Kuehne + Nagel plans to expand its China operations in 2011, especially in the areas of inland ports and trucking, reported IFW.

“We often use domestic feeder services on the Yangtze River as well as railway services,” said Jens Drewes, MD for central and north China. “However, the majority of shipments in China are still transported by trucks.

“The local trucking market is very fragmented, with only a few regional players. Therefore, Kuehne + Nagel has decided to strategically develop its road transportation service in China as of 2011.”

The Germany-based logistics provider has a presence in 40 locations in China, including interior cities such as Chongqing, Chengdu and Xian, and employs more than 2,700 staff. Increasingly it is looking inland for further growth areas, and next year it will establish operations in nine additional cities, including Changsha, Kunming, Zhengzhou and Leshan.