Finnish retailers launch parcel lockers with integrated cold storage
Parcel service Smartmile, Konecranes Agilon and K Group, one of the largest retail chains in Finland have launched robotic parcel machines which combine storage at room and refrigerator temperatures.
The service is active in two locations in Finland. The parcel machine allows customers to pick up their groceries and their online orders from one pick up point at any time of the day.
With this innovative solution customers can pick up their groceries and all their other parcels around the clock as the robotic parcel machines are installed outside for easy access. Consumers can order their weekly groceries to the parcel machine by using the K Group’s application for online grocery orders. When the order has been placed the groceries are collected and inserted to the parcel machine by the store personnel. The parcel machines are installed in two K-stores in Finland; in K-Supermarket Pajala, Järvenpää and in K-Supermarket Hämeenkylä, Vantaa.
The solution has been created through the collaboration of three companies; an international growth company Smartmile that offers an innovative parcel service, a world-leading group of lifting businesses Konecranes, and one of the largest retail chains in Finland, K Group.
With Smartmile customers can pick up, return, and send all their parcels from one location. Smartmile’s cloud-based software platform connects parcel machines of any type to any online buyer, courier and retailer.
“We wanted to revolutionise customer experience by making daily shopping as easy and convenient as possible. Together with our partners we created a solution that combines daily grocery shopping and picking up online orders. This saves the customers’ time and makes everyday life easier,” says Aku Happo, the CEO of Smartmile.
Based on a completely new solution developed by Konecranes, groceries and parcels are stored in closed, temperature-controlled compartments until pick up. Frozen products are packed into packages that maintain the freezer temperature. When customers pick up their purchases, the robot working inside the system delivers groceries and all other parcels to a pick-up point that fulfils all accessibility requirements.
“We regard automating online grocery shopping as an attractive and constantly growing sector. We would like to thank K Group, retailers and Smartmile for their seamless cooperation, resulting in a completely new automated parcel machine that combines room-temperature and refrigerated compartments,” says Tapani Tilus, vice president and head of the Agilon business at Konecranes.
“Purchasing groceries online has increased in popularity in Finland recently; more and more consumers want to ease their everyday life by purchasing their weekly groceries online. At the same time all e-commerce is growing and new, different types of pick up solutions are introduced to the market. This robotic parcel machine with a cold storage space is a great example of innovation that eases shopping as it allows consumers to pick up all their parcels from one pick up point,” says Petri Toivonen, Service Director at K Group.
