One of the world’s largest shipping companies, DHL, is increasing its footprint in the Philadelphia area with a facility in Sharon Hill, writes Catherine Dunn for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

DHL has given up its Philadelphia address at 7600 Holstein Avenue and split operations between 550 Elmwood Avenue in Sharon Hill and 1240 Forest Parkway in West Deptford, N.J. 

That gives the company 145,000 square feet of additional workspace.

DHL has invested $20 million toward the expansion. 

A pandemic-triggered increase in online shopping has meant a 25 percent growth in shipments in the Philadelphia market this year for DHL, said Reiner Wolfs, DHL’s vice president and general manager for the Northeast.

“We’ve seen an incredible boom” in the consumer e-commerce business, Wolfs said.

Businesses have also been importing more in the past four or five months, especially in manufacturing, high-tech, and automotive aftermarket parts.

DHL plans to invest $360 million In July to expand in the Americas through 2022 to meet demand.

DHL flies six days a week into Philadelphia International Airport. The two new facilities move its delivery service closer to regional customers and are a better workspace for employees.

Read more about DHL in The Philadelphia Inquirer.