German parcel carriers DPD and Hermes are planning an in-depth partnership to offer a wide range ofinternational express, parcel and logistics services in competition to DHL and other market
leaders. Results from their ongoing talks are expected by mid-2009.The two companies, which already cooperate in some areas, announced in a joint statement thatthe objective of a potential partnership would be to offer a “complete solution for all logisticsrequirements”. The ongoing talks focus on offering combined B2B and B2C services and sharing theirinternational transportation networks and logistics infrastructure on a cooperative basis.
“As a service provider with a clear focus on the B2B segment, we look forward from a deepercooperation to cost advantages and in particular to added value for customers that is not currentlyavailable on the market. The products and strengths of our companies complement each other in manyareas,” said Arnold Schroven, CEO of DPD Dynamic Parcel Distribution GmbH & Co. KG.
“We have cooperated very successfully with DPD in various areas for many years,” added HanjoSchneider, CEO of the Hermes Europe Holding. “We are now examining how we can coordinate ourservices better to each other in order to offer customers integrated B2C and B2B shipping solutionsfrom one source, and so meet the market requirements even better.”
DPD, majority-owned by GeoPost, the express holding of La Poste, is one of the leadingEuropean B2B parcel delivery operators and B2B market leader in Germany. DPD carries about twomillion parcels daily through an international network comprising more than 22,000 employees,15,000 vehicles and 500 depots in more than 40 countries. DPD Germany has 7,500 staff, 7,000vehicles and 74 depots.
Hermes, a subsidiary of Germany’s Otto Group, is the main B2C competitor to DHL in Germany,has a network of 13,700 “parcel shops” and offers additional “consumer logistics” services. Ittransported 246 million shipments and generated turnover of €1,041 million in 2007. It is alsopresent in the UK, France, Austria and Italy through sister companies and subsidiaries, andgenerated overall revenues of €1,500 million last year.
