Black Arrow Express to expand network by year-end

MANILA, Philippines -  Black Arrow Express, the last mile company of the AAI Group of Companies, is targeting to expand its network by year-end as it hitches a ride on the country’s growing economy, officials said in a briefing Thursday night.

Black Arrow president Allan Brizuela said the company would have at least 1,200 couriers or riders by the end of the year from 700 at present.

This would be across the company’s 50 hubs across on the country.

Brizuela said they are targeting to serve more e-commerce platforms which are steadily growing alongside the increasing customer preference for online retailing versus the brick and mortar retailers.

Black Arrow vice president John Walter Baybay said the rapid growth in e-commerce puts a lot of pressure on the company’s manpower and asset requirements.

“More than 97 percent of our volumes are coming from e-commerce as more and more people are starting to buy and sell online. In order to keep up with demand, we need to place the right systems in place. Once a buyer clicks ‘buy’ or ‘check out,’ our systems talk and triggers a movement of our network of hubs and transportation, moving parcels from door-to-door all around the country.

The company is targeting to reach its three millionth delivery milestone before the end of the year.

“We reached our millionth delivery this July after being in operation for only 18 months and we’re picking up even more speed in terms of delivery volume as we upgrade our delivery capacity in the coming months,” Baybay said.  – Iris Gonzales

Black Arrow’s present roster of clients include Shopee, ABS-CBN TV Plus and Bench.

The company is a member of the AAI Group of Companies, a network of corporations that offer the full range of logistics solutions — from large size and volume shipments, storage and handling, all the way to retail express delivery across the archipelago.

From its founding as Airlift Asia Inc., AAI has grown as a total logistics organisation with logistical services and operations provision covering five grams to 5,000 tons.

Its main base is in the AAI Freight Management Center in Metro Manila and has facilities for warehousing, distribution hubs and equipment nationwide.