French company Quadient has announced that it is working with leading logistics firm DHL in Sweden to roll out a “significant number” of Quadient’s smart parcel lockers in outdoor locations across the country in 2022.
According to the two companies, the strategic partnership will help them reach their common goals of providing “better and more sustainable delivery services” to businesses and customers. For Quadient, the agreement further strengthens its investment in the Nordic region and is another step towards its goal of becoming “the largest global supplier of smart parcel lockers to carriers and retailers globally,” noted Niklas Lundén, VP Sales and Operations Nordics.
Although no specific numbers were given, it was revealed that the lockers will be Quadient’s Parcel Pending range, which provides a contactless, durable, weatherproof, and versatile locker solution. According to Quadient, package pick-up takes seconds, and lockers can be accessed 24/7.
The lockers feature cloud-based software enabling users to track parcels and notify recipients of delivery in real-time. The software also provides business intelligence reporting capabilities that gives visibility into locker use, turnover rate, and other key data points.
Managing Director of DHL e-Commerce Solutions, Jonas Lindell, said: “The partnership with Quadient is completely in line with DHL’s strategy, offering greater flexibility for both customers and e-retailers. With a wider range of parcel lockers, we get closer to our customers and can in a simpler way be proactive in building up our delivery network. Quadient’s solution also meets the strong demand we have on user-friendliness and simplicity in our customer interfaces.”
Network growth
The DHL partnership follows a strong 2021 for Quadient with the company announcing in January that its smart parcel locker network had reached 15,100 units globally. In its fiscal third quarter alone (ending October 31, 2021), the company deployed more than 600 new parcel locker units.
In February the company further expanded its network thanks to a new contract with Canada Post Group’s express parcels operator Purolator. Purolator added 20 new smart lockers from Quadient as it looks to enhance customer experience and meet increased package delivery demands.
Lundén concluded: “Our smart parcel locker solutions have leading and safe technology, they are robust and built to endure the Nordic climate well. Our software is based on an open network solution, where any carrier or retailer can deliver packages into the same device, which is something we know will become an essential feature in the very near future.”
