Swedish parcel locker firm Instabox aims to ‘disrupt’ German giants

Fast-growing Swedish company Instabox aims to challenge the likes of DHL, DPD, GLS, Hermes and UPS in the German market with “fossil-free and lightning-quick” deliveries to parcel lockers and homes.

Instabox will launch services in Germany early this year, claiming that its combination of ‘smart automated’ parcel lockers, ‘green’ home deliveries, and a plan for rapid expansion, will make it ‘a true disruptor in the market’.

The Swedish firm will initially operate in the wider Berlin area, Hamburg, and the North Rhine-Westphalia region. The first terminals will be located in Berlin and Dusseldorf, and the company plans to roll out parcel lockers at convenient locations in more cities across the country very quickly during 2022 to ensure a broader geographical coverage.

Sustainable deliveries

Alexis Priftis, founder and CEO of Instabox, declared: “Launching in Germany is a major step for Instabox. The way we combine environmental consciousness with an effortless and speedy customer experience is something completely new on the parcel delivery market.”

He stressed: “Germany is a great fit for us. There are cultural and geographical proximities we can benefit from. People in Germany share our passion for sustainability, and our service in Germany will be 100 percent fossil-free which will be unique in the market. The E-commerce industry is steadily growing, but in terms of delivery options, customers have been offered the long waiting time and home deliveries during day time that traditional players offer.”

He continued: “We look forward to bringing something new to the market. We already have several contracts in place with leading online retailers in Germany, and I’m sure that our service will be appreciated by merchants, location partners, and consumers alike”.

Lockers and bikes

Germany will be the company’s latest geographical expansion following its move into the Netherlands in early 2021 when it acquired specialist delivery company Red je Pakketje. This firm will be re-branded as Instabox during January and a large-scale parcel locker rollout will be launched.

Instabox currently serves millions of customers across Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands through either delivery to one of its 3,000 smart automated parcel lockers or via home delivery using environmentally friendly vehicles or bikes. Big name e-commerce retail clients include Amazon, H&M, Ikea and De Bijenkorf.