DHL Express Ending U.S. Domestic Only Service, Slashing Another 9,500 U.S. Jobs

Bonn, Germany (AHN) - DHL Express service centers will cut 80 percent of operations in the United States, laying off 9,500 workers there and ending domestic only service beginning Jan. 30, 2009.

Officials at the headquarters of the Bonn, Germany parent company Deutsche Post World Net made the announcement Monday. They said that DHL U.S. Express will no longer offer a domestic-only air and ground services, but will still offer international services.

Deep losses and stiff competition from the U.S. Postal Service and rivals UPS and FedEx were cited as the reasons for discontinuing domestic-only services.

Some 5,400 jobs had already been cut this year, and with the loss of an additional 9,500 jobs, the DHL workforce in the U.S. will drop to from 3,000 to 4,000 employees.