Project Bulletin: November 21, 2023

Since 2004, DHL Express has invested more than $612 million in its Central Asia Hub.

Photo courtesy of DHL Express

To prepare to better serve local and global markets, DHL Express has completed a $400 million expansion at its nearly 20-year-old Central Asia Hub (CAH) in Hong Kong. The expansion will bring CAH to over 532,800 sq. ft. and introduces 3,450 solar panels on site to power the facility. “We believe that global trade matters, and it’s here to stay. We have invested more than €1.8 billion into our three global hubs, demonstrating our commitment to support our customers’ growth as they expand globally,” said DHL Express CEO John Pearson. “CAH is important to our customers in Asia and globally, as it handles close to 20% of DHL Express global shipment volume. While global trade is normalizing following a pandemic boom, our investments today will improve our global and regional network, putting us in an excellent place when global trade recovers.” As the Hong Kong International Airport is set to open its new three-runway system in 2024, the company’s strategic investment enables increased shipment handling capacity by about 70% or 125,000 shipments per hour at its peak.

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Northrop Grumman will add 300 new jobs in Waynesboro, Virginia, by 2028.

Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman

Global aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman announced a $200 million investment in Waynesboro, Virginia, for its new advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility. Adding to its national portfolio, this site aids Northrop Grumman in increasing capacity to manufacture and test its electronics and mission solutions in line with customer demand. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin approved an $8.5 million grant from the state’s Opportunity Fund to assist the city with the project. The new facility will be located 156 miles southwest of the company’s headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, and will look to add 300 new jobs by 2028.

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KIA is bringing its first full-cycle manufacturing facility to Kazakhstan.

Photo courtesy of KIA Motors Corporation

KIA Motors is embarking on its first JV outside of South Korea as the company partners with the Kazakh government to launch Kia Qazaqstan. The JV will oversee the construction of KIA’s new automobile manufacturing facility in north Kazakhstan’s city of Kostanay. The launch of pilot operations is expected to begin in Q1 of 2025, with full production beginning the following quarter. In addition, KIA will introduce an automobile parts center to collaborate with local suppliers to aid production. The new facility is projected to manufacture 70,000 vehicles annually and will create 1,500 new jobs in the region.

Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore