Correos buys 60 KePol automated parcel terminals

Even though e-commerce plays a smaller role in Spain than in other European countries, online trading is nonetheless gaining ground. Indeed, the “ Online Shoppers 2013” study comes to the conclusion that as in the remainder of Europe, e-commerce is also growing steadily in Spain.

Moreover, Spain is the nation with the widest distribution of smart phones in the EU with 88 per cent of the population using the Internet several times daily and the forecasts for the national e-commerce field are just as positive as those for the rest of the continent. And although Norway and Sweden are likely to remain the two states with the highest share of e-commerce in Europe (76% and 74% respectively), the upward trend in Spain is set to continue.

Correos is well aware of these trends and has therefore opted for a parcel automation solution from KEBA, the leading specialist in this field. Following initial agreement in July, a contract was recently signed for the purchase of 60 KePol automats. KEBA is supplying Correos with a mix comprised of KePol FS outdoor and KePol LS indoor systems.

KEBA qualified for the invitation to tender issued by Correos in May 2014 and then won the ensuing competition.

Jordi Escruela Soldevila, Innovation Deputy Director of Correos, explains this decision as follows: “For us the determining factor was the extremely high quality of the KePol parcel automats. And KEBA was able to convince us with the best price-performance ratio.”

The sixty KEBA parcel automats are to be marketed under the name “ CityPaq”. The rollout is planned for 2015 with initial installations in railway stations in Barcelona. The installations will go on in gas stations and another similar placements in Madrid and another cities across Spain.