DPDGroup takes full control of wnDirect
DPDgroup, the parcel delivery network of GeoPost, has taken full control of the e- commerce parcels company, wnDirect.
DPDgroup has been a shareholder in wnDirect for a number of years and has worked in partnership with wnDirect’s owner and founder, Stuart Hill. The new arrangement came into effect on 30 December.
wnDirect works with DPDgroup businesses in Europe, and provides the network solution to power the export product ‘DPD Direct’.
In the last five years, wnDirect has increased revenues by almost a multiple of five and saw a 60% year-on-year increase in volumes in 2016.
In a statement sent to Post&Parcel today (4 January), DPDgroup said that in the past few years it has added new e-commerce services which have led to a “dramatic increase in B2C volumes coming in to Europe, especially from the USA and from China” – and it is “against this backdrop of international growth that the Group has decided to bring these activities closer together”. Taking full control of wnDirect is part of this strategy.
“The consolidated group will have the scale and infrastructure to be able to expedite their development plans focusing on areas which have been highlighted as important by their customers,” said DPDgroup.
The two teams of wnDirect and DPDgroup Global Solutions in Paris are now led by Simon Batt, who is CEO of wnDirect in addition to continuing to lead the Global Solutions team of DPDgroup in Paris.
Batt commented: “I’m very excited to have this opportunity to pull together two great teams and to continue to develop market leading solutions to enable our customers’ international cross border strategies. To be able to harness the innovation, technology and spirit of wnDirect at the same time as leveraging the DPD Group networks, partnerships and infrastructures will enable us to provide unrivalled solutions to our customers and partners. It’s a privilege to have the chance to lead this venture.”
wnDirect founder Stuart Hill will continue to play a significant role in the business, leading the focus on strategy, innovation and key account partnerships. Hill said: “What has been achieved by the team so far is quite astounding when you consider wnDirect is still a relatively young business. It is testament to everyone that we have grown so significantly whilst retaining the DNA and ethos which made it exciting in the first place. I am thrilled to be part of the team for the future”.
