PostNL reveals new automated parcel locker in collaboration with retailer Jumbo

Utrecht, the Netherlands, 10 March 2021 – From today, customers can collect and send their PostNL parcels even faster and more easily at the Jumbo Foodmarkt Leidsche Rijn in the city of Utrecht. The day saw the official launch of a brand-new, smart, fully automated parcel locker able to receive and dispense parcels without any human intervention.

User-friendly

Going forward, PostNL will be increasingly making smart use of data,?digitalisation and robotisation, the key aim being to improve logistics and information to customers. This new generation of parcel lockers enables customers to collect their parcels via an easy-to-use screen in the wall, without needing the assistance of an employee. For security’s sake, customers will receive their own unique PIN via email or text to obtain the parcel from the machine. And the automated parcel locker will also accept parcels customers wish to send.

Capacity

An additional advantage is that this new locker with a capacity of 200 parcels is four times as big as our regular parcel lockers. From the outside, customers will see a screen and a hatch to put their parcels through; a large inbuilt storage space is on the other side of that hatch, ensuring that people can come and collect their parcels at the PostNL location of their choice even when it’s very busy. Jean-Luc Otten, Business Development Manager at PostNL Retail has been closely involved in the project: “I’m really proud that PostNL is following in the footsteps of some leading retailers by using this great robotic technology to dispense and collect high volumes of parcels.”

Joining forces

The new automated parcel locker in Utrecht is the product of a collaboration with retailer Jumbo and distributor Dujardin-Remmers. It will be tested for six months, after which this new generation of smart parcel lockers should pop up at increasing numbers of PostNL points across the Netherlands.