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DHL- Exel is hoping to expand the scope of its Heathrow Consolidation Centre (HCC) by providing additional services. The HCC currently works with all the retailers, before and after security, at all the Heathrow terminals. This means that all the retailers deliver to the HCC and DHL takes those deliveries into the airport terminals.

Paul Durkin, business director for airport logistics and consolidation centres at  DHL-Excel, says the HCC reduces commercial vehicle movements to the terminals by about 80%. He believes this could be cut even further if DHL is able to start delivering engineering products into the airport and take over deliveries to airlines.

Durkin says that while there are no firm plans at the moment, the company is investigating both possibilities. "Because of the increasing security requirements for the terminals, it makes sense for us to take products into the sites because we have the security screening processes at the HCC."

DHL operates a bus-stop-type system around the airport at two-hour intervals during the day. As well as delivering into the terminals, it also removes packaging and recycling, and shifts stock from one terminal to another. DHL is also hoping to work with BAA to open consolidation centres at other airports around the UK.

DHL has taken delivery of a 9.0-tonne Smith  Electric vehicle to deliver goods from the HCC into the airport. Durkin says: "An electric vehicle is ideal for this type of work because we do very short journeys which suits the technology available at present."

He adds that concern over the environment also motivated the purchase: "DHL is quite active in looking for alternative-fuel vehicles. We trialled electric vehicles from two manufacturers at Heathrow about eight months ago and decided on Smith Electric." DHL has also placed an order for an electric vehicle to cover its fashion network in central London.