New Report by Transport Intelligence: DHL Claims Top Spot as Freight Forwarders Enjoy 'Stellar' Year

The global freight forwarding market saw another year of stellar
growth in 2006, according to the latest report published today by
leading logistics research organisation, Transport Intelligence. The
research, contained in Global Freight Forwarding 2007, indicates that
although the rate of growth was not quite as fast as the year before,
it confounded many experts' expectations of slowing trade volumes.

Steady economic growth in Europe supported Asia Pacific trades,
whilst the US economy did not decelerate as much as feared.
Intra-Asian trade was also a key driving force and has become the
focus of many forwarders' development strategies.

The sea freight market saw the highest increase in 2006, soaring
by 15% - only slightly lower year-on-year growth than in 2005. Air
Freight revenues rose by 12%, the same rate as a year earlier.

The Global Freight Forwarding 2007 report also includes the latest
industry rankings. The market has been characterised by high levels of
mergers and acquisitions activity over the past few years which has
transformed the industry. In terms of overall forwarding revenues -
air, sea and customs brokerage - DHL Global Forwarding is the number
one. Kuehne + Nagel and the Schenker/Bax Global combination make up
the top three.

The report's author, John Manners-Bell, commenting on the findings
of the report, said, 'The freight forwarding industry is enjoying a
period of unparalleled growth and prosperity, benefiting from the
globalising world economy. The potential for future profits is high,
and this will inevitably lead to further M&A activity. Private equity
is likely to play an important part in this process.'

However Manners-Bell concluded, 'We must not assume that growth
and profits are inevitable, as the industry faces more uncertain times
ahead. A challenging macro-economic environment, security issues and
fuel costs, plus fluctuations in carrier capacity, will mean that only
the most agile forwarders will prosper.'

Global Freight Forwarding 2007 includes analyses of all the major
trends and developments in the industry; market sizing, forecasts and
market share; an extensive market survey of shippers and forwarders;
trade flows by key commodity and profiles of all the major players.