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Tag: parcels

DHL green-lights cargo drone deliveries

Posted on by Keith McKinley

International express service provider DHL Express, and Pen Aviation, an industry-leading ecosystem provider for Unmanned Automated Solutions (UAS), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to commercialise time-critical goods deliveries with unmanned aerial vehicles, leveraging PEN UAS-based solutions. This initiative is in partnership with Raya Airways as the cargo drone operator.

DHL will participate in a Proof of Commercialisation (POC) by the end of 2021 to demonstrate the commercial viability of time-critical cargo drone delivery for port logistics missions, focusing on the maritime industry. The POC will undertake first- to last-mile port logistics missions jointly conducted by DHL, Pen Aviation, and Raya Airways. The POC will specifically demonstrate the cost and time optimisation of a fleet of drones to streamline port logistics, and distribution activities for goods at commercial ports. PEN55V, Pen Aviation’s medium-size cargo drone, will pick up and drop off packages weighing up to 12kg from the cargo ship deck to the port and vice versa, both in the day and at night.

“Cargo drones will be the next generation of transportation in logistics. This POC comes in the wake of the recent 12th Malaysian Plan announcement where the Government of Malaysia highlighted the importance of seamless connectivity and reliability in transport and logistics,” said Julian Neo, Managing Director, DHL Express Malaysia & Brunei. “The use of drone technology will enable us to reach rural communities especially in East Malaysia, where critical items such as vaccines, medicines, and medical devices are needed while allowing us to fulfil our purpose of Connecting People and Improving Lives.”

Under this agreement, DHL and Pen Aviation will work together to certify and utilise the PEN55V to move shipments to seaports over long distances. The long-term goal is to set up a mixed fleet of PEN55V and PEN1360V, Pen Aviation’s heavy-size cargo drones designed and manufactured in partnership with Cavok-UAS.

Jean-Bernard Boura, Managing Director and Founder of Pen Aviation, said: “We decided to tackle every single pain point that hinders unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based businesses today, starting with UAV designs that can meet aviation certification standards. But above and beyond the UAV design, we are excited to confront our overall ecosystem to DHL demanding cargo environment and demonstrate our business enabling logistics solutions, whatever the mile, whatever the mode of transportation.”

For the same payload capability, the PEN55V micro turbine requires three times less energy to fly than battery powered UAVs and does not cause any pollution challenges related to battery manufacturing, charge, and recycling. In line with Deutsche Post DHL Group’s aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 (“Mission 2050”), this solution provided by PEN UAS supports our drive toward clean operations for climate protection.

This initiative will be performed in compliance with the Civil Aviation Directive CAD 6011, a regulation by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia which allows the development of unmanned aircraft technologies. The POC will demonstrate Pen Aviation’s ecosystem superiority to successfully deliver high-volume automated logistics operations with a 24/7 UAV-based freight service.

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Trans UK Logistics opens new London depot

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Trans UK Logistics, part of The APC delivery network has opened a new operational parcel depot at Astbury Business Park in South London. The opening comes following significant growth for the business – having recorded a 42% year-on-year growth in deliveries – spurred by a continued surge in online shopping across London.

The new depot provides 10,000 sq ft of premium warehouse space – an increase of 4,000 sq ft compared with the previous site – as well as 18,000 sq ft of privately gated yard space. This additional space will allow the company to expand its Overnight, Sameday and International parcel collection and delivery service offerings to local businesses across the SE1, SE3-27 and SW2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 16 postcodes.

Additionally, the increased space will allow Trans UK Logistics to offer storage, pick and pack, and fulfilment facilities, supporting growth of these local businesses, and through the nationwide coverage of The APC delivery network, enabling them to reach an ever expanding national customer base.

Richard Woods (pictured on right of image), Managing Director at Trans UK Logistics, said: “When we took over the business back in 2019, we never anticipated that we would quickly grow to become one of the top delivery depots within The APC network. All of our staff have worked relentlessly to support this growth, and that of our customers. Despite the challenges faced through the pandemic, we’re proud to see that so many of our SME customers across the local area have thrived and really proven their resilience and entrepreneurialism.

“We know how important it is for our customers to have us at their side at every step of the delivery process, especially as they’ve had to adapt and evolve in recent months. We want to contribute positively to local businesses, providing them with improved service options through our new depot, and doing the hard work when it comes to the delivery process, so they can concentrate on their own growth and success.”

Today, Trans UK Logistics has an employed workforce of over 25 across the business and is currently recruiting for staff across customer service and warehouse roles, as well as drivers, to support continued demand from the region’s thriving SME community.

Across the region, Trans UK Logistics’ top 20 customers have achieved an average year-on-year growth of 52%. Among these customers, the food and drink sector has shown the most significant growth as consumers have found new ways of sourcing products they depend on through the pandemic, and in turn many SMEs have quickly adapted their business models to meet these demands.

One example of this is local business, North and South Wines, which supplies premium wines for restaurants and retailers throughout the UK. Following the restrictions placed on the hospitality sector during last year’s lockdown, North and South Wines quickly adapted its business model and increased its online presence to support changes in consumer shopping habits.

As a result of this agility, the business saw a surge in orders from an average of just 200 consignments a month to over 2,000 consignments a month. The success of this investment in ecommerce has meant the business continues to grow even as lockdown measures have been lifted, and thanks to the delivery service provided by Trans UK Logistics, the business now supplies a growing customer base across the region and the rest of the UK.

Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive at APC Overnight, said: “The strength and resilience of the UK’s SMEs throughout the pandemic has really shone through across The APC network. Even now, as the final lockdown restrictions are lifted, we are still seeing high demand for delivery services. Shopping habits have changed, with consumers continuing to shop online and businesses consequently still relying on carriers to get these items delivered.

“The ongoing dedication and hard work of our colleagues at Trans UK Logistics will be key to supporting this, ensuring that the needs of customers are recognised, and working closely with them to ensure those needs are met.”

Public heavily in favour of sustainable e-commerce

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Two-thirds of UK consumers now believe the Government should crack down on online delivery CO2 emissions and force online retailers to invest in more sustainable options, a new survey has found.

Seven out of 10 consumers also believe a trustmark could help to ensure CO2 emissions on deliveries are made available to the public. A trustmark could either showcase whether an online retailer is actively reducing or compensating emissions, or could ultimately calculate the emissions per parcel.

Separate research from the World Economic Forum shows delivery emissions could be reduced by as much as 30% by 2030 if the public and private sector works together to prioritise the issue.

The survey, commissioned by e-commerce shipping platform Sendcloud, found a whopping 62% would even opt for alternatives to home delivery if a retailer provided emissions information at checkout, such as choosing to pick-up at a parcel locker compared to home delivery.

Retailers can easily meet this demand by offering a sustainable option alongside existing delivery options and highlighting it with a special icon. A next step could be to pre-select the green delivery option, as previous research shows that the amount of consumers that choose green delivery triples when it is chosen by default.

Luckily retailers don’t have to foot the bill alone, as 8 out of 10 consumers are willing to pay extra for green delivery options.

46% would be open to paying £1 or more on every parcel ordered, representing a significant investment in green delivery from the 2.8 billion UK parcels shipped during the 2019/2020 fiscal year.

“Consumers want more sustainable delivery options, but they also want to see the full effects of their purchases on the environment,” says Rob van den Heuvel, CEO and co-founder at Sendcloud. “Even though governmental action can help to accelerate the greenification of deliveries, there is still a lot retailers and consumers can do themselves.

“Providing information about CO2 emissions and/or pre-ticking the most sustainable choice as the default encourages consumers to choose the most sustainable delivery option at checkout. Even something as simple as a sustainability icon or compensating emissions by planting trees can go a long way in persuading consumers to go green.

“Retailers can do their own part now by communicating clearly to their customers and promoting the impact of their efforts. Retailers need to consciously encourage consumers by giving them the choice to go green and choose clean.”

EURODIS awards top performer prizes

Posted on by David Priestman

EURODIS, the fast growing international network for joint transport of parcels and pallets, has awarded the prizes of its annual competitions in an online ceremony for the first time. The top performers in terms of operational quality, customer service and sales in 2020 were the German member trans-o-flex Express, the Italian member SDA Express Courier and the Romanian member FAN Courier Express.

The award ceremony was integrated into the annual membership convention, which took place entirely online. More than 130 participants of the network, which is operating in 36 European countries, took part in order to find out about latest projects from EURODIS and its members, listen to customer voices and discuss with the Supervisory Board.

According to Jens Reibold, Managing Director of EURODIS GmbH, the network has outperformed the market again. “In the first half of 2021 we saw a volume increase of around 27%.”

Compared to 2020, when EURODIS increased volumes by 15%, the network nearly doubled the growth rate. “The reason for this huge acceleration was the same as in 2020: growth was mainly driven by additional B2C shipments.” EURODIS customers now send every third shipment to private addresses.

Referring to the awards of the annual competition, Reibold adds: “They are an important part of our quality management and moreover an ideal motivation and acknowledgement for the performance of the respective teams.”

For the fifth time in a row the prize for best quality went to German EURODIS member trans-o-flex Express. The most important criteria for this quality ranking are delivery lead time, status information, data transmission and proof of delivery (POD). These key operational data are measured and analysed daily, in order to continuously steer and improve processes.

Key criteria for the competition on best customer service, which was won by Italian SDA Express Courier, are how fast and how well members answer requests. “Customer satisfaction is our main focus and a fast and reliable customer service is key to ensure further growth in the network,” Reibold adds.

In the sales competition the EURODIS members compete with proven sales concepts and success stories. This category was won by FAN Courier Express. “The idea behind is as easy as effective,” comments Reibold: “Best practice learning! Especially in a cooperative network like EURODIS you needn’t reinvent the wheel again and again. Moreover, we are prompting our members to learn from each other. We encourage them to copy the best solutions and adopt them for their country.”

Kite Packaging extends its hivewrap range

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In addition to its original natural brown colour option, hivewrap from Kite Packaging is now available in a bright, modern white tone.

Hivewrap is the environmental innovation providing an alternative to bubble wrap, supplying superior flexibility, space-saving expandability and 100% recyclability. Comprised of honeycomb-inspired hexagonal cells, the clever construction requires neither glue nor tape to adhere, simply interlocking into itself for a secure fit.

Available with a specially designed dispenser, hivewrap enhances the speed, effectivity and green credentials of an entire enterprise.

Plastic-free and fully biodegradable, this wrap has traditionally only been available in a natural kraft shade to reflect these values of sustainability. However, the brand-new crisp white radiates a sense of purity, cleanliness and is perfectly suited to packaging luxurious premium products such as cosmetics, homeware or glassware.

The extremely flexible hive construction gives an intricate yet elegant appeal to the snow-white paper, cultivating a unique customer experience that goes above expectations. Match perfectly with Kite’s selection of pristine white postal boxes.

Sustainable paper wrap is also an incredibly economic investment when compared to bubble wrap. Using the same amount of both products to wrap the same volume of items equates to a 35% cost saving and 20x less space required in a warehouse. When considering storage and logistics, this degree of space conservation can directly translate to more potential for custom and growth for a business.

Smurfit Kappa invests €20m in Czechia and Slovakia

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Smurfit Kappa is substantially expanding its converting capacity at four manufacturing plants across Czechia and Slovakia with a significant €20m investment. The investment further highlights Smurfit Kappa’s commitment to its customers and operations in Eastern Europe.

The investment consists of four major projects, three undertaken in Czechia, at Smurfit Kappa facilities in Žebrák, Žimrovice, and Olomouc, and one in Slovakia at Smurfit Kappa Štúrovo. All four projects are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Commenting on the announcement, Edwin Goffard, COO of Smurfit Kappa Europe Corrugated, said: “This significant investment by Smurfit Kappa marks a commitment in further developing our presence in Eastern Europe. From both a product and geographical perspective, Smurfit Kappa Czech Republic and Slovakia are excellently positioned to serve an evolving and ever-growing market, and this investment will support further growth of the business.”

The investment will see the installation of new converting equipment which will increase capacity by over 100 million regular and offset printed boxes per annum. The new state-of-the art equipment will enable the plants to meet their respective increasing customer demand for sustainable, paper-based packaging, and to deliver high quality packaging solutions on a consistent basis. The investment also adds the opportunity to bring the employees an even safer and more ergonomic workplace.

Zdenek Suchitra, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Czech Republic and Slovakia said: “We are delighted to see the continued growth and success of our customers here in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. This new investment ensures we are excellently equipped to satisfy a wide variety of customer needs and to continue delivering our high quality solutions, as well as best-in-class efficiency, to the market.”

Survey: e-commerce consumers have high delivery expectations

Posted on by Keith McKinley

GreyOrange, a global software provider that leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and smart robots to optimise fulfilment operations, has revealed the results of a new survey which shows that almost half (45%) of consumers across EMEA expect online orders to be delivered within two days.

The survey, which polled 1,500 consumers from the U.K. and Benelux, found that the pandemic has accelerated consumers’ demand for immediacy when it comes to delivery options, and that poor and slow delivery options are impacting their choice of retailer. Almost half (49%) of the respondents agree that shipping and delivery options are factors they consider when making a purchasing decision, with the 45% claiming they expect their order to arrive within two days.

More than half of the consumers (57%) stated that three late orders would be enough to put them off purchasing from the same retailer again. Yet, despite this 22% of consumers stated that up to three-quarters of their online orders were delivered late last year.

With four-in-five (79%) consumers shifting the majority of their shopping to online during the pandemic, and almost half (45%) claiming they expect to keep their shopping online post-pandemic, these findings emphasise the importance of fast and efficient fulfilment as retailers look to kickstart their post-pandemic survival.

Terrie O’Hanlon, Chief Marketing Officer GreyOrange, said: “These survey results emphasise the importance of fast and efficient fulfilment operations. Consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to making a purchase, with an abundance of different retailers all able to deliver to them the same, or similar, products.

“This means offering a strong customer experience, which includes delivery options that meet the customer’s expectation, is an even more important factor for retailers to consider as they look to retain current customers and attract new ones.”

“Retailers need to have a resilient and agile fulfilment operation in place that enables them to pivot seamlessly between channels to meet consumer demand – whether that be in-store, online, or a mix with buy-online, pick-up in-store or at-curb or at-locker. Without this, the data suggests retailers will be simply be left behind,” O’Hanlon added.

Many couriers and delivery drivers feel unsafe

Posted on by David Priestman

One in five (20%) home delivery professionals have been attacked or threatened by members of the public, while over a third (35%) feel at risk while they are out working alone, especially at night or when in isolated locations. These are the key findings of a survey conducted by lone worker protection specialist Peoplesafe that was completed by over 500 UK couriers and delivery drivers.

“These are hugely alarming statistics that highlight the dangers faced by home delivery operatives every day,” explains Naz Dossa, CEO of Peoplesafe. “These essential workers, who play such an important role within the UK’s supply chain – particularly throughout the pandemic and national lockdowns – deserve peace of mind that they are safe from any threat when they are working, but should the worst happen, someone is on hand to come to their aid.”

More than 20% of respondents are taking conscious steps to protect themselves while they are out on their delivery routes. Although most are relying on common sense to stay safe – locking doors, being aware of surroundings, varying routines and keeping in touch with people – others are using some form of safety equipment, such as mobile, alarm or camera devices.

“There is significant anecdotal evidence that suggests that couriers and delivery drivers have faced growing threats during the COVID pandemic, with well documented examples of hijackings, attempted thefts and road rage incidents. With this added risk they are feeling increasingly vulnerable when they are out making deliveries, so it is important that they have access to appropriate personal safety and smart PPE solutions,” concludes Dossa.

Peoplesafe is the market-leading lone worker service, trusted by over 2,500 organisations in the UK to protect their at-risk employees. The company’s solution provides drivers with peace of mind that support is on-hand if they are attacked, threatened or injured, whether they are inside or outside of the vehicle. On average, raised alerts are answered by a controller at Its 24/7 Alarm Receiving Centre in under six seconds.

DPD and ASOS launch clothing donations initiative

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DPD, which says it is the UK’s most sustainable delivery company, and ASOS, one of the world’s leading online fashion retailers, has announced a new circular economy initiative that will see DPD collect pre-loved clothing donations from ASOS customers’ doorsteps and deliver them to one of five leading UK charities, free of charge.

DPD’s ReLove service launched on 15th April 2021 to coincide with charity shops reopening in England and Wales. From that date, ASOS customers expecting a DPD delivery are able to use the YourDPD app to select the option to donate pre-loved clothing to one of five charities: Scope, Marie Curie, British Heart Foundation, British Red Cross or The Children’s Society.

DPD will then collect the pre-loved consignment at the same time as making the ASOS delivery.  Customers will be encouraged to re-use DPD or ASOS packaging and can either hand the package to their DPD driver or leave it for collection in their ‘safe place’.

The driver will check the packaging and take it back to the depot, where DPD will label it and deliver it to the selected charity, who can then sell it to raise money for their cause.

Donating garments to charity is currently one of the more responsible ways that consumers can dispose of pre-loved clothing in the UK, as charities sort through products to resell those that are ready for a second home and recycle any that aren’t fit for resale.

With no infrastructure or systems in place in the UK for households to recycle textiles themselves, an estimated 350,000 tonnes of clothing is sent to landfill each year in the UK, potentially worth around £140m. The ReLove initiative will support both customers and charities in diverting clothing from landfill in a simple and convenient way.

Olly Craughan, DPD’s Head of CSR, commented: “DPD leads the way on sustainability in the delivery space and I’m incredibly proud of the team for getting behind initiatives like this. We are continuing to invest in the decarbonisation of our fleet, but the challenge is about much more than just buying electric vehicles. We want to go a lot further. It is about pushing ourselves to look at every aspect of our operation to find the green alternative and the smarter way of doing things.

“ReLove is another way for us to help cut carbon emissions, reduce waste and raise money for charities at the same time.  It is also great to team up with ASOS on another really smart solution for their customers. We’re already delivering to these addresses, so it means one less trip and less miles travelled overall. The DPD app now has over 9 million users, and it has become a really powerful tool for us. It plays a key role in helping us deliver a fantastic service for customers and it is driving innovation like this.”

Patrik Silén, Chief Strategy Officer at ASOS, said: “Our focus has always been on providing our customers with an outstanding retail experience, and a key element of that is giving them opportunities to shop with us more responsibly. We know that our customers are very active in donating their pre-loved clothing and that they see it as a great way of keeping products in use and out of landfill, so partnering with DPD on the ReLove initiative is a natural fit for us. We’re proud to be joining forces with the team to drive sustainable solutions and look forward to seeing our customers’ response over the coming weeks.”

Hermes extends PostTag remit

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Hermes, the consumer delivery specialist, has extended its remit with PostTag, the last mile delivery technology company, to cover its business fully end to end. It follows a successful initial 6-month partnership which has seen PostTag support Hermes in maintaining its high first-time delivery rate, despite a huge upturn in volumes as a result of the pandemic.

The new deal means that every part of the business and all Hermes’ customers will now benefit from the PostTag technology which checks, verifies and locates precise addresses, as an order is placed. This is done without any additional requirements or inputs, providing valuable and invisible support. Benefits include an increase in first time delivery rates even for hard-to-find locations.

Chris Ashworth, CIO at Hermes UK, said: “Since the start of the pandemic we have experienced a huge increase in parcel volumes and have invested in technology to help support our couriers in achieving safe and efficient deliveries. The PostTag platform is one of the steps we have taken, and we have seen over 600 million address verification enquiries using their technology. Based on this we have taken the decision to broaden their scope and deliver similar benefits across the business and for our customers sending parcels through our network.”

Paul Yewman, CEO, PostTag, said: “Hermes is just one of a number of the companies now reaping the benefits of our unique address technology. PostTag checks addresses across multiple data bases, behind the scenes, to ensure drivers get to the right delivery address, first time, without wasting time. The fact that our contract has been extended with an increased scope is testament to the success of this relationship and our solution.”

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