Nippon Express accelerates expansion of Asian operations via tie-up with major Laotian forwarder

Nippon Express (H.K.) Co., Ltd., Hi-Tech Nittsu (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and Nippon Express (Vietnam) Co., Ltd., all overseas subsidiaries of Nippon Express Co., Ltd. (Masanori Kawai, President), recently concluded a business collaboration agreement with Lao Freight Forwarder Co., Ltd. (LFF), a major forwarding company in Laos.

Nippon Express currently offers an SS7000 service linking Shanghai with Singapore by land routes, and this new business partnership is aimed at strengthening its collaboration with LFF, which boasts a solid record of performance in Laos, and at improving transport quality. Heretofore employees of Hi-Tech Nittsu (Thailand) and Nippon Express (Vietnam) have had to travel to Lao Customs to complete customs clearance procedures on the Thai and Vietnamese borders with Laos, but these procedures will now be handled by LFF, whose familiarity with the Laotian legal and tax systems will enable faster customs clearance and ensure more reliable transit procedures.

Nippon Express has plans to expand not only ground transport services between Vietnam and Thailand via Laos, but also services within Laos utilizing LFF's truck transport network. In addition, the Company intends to increase its handling of parts supply to the growing apparel industry, the transport of Laotian products to other countries, and imports/exports of food products and daily commodities coming from Thailand.