Further large-scale acquisitions by Deutsche Post are "out for the foreseeable future, " John Allan, global CEO of DHL Logistics, has confirmed.

"That’s not necessarily forever but at least for a few years. We’ve got to demonstrate we can get better returns out of it [DHL’s merged business], " he said at London’s Chelsea Flower Show, where the company sponsored an awardwinning roof garden.

"If opportunities come up in highgrowth economies such as China, we wouldn’t turn our back on it, but it’s not our primary focus, " Allan added.

He spoke as DHL’s parent, Deutsche Post World Net, announced a joint venture for the fast-growing Indian logistics market in which it will hold a 76% stake.

DHL Lemuir Logistics is a consolidation of an existing partnership with Lemuir Group, a pioneer in the logistics industry in India. It combines the businesses of DHL Danzas Lemuir, a 50:50 JV, and Exel India, which was wholly owned and had recently acquired contract logistics and customs brokerage operations for general cargo from Lee & Muirhead.

The company will trade, as in other countries, under the DHL Exel Supply Chain name for contract logistics and as DHL Global Forwarding for freight forwarding.

Rajeev Rajadhyaksha, who was MD of Exel India, becomes MD of DHL Lemuir Logistics and Christoph Remund has been appointed as COO of DHL Global Forwarding.

DHL’s other operations in India are DHL Express and Blue Dart, a leader in domestic express, which will continue to operate as independent business units.