Logistics giant targets AI boom with seven million sq ft expansion
DHL is ramping up its push into the booming data centre sector, unveiling a major expansion of its North American logistics network to keep pace with surging global demand.
The logistics giant will add 10 dedicated sites and more than seven million square feet of warehousing capacity across the region in 2026, targeting hyperscale and colocation operators racing to bring new digital infrastructure online.
The new facilities are designed to handle high-value IT equipment with specialist services including “white glove handling”, rack pre-configuration and tailored transport from warehouse to site.
These services aim to reduce delays and risks during construction, with sensitive components such as servers and power systems moved under tightly controlled conditions. By shifting testing and integration work into secure warehouse environments, DHL says operators can cut on-site complexity and maintain build speed.
The expansion comes as data centre developers face increasingly tight construction timelines, complex build sequences and global supply chains stretching from Asian manufacturing hubs to deployment markets in North America and Europe.
DHL said its North American operations are already supporting large-scale data centre campus developments, helping customers manage the precision and speed required for modern projects.
Hendrik Venter, global CEO of DHL Supply Chain, said hyperscale operators are moving at unprecedented pace. “Hyperscalers are creating the digital backbone of the AI era, and they are doing so at extraordinary speed,” he said.
He added that the company’s expanded footprint is “purpose built to match that pace”, combining secure warehousing, configuration services and round-the-clock logistics readiness. “That’s what keeps large scale data center projects on schedule and resilient,” he said, describing the move as the first step in a wider global expansion.
Industry data suggests strong demand for more integrated logistics solutions. An independently commissioned survey found 85% of data centre operators prefer a single end-to-end logistics partner, yet fewer than half believe they currently have one.
The findings also point to fragmented supply chains, with around 70% of operators relying on third-party providers for individual services such as specialist delivery or reverse logistics. At the same time, 89% said having a single account manager was “very important”, highlighting the need for clearer coordination.
DHL’s expansion is closely tied to its Global Forwarding network, which supports multimodal transport, customs processes and heavy-lift capabilities. This is increasingly critical as high-value equipment such as GPUs, cooling systems and power modules are shipped across continents.
Oscar de Bok, global CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, said the sector presents unique logistical challenges. “Data center logistics crosses oceans, borders, and regulatory regimes,” he said.
He pointed to the complexity of moving different components via air, sea and road to often remote construction sites, adding that customers rely on “synchronized, secure, and time-critical execution” to keep projects on track.
As demand for data infrastructure accelerates worldwide, DHL said its integrated global network positions it as a single partner capable of linking international supply chains with precise local delivery.
The company indicated further regional expansions are already planned, as competition intensifies to support the rapid rollout of data centres underpinning AI and digital services.