. The CAH, claimed to be the largest facility of its kind in Asia, links DHL’s customers in the region with its global network.

"The strategic alliance is an important step for both DHL and Transmile, as it offers us opportunities to tap on the growth of intra-Asia and inter-continental trade volumes to elevate the strategic importance of Malaysia and other Asian countries in world trade," said Scott Price, chief executive officer, DHL Express-Asia-Pacific.