German parcels carrier Hermes Logistik Group and TNT Express are set to launch their strategiccooperation in Germany within the next few weeks. Hermes is also progressing on creating a European
B2C delivery network and plans to start selling parcel transport to European destinations inSeptember.Announcing their strategic parcels alliance last December, the two companies said that theywould cooperate in several areas of production, with TNT using Hermes’ domestic linehaul networkand Hermes using TNT’s hub capacity and offering TNT express services through its network of 11,000PaketShops.
Hermes managing director Hanjo Schneider told a German CEP conference in Bonn this week that TNTwould start to transport domestic volumes on Hermes’ linehaul trucks from the end of April. Themain TNT hub in Germany at Wiesbaden would be integrated into the Hermes network on June 1. The twocompanies had concluded after one year of discussions and analysis that there were synergies andadvantages for both sides by cooperating in the production of express and parcel delivery, henoted.
On Hermes’ plans for European expansion, Schneider said the British parcels carrier Parcelnetand France’s Mondial would be integrated into the Hermes group. All three parcels firms aresubsidiaries of Germany’s Otto group, which is one of Europe’s largest mail-order companies. “Theygive us a good opportunity to build the first European B2C network,” Schneider stated. Hermes isalso in talks with other carriers, including TNT, about other markets, he added.
Hermes would start to sell European parcel deliveries through its Parcel Shop network inSeptember, Schneider said. “We will have a very attractive product for Europe through our ParcelShops.”
The European B2C market, with an estimated 1.5 billion shipments per year, essentially comprisedGermany, the UK and France with about 70% of volumes, he pointed out. An overwhelming 90% of themarket was domestic with the remainder, about 150 million shipments as cross-border items, hesaid.
