04-09-2017
An Post’s pursuit of the growing e-commerce and parcels business took a further step forward this week with a new partnership with global logistics company DHL. Ireland has become the latest country to join the DHL Parcel Europe network as An Post signed a deal to become DHL’s latest cross-border e-commerce partner.
Garrett Bridgeman who heads An Post’s Parcels division says ‘’Our new partnership with DHL gives us access to the DHL European network and strengthens our links to this growing e-commerce marketplace. The partnership demonstrates our strategy of refocusing our parcels business and aggressively pursuing new Irish and International e-commerce business.’’
‘’DHL chose us as partners because we are the best in the business. Our reach and our network cannot be beaten. The service enhancements we recently introduced such as Saturday, evening deliveries, and secure location drop marked An Post apart as the best option for parcel customers in this country’’, he says.
Jürgen Gerdes, CEO Post - eCommerce - Parcel at Deutsche Post DHL Group says “We believe in the European idea and we are aware that people in Europe are longing for community. United Shipping States of Europe are more than just a new logistics network. They contribute to creating a greater sense of community among European citizens.”
Around six billion e-commerce parcels are being shipped within Europe each year, with Germany, France and the UK being the largest e-commerce markets. According to Eurostat, 55 percent of Internet users in Europe already shop online, but only 32 percent of them do so outside of their country.
An Post estimates that the new partnership will soon be responsible for nearly a million parcels coming into this country.
Ireland joins 26 other countries as part of the DHL Parcel Europe network. The network now comprises the UK, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria alongside Ireland.
Source: An Post