-
DHL is helping capacitate micro, small, and medium enterprises to grow and sell their goods beyond the Philippines
-
Cross border business-to-business and business-to-customer commerce “are definitely opening doors for small businesses to capture new growth”, according to DHL Express chief executive officer for Asia Pacific Ken Lee
-
GoTrade is a DHL initiative provides the tools, knowledge, and support MSMEs need to succeed in international trade
-
There are so far almost 200 MSMEs that have participated in GoTrade training, and more training are still expected within the year
DHL is helping capacitate micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to grow beyond the Philippines as cross-border commerce opens new opportunities for them to diversify to other markets.
Cross border business-to-business and business-to-customer (B2C) commerce “are definitely opening doors for small businesses to capture new growth”, according to DHL Express chief executive officer for Asia Pacific Ken Lee in a media briefing at the sidelines of the recent DHL GoTrade Summit 2026.
Lee said, however, that “going international is a good ambition but it’s never easy”, and that’s the reason DHL created GoTrade.
GoTrade is a DHL initiative that provides export-ready SMEs the tools, knowledge, and support they need to succeed in international trade. Leveraging DHL’s global network and expertise, the program aims to help remove barriers and build capacity for SMEs.
GoTrade head Sarah Meinert, during the same briefing, said it is important to support SMEs because “they actually make up the economy” and provide roughly 70% of employment worldwide and represent around 90%% of all businesses globally.
In the Philippines, MSMEs account for 99.6% of businesses.
Challenges faced by SMEs
To help capacitate SMEs, Meinert said they have identified four key challenges of SMEs to focus on: access to finance, skills and knowledge, information and communication technology and digitalization, and logistics.
Globally, GoTrade has already trained more than 10,000 SMEs in 45 countries from January to August 2026.
In the Philippines, DHL is implementing GoTrade in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Meinert said for this year, there are so far almost 200 MSMEs that have participated in GoTrade training, and more training are still expected within the year. The program is open for all MSMEs, even non-DHL clients, and especially those who are aiming to export their products.
The Philippines was also the second country outside Germany where the GoTrade Summit was conducted.
READ: DHL Express PH sees double-digit growth with SMEs among key drivers
Around 87% of DHL Express’ customers in the Philippines are MSMEs, according to DHL Express Philippines managing director Nigel Lockett in a presentation during the same briefing. Lockett noted that a big percentage of their business is still B2C and “we’re always trying to help grow these smaller customers so they can promote their products overseas.”
He said MSMEs currently ship the most to established markets, which host a lot of other overseas Filipinos. These include the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Hong Kong.
Beyond traditional markets
But other markets where they can diversify beyond traditional export destinations include neighboring countries that are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and select Middle East countries.
READ: ASEAN states fast-track upgraded ATIGA deal
Segments where MSMEs are growing include retail, fashion, and consumer business. E-commerce, online selling, and social commerce are also expanding the pathway to international customers.
Geographically, priority regions for export education, activation, and customer growth include Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, and Davao Region.
MSMEs going global is also one of the three key trends DHL sees are shaping Asia’s trade future. The two others are smart industrial growth, wherein artificial intelligence, data centers, life sciences, healthcare and new energy are creating new logistics demand; and geographic tailwind, wherein foreign direct investments and supply chain diversification is reshaping Asia’s trade flows.
Lee noted that with current geopolitical tensions, “people are trying to diversify”, noting that he sees more intra-Asia countries working in partnership “rather than depending on just one other region or one other country.”
And the Philippines–along with the 21 other high growth markets that DHL sees will grow faster than the rest of the world–is seen to benefit in such diversification.
Lockett also added that DHL Express’ “volumes are still very strong through the U.S. and Canada” but he has seen “a marked increase” in intra-Asia volumes, both inbound and outbound.
