Itella launch 'ParcelXchange' in Estonia

'Hot on the Heels' of the recent successful launch of the ParcelXchange in Helsinki, Finland; Itella, the leading Express and Parcels business has installed another modular system, this time in Tallinn, Estonia – developed and supplied by Business Direct's Global Licensing division. The first of the Estonian network of 'ParcelXchanges' is sited in it's capital Tallinn, in a busy hypermarket called RIMI based in Haabersti.
Customer focussed, Itella researched customers and consumer requirements for delivery options in the distance selling market and quickly identified customer demand for greater levels of convenience, security and flexibility, to collect parcels and accept deliveries whenever, and wherever they require and in the shortest time possible. The 'ParcelXchange' with its leading edge 'SoftLocker' IT and ATM style technology, was identified as the 'delivery solution of the future' and the way forward for 'flexible unattended delivery solutions'.
The 'ParcelXchange' technology and its' capabilities, ensure that Itella remain at the forefront of logistic service and postal solutions, whilst fulfilling their customers needs', identified in recent research. (Itella, CEP-Research).
Typically, an automatic parcel terminal has 50-100 parcel lockers, the size of which can be altered according to demand and traffic profile. The customer receives an SMS on their personal cell/mobile phone" informing them of their parcel delivery, the location of the locker and the code with which the locker in the automated parcel terminal can be opened. The safety and usability of the terminal's interface corresponds to that of an automatic teller machine and the terminals are usually located along consumers' daily routes, for example in shopping centres and at traffic junctions.
Customers benefit from delivery security and consumer benefits from collection flexibility with the capability to collect parcels at their convenience, 24/7 if required. Alongside this, the technology provided in the modular format ParcelXchange provides Itella with the capability and flexibility to optimise and upscale the network simply by growing the size of the exchange with more columns, or larger lockers as the increase in demand for the service arises. Additional benefits include, greater consolidation of delivery costs, with of course zero delivery failures as the service is not dependent on a recipient/consumer being available at home to accept the parcel.
Aku Happo, Director of Itella's Express and Parcel Business explained "As a market leader of parcel and postal services across Europe, research to increase our service offerings and options is very important, we want to constantly develop and add value to our services, not only to meet current, but also to support future demand. We have identified that the affects, for example, in the growth in online shopping, changes in consumers' shopping behaviour and a pressing pace of life has indicated that our customers have expressed their desire for new and flexible ways to receive parcels.
He goes on to say, "In the future, consumers can choose to pick up a parcel from an automated parcel terminal, it is important to site the ParcelXchange on a route which is 'convenient' for our already busy customers i.e. on the way to their place of work or in a busy shopping outlet like the one in RIMI, at a time that suits them, even at night if they wish, or they can still use our other more traditional service options such as picking up from the post office; or delivery to their home."
Tim Houstoun, Managing Director of Business Direct's Global Licensing division said, "From a commercial view point, the modular nature of 'ParcelXchange', provides Itella with all the 'flexibility and capability' benefits to continually up-scale and optimises their network, whilst consolidation their delivery costs and increasing their first time delivery success rate to 100%. We will continue to work closely with Itella in the future on other areas of their 'network solution' requirements to build on their delivery supply chain success for the 'final mile' solution."