DHL, the world's leading express and logistics provider, announced that it will support Cirque du Soleil, a leading live entertainment company, as Official Logistics Partner. DHL will be integrated into Cirque du Soleil's supply chain activities, with its DHL Global Trade Fairs & Events team, a subsidiary of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, supporting the event logistics of Cirque du Soleil Big Top and Arena tours worldwide. DHL will also provide global logistics support for the corporate headquarters of Cirque du Soleil in Montreal, Canada. The partnership will see the two global leaders in their respective industries engage in joint branding and marketing activities for their worldwide customer bases, partners and employees.

Cirque du Soleil and DHL are a perfect fit, said Ken Allen, CEO, DHL Express. We have both grown from entrepreneurial beginnings into global brands through a commitment to conquering new frontiers and amazing and delighting our customer bases. As we pool our respective strengths through this partnership, both brands' proven ability to innovate and deliver excellence will contribute to even more exciting customer experiences in the future. We look forward to replicating the breathtaking performances under the Cirque du Soleil Big Top in our own operations behind the scenes.

Cirque du Soleil is delighted to be partnering with industry leader, DHL, as our official global logistics partner, said Finn Taylor, Senior Vice President, Touring Shows, Cirque du Soleil. This is a fantastic alliance for us, marrying two beloved brands known for their commitment to excellence in their respective fields. With a global touring operation spanning over 150 locations across more than 6 continents, logistics is critical to the success of Cirque du Soleil. In announcing DHL as our worldwide Official Logistics Partner, we are delighted to have this opportunity to work with another global brand that shares our commitment to excellent quality. We look forward to integrating DHL's services into our supply chain and to introducing the Cirque du Soleil experience to new audiences and markets together.

The main logistics requirements of Cirque du Soleil consist of the set-up and tear down of shows and transfers between tour venues, including the use of air, sea and land transport and customs clearance services. A single Big Top show can involve the movement of up to 80 freight containers. The Canadian based entertainment company also has a range of standard supply chain requirements within its day-to-day business operations, including small package shipping, warehouse management and merchandise distribution.

A total audience of 15 million people is expected to attend any of the 19 Cirque du Soleil shows around the world in 2014.