Interview with Director Operations & Corporate Services of Spring GDS Asia Pacific (part of the PostNL Group)

Please tell us a bit about yourself, your role and what Spring GDS Asia Pacific does.

I have dedicated twenty years of my career to the PostNL group, beginning my career in The Netherlands, before moving to my current role of ‘Director Operations & Corporate Services’, a portfolio that encompasses, Operations, HR, IT and Customer Service. Spring GDS originally started as a joint venture between PostNL, Singapore Post and Royal Mail (UK). When Singapore Post and Royal Mail exited, PostNL saw the strategic value in retaining Spring to grow its international footprint through Spring’s international offices, including the one in Hong Kong to serve the Asia Pacific market.

My international journey took off in 2014, when our first major customer started trading with us, leading to the growth of our Mainland China business. Back then, most e-commerce platforms were still using China Post, which could take 60 to 90 days to deliver a parcel from China to the Netherlands. Today, that is almost unimaginable. Even with our solution at the time, the process still took around two to three weeks, including pickup from the seller, handling, customs, air uplift, and distribution from the Netherlands to destinations across Europe and beyond. However, it was already a significant improvement compared to China Post.

We started with a very small team in Hong Kong -around 10 people- and today we have 55 employees. Over time, the business naturally evolved from letterbox shipments to larger parcels as well. Today, in 2026, we work with many major consolidators and large e-commerce platforms in China.

What role does Spring GDS Asia Pacific play in facilitating/bridging Hong Kong and Chinese companies trying to reach the European market?

We support our customers in two main ways. First, from a business perspective, we understand European legislation and consumer preferences very well. Delivery expectations vary significantly across Europe. For example, in the Netherlands it is normal for parcels to be delivered to a neighbour, while in other countries this is not accepted. In some markets, customers strongly prefer delivery to a pickup point instead of home delivery. We advise our customers on these local preferences and help them choose delivery options that minimise failed deliveries. This is important because undeliverable parcels are costly, inefficient and not environmentally friendly.

Second, we also play a role in bridging cultural and business differences. We have worked with Chinese partners for over 12 years and have a very good understanding of how to cooperate successfully. Chinese companies are highly innovative and entrepreneurial. In many ways, China’s e-commerce market is ahead of other international markets. Often, innovations that started in Asia become standard requirements in other markets one or two years later. The key is to embrace collaboration, listen carefully and understand what the other party truly needs. Sometimes a customer requests a specific solution, but the real objective behind the request is different. If you take the time to ask why, you can deliver a much better outcome.

From a logistics perspective, why do you think The Netherlands is considered the most strategic entry point and distribution hub for Hong Kong and Chinese companies aiming to reach the wider European market?

Schiphol remains one of Europe’s most important airports and offers strong connectivity. The Netherlands is also strategically positioned close to other major cargo hubs such as Liège, Luxembourg and Maastricht. From the Netherlands, companies can efficiently reach the UK, Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. The infrastructure is strong and the country is centrally located.

Beyond logistics, many Chinese companies also choose the Netherlands as their European headquarters. We see this frequently among our customers. For key accounts, we therefore often use a dual account management approach: one account manager based in the Netherlands and one based in Hong Kong. This is important because typically both the Chinese and the European headquarters have decision-making authority and strong coordination is needed to serve the customer as best as possible. Chinese companies also tend to appreciate doing business with the Dutch. The Dutch are also entrepreneurial, internationally experienced and open to collaboration.

Innovation is a major driver for this expansion, how is Spring GDS Asia Pacific leveraging digital logistics and technology to simplify cross-border trade for your partners?

Our sorting centres in the Netherlands uses the latest technology. When goods arrive, they may stay in the Netherlands, be distributed to Belgium, or be shipped onwards across Europe and worldwide. One example of how we are leveraging technology is that we take a picture of every parcel as it passes through the sorting process. Innovation is also strongly driven by customer demand. Customers regularly request new solutions, and we explore and develop what is feasible.

Over the past 10 to 15 years, the logistics sector has evolved dramatically, fuelling the ‘China Outbound’ journey. Delivery times have improved from weeks -and in some cases months- to around five to seven days, from the moment a customer purchases an item to the moment it arrives at their doorstep. Processes have also become far more digital. Where manual uploads used to be common, customers now upload manifests via API. In many cases, customs information is transmitted to the Dutch customs’ systems as soon as the manifest is uploaded. By the time the goods arrive, they have already been assigned a status such as green, orange, or red lane. Innovation is so embedded in logistics that you often only realise the progress when you look back.

Sustainability is now a core requirement in European trade. How is your company helping Chinese partners meet ‘green logistics’ standards during their expansion?

We take sustainability seriously and have implemented a wide range of initiatives, particularly in the Netherlands and Belgium. For instance, we utilise electric vehicles and bikes for urban deliveries, and our sorting centres are equipped with solar panels. Furthermore, our international truck network runs on HVO 100 (a biofuel), and we prioritise using recyclable materials, such as reusable containers, in our operational processes. PostNL has won multiple sustainability awards. We actively work to reduce our footprint wherever possible.

Some Chinese companies are already interested in sustainability and ask for CO₂-related information. European legislation will increasingly require all companies doing business in the EU to comply with sustainability measures and Chinese companies tend to adapt quickly when regulations change - often faster than many other markets, due to their innovation-driven mindset. Importantly, we do not pursue sustainability because customers demand it -we do it because it is part of our DNA.