Gelber Riese: Deutsche Post verschwindet aus Konzernnamen

Deutsche Post has vanished from the corporate name, becoming DHL. This change took effect on September 1st after the company's shareholders approved the decision at the May meeting. While Deutsche Post retains its position within the corporate structure, it now functions as a subsidiary responsible for domestic mail and parcel delivery.

The company's shares will no longer be traded under the name Deutsche Post, but under DHL on the stock exchange. This shift marks a significant change from the previous naming of Deutsche Post DHL Group to DHL Group, which had been in place since 2014. The company's traditional postal infrastructure, dating back to the Thurn und Taxis courier service of the late Middle Ages in the 15th century, has been integrated into an overarching holding company.

The reason behind the name change is the increasing globalization of the company, which became a subsidiary of DHL after absorbing the US logistics giant in 2002. CEO Tobias Meyer argued that the name change was necessary due to DHL's global recognition, while Appel had previously resisted the move due to concerns about alienating the domestic workforce.

In recent years, the company's domestic operations have become less profitable, accounting for only 20% of its revenue in the first half of 2026. This decline is attributed to the shift in communication towards digital channels and away from physical mail. Express shipping, especially for time-sensitive deliveries, has become a more lucrative business, contributing to 30% of the revenue and 60% of the EBIT.

The ending of traditional mail services is not expected to negatively impact consumers in Germany, with the company emphasizing that the new structure is not a downgrade of Deutsche Post. The company claims that the operational business will simply be moved to an independent subsidiary, similar to other DHL divisions. The restructuring cost 37 million euros, with an additional 3 million euros in annual extra costs for the subsidiary.

The company remains committed to its core postal services, emphasizing that the traditional features of the post such as briefs, parcels, and post offices will remain unchanged for consumers and businesses. However, the change has received criticism from some political figures, with SPD Bundestag member Sebastian Roloff expressing disappointment that a strong brand like Deutsche Post will disappear in the global market.