InPost expanding “EasyPack” networks in Slovakia and Chile

InPost has been continuing to make progress in expanding its parcel terminal presence in Europe and Latin America. The Polish company said it has now deployed the first 34 of its “EasyPack” machines in Slovakia.

And, it is taking forward the next stage of its partnership with Correos de Chile in Chile.

Slovakia

InPost already operates a network of 600 automated self-service 24-hour parcel collection and delivery terminals in Poland, Russia and the Ukraine.

The company is now expanding south of its home country into Slovakia with an initial plan to establish 50 machines to target the commerce market there.

So far, 34 have been installed, including 24 at stores of the supermarket chain Kaufland. A further 16 machines are in preparation stages.

“Today we have finished the testing phase and are analyzing the results,” said Rafal Brzoska, the InPost chief executive.

This Christmas will see InPost running a publicity campaign in Slovakia to educate people on how to use the parcel terminals to receive parcels and Christmas gifts when they cannot be at home to receive them.

“People do not want to stand in queues any more, or rush to the post office to catch it before it closes,” said Brzoska. “The promotional campaign is to show people how easily you can use the parcel terminal, which is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, without any restrictions.”

InPost has backing from investment firm Pinebridge Investments for a EUR 300m programme that intends to roll out 16,000 parcel terminals in Europe over the next four years.

InPost said with its own network of parcel terminals it now has 10,000 ecommerce merchants using the network, with about 3,000 merchants allowing customers to deliver items to parcel terminals.

Customers buying products online receive a text and an email when their parcel arrives in their chosen parcel terminal, giving them an access code to open the locker in which their parcel is stowed.

Chile

Meanwhile, InPost has just launched the second stage of its contract with Correos de Chile, the Chilean national postal service.

The company has had eight machines running since the tail end of 2011, branded as “CityBox” terminals, and will now have another 20 installed by the end of this year, with a further 32 machines added to the network in 2013.

Ultimately, InPost said hopes are to have several hundred CityBox terminals in Chile.

Brzoska said that at present two ecommerce retailers dominate the Chilean market – Falabella and Cencosud – splitting a 39% share of the market between them. He said despite the fact that these companies have well developed logistics networks of their own, there was still room for alternatives.

“The great Chilean market potential could not pass us unnoticed,” said Brzoska. “Our machines fit perfectly into the Chilean infrastructure, providing the basis for high growth in ecommerce.”

InPost said a second stage of the alliance with Correos de Chile is seeing the postal operator becoming InPost’s distribution partner for the parcel terminals in South America, helping further propel expansion in foreign markets.