| Oct 10, 02 |
| |
By Hong Boon How, The Star
Business
HOME-GROWN courier services company City-Link Express (M)
Sdn Bhd is positioning itself as a major player in the Asian
region in a few years’ time through the opening of offices
in several Asian capital cities.
City-Link chief executive officer David Tan said the company
had more than 21 years’ experience in courier services, with
over 100 stations throughout the country.
“As we are already occupying a leading position in the local
market, we feel that the economic recovery in Asia will
boost the demand for courier and total logistics management
solutions,” he told Star Business in an interview in Shah
Alam.
He said the company has already set up offices in several
Asean cities in its move to cover Aisa under its One Asia
One Network operations.
He claimed that Western courier services companies were
unable to gain control of the Asian and domestic express
services business although there had been attempts by many
to break into the market.
“Foreign companies are simply unable to control the market
because nobody knows the conditions, culture and terrain
better than Asians and locals,” he said.
Tan said the company which posted a turnover of RM 60 mil
last year was looking at between 15% and 20% growth in
business this year.
“We are expecting to sign several large contracts to provide
total logistics solutions,” he said.
He said the express delivery service was highly competitive
and required a high degree of co-ordination with the
delivery and collection network, although the business may
look simple in the eyes of the laymen.
Tan said the key to securing and retaining customers was in
providing timely, efficient and cost-effective express
services.
“We have invested heavily in information technology (IT) to
enable us and our customers to track their shipments though
the Internet.,” he said.
City-Link was the first local express delivery company to
introduce bar-code technology to improve data recording.
The company has more than 1,300 workers nationwide and
handles a daily shipment of 20,000 packages.
City-Link deputy chief executive office and director Ng Chet
Chiang said the company had considered listing City-Link on
the KLSE but the idea has been put on hold.
He said express delivery services would still play an
important part in the economy although the delivery of
documents through other services had slowed down with the
advent of facsimile machines and electronic mails.
“We see now more items such as expensive electronic
components being delivered through express delivery
services,” he said. |
