AI Boom Lifts Nippon Express Air Cargo 8.3% as Semiconductor Demand Surges

Nippon Express delivered strong third-quarter results buoyed by surging global demand for semiconductors and AI-related equipment, with air forwarding volumes rising year-on-year and company-wide revenues climbing 11.8% to ¥711.4bn. The logistics giant capitalized on the global AI investment wave, with semiconductor-related shipments and manufacturing equipment transport providing the primary growth engine, though this momentum was partially offset by a decline in e-commerce cargo following the EU's elimination of the de minimis exemption for low-value parcels.

The company's strategic positioning is further strengthened by its recent acquisition of Metro Supply Chain Group in Canada and a new transport partnership with Japan Airlines targeting intra-Asia and North America-Asia routes specifically for AI and semiconductor goods. These moves reflect how logistics providers are actively restructuring networks and capabilities to capture high-margin technology shipments, signaling a structural shift in freight demand patterns rather than a temporary cyclical uptick.

For supply chain professionals, this development underscores the need to reassess carrier capacity planning, air freight budgeting, and regional logistics strategies given the sustained nature of AI-driven demand. The shift also reveals vulnerability in legacy e-commerce routes while highlighting the strategic importance of semiconductor transport capabilities in competitive positioning.