KEP industry: Expansion of DHL packing stations

Share of Packstations in the parcel volume of Deutsche Post DHL – Image: Xpert.Digital

By 2025, Deutsche Post DHL aims to deliver 10 percent of its parcel volume to customers via Packstations. In 2019, this figure was 3 percent. A Packstation is a self-service kiosk where customers can independently pick up or send parcels 24 hours a day. Packstations allow delivery personnel to save time and money.

Share of Packstations in the total parcels transported by Deutsche Post DHL Group between 2019 and 2025

• 2019 – 3 %
• 2021 – 5 %
• 2025 – 10 %

The figures for 2021 and 2025 are forecasts/planned figures from Deutsche Post DHL.

Number of Packstations operated by Deutsche Post DHL – Image: Xpert.Digital

By 2021, Deutsche Post DHL plans to have around 7,000 Packstations, which will allow them to save time and costs in deliveries. A Packstation is a self-service kiosk where customers can independently pick up or send parcels 24 hours a day.

Number of Packstations operated by Deutsche Post DHL between 2008 and 2021

• 2008 – 1,500 DHL Packstations
• 2009 – 2,500 DHL Packstations
• 2010 – 2,500 DHL Packstations
• 2011 – 2,500 DHL Packstations
• 2012 – 2,500 DHL Packstations
• 2013 – 2,500 DHL Packstations
• 2014 – 2,650 DHL Packstations
• 2015 – 2,750 DHL Packstations
• 2016 – 3,000 DHL Packstations
• 2017 – 3,400 DHL Packstations
• 2018 – 3,700 DHL Packstations
• 2019 – 3,700 DHL Packstations
• 2021 – 7,000 DHL Packstations

The value for 2021 is a forecast/planned value from Deutsche Post DHL.

Deutsche Post DHL Group plans to expand its Packstation network in Germany, aiming for around 15,000 of these public parcel lockers by 2023. A recent survey shows that the parcel service provider is tapping into current trends. According to the survey, approximately 19 percent of Germans polled had used a Packstation at least once in the 12 months prior to the survey. This makes these reliable delivery locations significantly more popular in Germany than, for example, in Great Britain (14 percent), the USA (13 percent), or Brazil (12 percent). The use of these parcel lockers is even more widespread in Sweden and China. Around 36 percent of Scandinavians stated that they had received parcels via public lockers in the past year – in China, the figure is even higher, exceeding half of the survey participants.

Approximately one in five Germans uses parcel lockers – Image: Statista

24/7 parcel service – DHL expands its Packstation network – Image: Statista

DHL is significantly accelerating the expansion of its network of Packstations in Germany. Within the next two years, the number of publicly accessible parcel lockers is expected to more than double. DHL currently operates an estimated 7,000 Packstations across Germany. The parcel service provider's expansion plans come at the right time, as more and more Germans are using this secure and contactless way to receive parcels – the pandemic has also contributed to this increase in users. A survey shows that approximately 19 percent of respondents in Germany use the 24/7 parcel service, underscoring the industry trend. According to the company, around five percent of all parcel shipments will be delivered to a Packstation in 2021, and this figure is expected to rise to around 10 percent by 2025. According to Post Office board member Tobias Meyer, Packstations also offer an environmentally friendly aspect: Delivery to parcel lockers reduces travel distances and delivery attempts to private residences.

Satisfaction with the service of selected CEP (courier, express, and parcel) services in Germany – Image: Xpert.Digital

This statistic shows the percentage of customers of selected courier, express, and parcel (CEP) services in Germany in 2016 (period August to November) who were satisfied with the service they used. The data was calculated by parcelLab. UPS received the most positive service rating, with 75 percent of customers reporting satisfaction.

Percentage of customers who were satisfied with the service provided by the CEP service they used.

• UPS – 75%
• GLS – 67%
• DHL – 67%
• Hermes – 63%
• DPD – 58%

Distribution of the number of CEP services used by customers in Germany – Image: Xpert.Digital

The statistic shows the percentage of different courier, express, and parcel service providers used at least once by customers in the retail and service sectors between August and October 2016. The figures were calculated by parcelLab. DHL was the most frequently used service provider. More than half of the customers used a service provider from the CEP (courier, express, and parcel) sector.

The calculation was based on a total of approximately 35 million shipping events by trading and service companies from various sectors in Germany during the period from August to October 2016.

Percentage of the number of CEP service providers used by individual customers in Germany between August and October 2016

• A CEP service provider – 55.84%
• Two CEP service providers – 27.27%
• Three CEP service providers – 12.99%
• Four CEP service providers – 3.9%

Key figures on the transport and delivery network of Deutsche Post DHL in Germany – Image: Xpert.Digital

In Germany, Deutsche Post DHL operated approximately 109,500 mailboxes and 82 mail sorting and distribution centers in 2020. That same year, there were also 10,500 parcel shops and 36 parcel sorting and distribution centers.

Selected key figures on the transport and delivery network of Deutsche Post DHL in Germany (as of 2020)

• Employed mail and parcel carriers – 118600
• Number of mailboxes – 109,500
• Number of branches – 13,000
• Number of parcel shops – 10,500
• Number of parcel lockers – 6,650
• Number of points of sale – 2,000
• Number of mail centers – 82
• Number of parcel centers – 36

Notes and comments: These are approximate values.

Time until actual delivery to CEP services in Germany – Image: Xpert.Digital

This statistic shows the average duration from the first delivery attempt to actual receipt of the shipment by the customer for selected courier, express, and parcel (CEP) services in Germany in 2016 (period August to November). The data was calculated by parcelLab as part of the BVOH Parcel Study 2016. For the CEP service Hermes, it took an average of 1.3 days for the customer to receive their shipment after the first delivery attempt.

The time measured was from the first delivery attempt until actual delivery or collection by the customer. Source note: The data was based on actual shipping information from over 100 German online shops. More than 35 million standard parcel shipments were analyzed between August and October 2016.

Average duration from the first delivery attempt to actual receipt of the shipment at selected CEP service providers in Germany in 2016 (in days)

• UPS – 0.8 days
• GLS – 0.9 days
• DHL – 1.2 days
• Hermes – 1.3 days
• DPD – 1.5 days

Since early human civilizations, people have had to transport objects from one place to another. The growth in economic performance and industrial specialization led to the establishment of larger transport routes. Better use of technology with advances in science allowed us to deliver to multiple locations much faster with less effort. The logistics industry connects the business world, and this connection is evolving in response to the changing needs of the market.

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• Europe & USA: Last mile market, courier, express and parcel shipments

Sales in the courier, express and parcel industry in Germany rose steadily between 2009 and 2019, which is mainly due to the boom in online trading. In 2019, the turnover of the CEP industry in Germany was around 21.3 billion euros. In the CEP end customer market in Germany, Deutsche Post DHL had the highest share of sales in the 2017/2018 financial year at 69 percent.

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• Courier, express and parcel shipments in Germany