KUALA LUMPUR: PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd is venturing into the e-commerce logistics market with the signing of agreements with China IOT Co Ltd, a subsidiary of US-headquartered e-commerce logistics solutions group 360zebra, to start up two joint-venture (JV) companies.

The homegrown logostics services provider said in a statement that the joint ventures would focus on providing e-commerce logistics services and solutions for the growing e-commerce segment in the Asean region, starting with the Malaysian market.

One JV firm, PKT 360zebra eLogistics Sdn Bhd, will focus on providing innovative logistics solutions to e-commerce players such as 360zebra’s e-fulfilment, e-cargo and e-forward services while the other JV firm, PKT 360zebra Express Sdn Bhd, will focus on sales, marketing, trading and consultancy services.

The JV agreements were signed in Shanghai with 360zebra Group represented by chief executive officer Tom T. Lu and executive vice-president Lanny Zhong, while PKT Logistics Group were represented by group chief executive/managing director Datuk Michael Tio and chief financial officer Augustine Lee.

Zhong said 360zebra was very excited to leverage on PKT’s strengths and resources in its expansion into the Asean market, saying that this expansion would help Malaysia and PKT 360zebra’s newest logistics centre penetrate the Asean e-commerce market.

Tio remarked that PKT’s strategic partnership with 360Zebra is extremely timely as it supports the Malaysian government’s objective of promoting the digital economy.

“Coupled with exciting initiatives such as the Digital Free Zone as announced in the 2017 budget, PKT hopes to assist existing and budding e-commerce merchants and players to extend their access to overseas markets by making cross-border logistics services simple and cost-effective,” he said.

PKT said due to its technology-driven and innovative approach, the 360zebra Group was a leader in providing e-commerce logistics solutions.

Headquartered in California, 360zebra currently has logistics centres in Los Angeles, Delaware, Oregon, Chicago, Hamburg, London, Florence, Sydney, Osaka, Tokyo, Inchon, Shanghai, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Among 360zebra’s customers are Alibaba, JD.com, eBay, Hisense, GMC, and etao.com..

PKT Logistics Group is a leading niche logistics service provider in Malaysia and has a presence in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, India and most ASsean countries.

Besides venturing into e-commerce logistics, PKT also recently expanded into cold logistics as part of its aggressive business diversification strategy.