DHL Parcel opens 5,000th Packstation locker in Germany

DHL opened its 5,000th Packstation in Germany this week as it continues to expand its nationwide network of parcel lockers as part of its multi-year digitisation programme.

The 5,000th parcel locker was put into operation on the premises of the University Clinic in Düsseldorf. Customers can now pick up and send their parcels through the locker, which comprises 12 modules with 101 compartments.

The Mayor of Düsseldorf, Thomas Geisel, the Commercial Director of the University Clinic, Ekkehard Zimmer, and Holger Bartels, Head of Multichannel Sales for Deutsche Post DHL’s Post & Paket Deutschland division officially inaugurated the new station. There are already over 40 Packstations in Düsseldorf.

The expansion of the locker network and the development of further automated solutions is part of a multi-year digitization program that the Deutsche Post DHL Group presented in March this year. The company is investing extensively in new digital services and substantial improvements to existing solutions in the mail and parcel area.

Geisel explained: "The Packstation is a very useful invention, especially in times of the corona pandemic. The contact between parcel carrier and recipient becomes superfluous and a possible source of infection is eliminated. At the same time, the Packstation is a great delivery alternative, especially for working people.”

Zimmer added: "Especially in these difficult times it is a great help for hospital staff if they can send and receive parcels close to the workplace.”

Bartels further commented: “In times of steadily growing online trade, e-commerce has become increasingly omnipresent in people’s daily lives. Therefore, the Packstation has proved to be a particularly popular and secure form of contactless sending and receiving of parcels even in the current corona crisis.” 

According to the DHL manager, an unusually large number of new customers have registered to use Packstations since the beginning of the corona crisis in March 2020. Customers are using the option of sending returns and pre-franked shipments contactlessly via the Packstation, in particular.

Bartels also emphasised that DHL is adhering to the plan to install around 7,000 DHL Packstations nationwide by the beginning of 2021.