‘With this partnership, we hope to drive eco-friendly entrepreneurship not only in the Central American region, but also internationally’ ITC’s acting Executive Director Dorothy Tembo
DHL experts are also supporting ITC with training coaches of six local partner institutions on international logistics and customs processes.
By Market Screener
(Geneva/Panama) DHL Express, the world’s leading express service provider, announced today a new partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC) to help Central American e-commerce businesses deliver eco-friendly handicrafts to global customers through international shipping.
The international logistics company will offer its expertise to support the 200 e-commerce businesses currently enrolled in ITC’s project Linking Central American Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) with the Global Gifts and Home Decoration Market, providing logistics training support and preferential shipping rates on international orders.
‘We’re proud of this partnership because it has been our goal to help small and medium business owners expand and deliver their products to the world,’ said Joakim Thrane, CEO for DHL Express Central and South America. ‘We hope that this program helps enhance the export competitiveness of Central American Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) with the guidance, logistics services and special rates that we as a global logistics company can provide to help them sell their products online to other markets like EU and the USA’.
The ITC project is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by ITC in collaboration with the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) and national implementing partners in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
Project beneficiaries in Central America typically find themselves un-competitive in international markets, unable to provide reliable shipping at affordable rates. The partnership with DHL Express will online marketplaces and develop an international clientele.
Nicteel Ceramics founder Elena San Martin, currently enrolled in ITC’s project for e-commerce businesses in Central America, has said of the partnership’. This was a great experience. Thanks to this partnership, I was able to reduce my shipping time from 3 to 4 weeks to 3 to 4 days, without changing my pricing. DHL’s preferential shipping rates have also allowed me to offer free shipping to my customers, and we have since sent several products to Houston, Texas, which was previously an issue due to shipping. With ITC’s support, I can now send customers my products quickly and securely!’
