DHL SUPPLY CHAIN SPAIN SL

Their core work

DHL Supply Chain Spain is the Spanish arm of one of the world's largest logistics and supply chain management companies. Within EU research, they serve as an industrial testing ground for next-generation logistics concepts — from synchromodal transport networks to 5G-enabled warehouse and port operations. Their contribution is providing real-world logistics infrastructure, operational data, and industry expertise to validate research concepts at scale in actual supply chain environments.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

DHL Supply Chain Spain entered H2020 with a clear focus on optimizing European freight logistics — coordinating SYNCHRO-NET (2015) on synchromodal transport and joining SELIS (2016) on shared logistics data. From 2020 onward, their focus broadened significantly toward digital infrastructure: blockchain for supply chains, Physical Internet concepts, 5G-enabled warehouse experimentation, and global trade network modelling. The shift reflects a move from logistics optimization to logistics digitalization and connectivity.

DHL Supply Chain Spain is moving toward digitally-enabled, globally-connected logistics — expect future interest in AI-driven supply chains, digital twins, and IoT-connected transport infrastructure.

How they like to work

DHL coordinated one project (SYNCHRO-NET) and participated in three others, showing they can lead but more often contribute as an industrial partner providing real-world logistics environments for testing. With 105 unique partners across 19 countries, they operate as a well-connected hub rather than a repeat-partner organization. Their value to consortia is clear: they bring one of the world's largest logistics networks as a validation environment, which is difficult to replicate.

Extensive European network spanning 105 unique consortium partners across 19 countries, built through four projects in transport and digital logistics. Their reach reflects DHL's multinational operations rather than any single geographic focus.

What sets them apart

DHL Supply Chain brings something most research consortia struggle to find: access to a global-scale, operational logistics network for validating research in real conditions. Unlike university labs or smaller logistics firms, they can test concepts across warehouses, ports, and multi-modal transport corridors at industrial scale. For any consortium working on transport digitalization, Physical Internet, or supply chain connectivity, DHL provides immediate credibility and a deployment pathway.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SYNCHRO-NET
  DHL's only coordinator role in H2020 with the largest single grant (EUR 951K), focused on their core competency of synchromodal supply chains.
• VITAL-5G
  Signals DHL's strategic move into 5G-enabled logistics, providing port and warehouse experimentation facilities for next-gen connectivity trials.
• PLANET
  Addresses the geopolitical dimension of logistics — new trade routes and TEN-T integration — combining blockchain, Physical Internet, and global trade network modelling.