Race against time

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/10

The rapid growth of online shopping has drastically increased transport volumes, putting companies under pressure. They need to develop more advanced processes that allow reliable and fast delivery to meet shopper expectations. As e-commerce is expanding globally, competition is also intensifying in the domestic market, particularly due to the increasing volume of parcels from China.

A rugalmasság és a pontos szállítási időablakok iránti igény a B2C üzletágban egyre hangsúlyosabbá válik

An innovative period

Mihály Panyi
parcel logistics technology
and product management
director
Hungarian Post

“We have the biggest electric fleet in the country. Within the framework of the MPL+ project, by December 2023 we equipped our logistics plants with automated conveyor belts capable of processing up to 3,000 parcels/ hour at 17 locations across the country”,

says Mihály Panyi, parcel logistics technology and product management director of Hungarian Post Zrt.

He adds that Hungarian Post is in an innovative phase, where development is part of everyday life. This will mainly be reflected in the launch of new applications, new payment methods and environmentally friendly solutions.

Ádám Nándor Bengyel, CEO and co-founder of FoxPost Zrt.:

Ádám Bengyel
CEO
FoxPost

 “FoxPost specialises primarily in parcel delivery to pick-up points, including parcel lockers, but we also offer door-to-door delivery. We focus on environmental awareness and sustainable last-mile delivery, so the whole structure is optimised for this”.

The most important development task for the coming year is to continue to operate and improve the network of more than 3,000 parcel lockers and nearly 2,000 parcel points in a unified fashion, together with Packeta.

Software support

Packeta Hungary uses several modern technologies to increase the punctuality of deliveries. Automated systems, continuously updated tracking platforms and advanced logistics software all contribute to the optimisation of the transport process.

Gábor Kovács
head of sales and marketing
Packeta Hungary

“We are improving our services by collecting and analysing data, and we are also focusing on the development of our parcel point network”,

informs Gábor Kovács, head of sales and marketing at Packeta Hungary Kft.

They deliver to 33 countries outside Hungary, supporting e-commerce businesses entering international markets. Customers want contactless parcel receipt, predictability, real-time tracking, SMS notifications and direct access to the courier. Demand for parcel lockers and parcel points is showing impressive growth, while the market share of door-to-door delivery is declining. According to the latest research, 29% of online shoppers opted for parcel pick-up in December 2023 and this proportion grew to 38% by 2024, while the proportion of those preferring home delivery fell from 59% to 49%.

GLS Hungary’s services include home delivery as the most popular delivery option, as well as pick-up point of delivery. They operate more than 1,850 GLS Parcel Lockers, which is currently the largest such network in Hungary.

Attila Balázs
managing director
GLS Hungary

“We are expanding our network in cities and rural areas to offer flexible parcel delivery solutions to customers living in the countryside. Plus we have nearly 1,100 GLS ParcelPoints nationwide. We now also offer the GLS XXL service with 24-hour delivery, which can handle small parcel shipments of up to 80 kg”,

informs Attila Balázs, managing director of GLS Hungary.

More parcel lockers

László Varga
sales and marketing director
DPD Hungary

Árpád Szabó
business development
manager
DHL Supply Chain
Magyarország

 “Our services include door-to-door delivery with time-bound and optional delivery options for maximum flexibility. Globally we operate more than 26,000 alternative fuel vehicles”,

informs Árpád Szabó, business development manager of DHL Supply Chain Hungary.

In recent years the transport industry went through dramatic changes due to Covid, the economic downturn and inflation. During the pandemic demand for parcel delivery surged, creating major logistics challenges, while the recession led to a decline in purchasing power and a drop in sales for domestic online stores. Sustainability requirements and environmental regulations are an increasing burden for companies. Rising fuel prices and labour shortages, especially of skilled couriers, are hampering the sector.

A megrendelők egyre inkább ragaszkodnak az érintésmentes átvételhez, a kiszámíthatósághoz, a valós idejű nyomon követéshez

Pioneering technologies

Dániel Schmidt
chief strategy officer
Boxy

Boxy Logistics Zrt.’s fulfilment customers have access to practically the entire domestic and international transport palette. They have contracted with every well-known domestic courier services and have entered into a strategic partnership with DPD.

“Our fleet is state-of-the-art, with the most optimal routes – there is no unnecessary mileage. The warehouse car park has several electric charging stations, so our employees can arrive at work with green licence plates and a peace of mind”,

says Dániel Schmidt, chief strategy officer of Boxy Logisztikai Zrt.

For Palletways the traceability of shipments is essential. Their cloud-based system makes it possible for everyone to get information about their shipment. Goods are tagged with barcode labels, which are scanned by colleagues at each intermediate station, in order to ensure that interested parties have the information they need.

Balázs Balatonyi
sales manager of the
Hungarian network
Palletways

“Other technologies that increase our efficiency include estimated time of delivery notifications, which allow recipients to see exactly when their pallet will arrive”,

says Balázs Balatonyi, sales manager of the Hungarian network of Palletways.

DODO has integrated data analytics, machine learning and real-time tracking into its in-house developed platform to optimise routes and schedules.

Lukáš Gold
CEO
DODO Magyarország

“Thanks to this we can predict demand patterns, minimise delivery times and ensure exceptional accuracy for our services. In addition to this, our platform guarantees full transparency with real-time updates”,

explains Lukáš Gold, CEO of DODO Magyarország.

DODO offers same-day and next-day 2-hour and 4-hour time window delivery, as well as express options for fresh food on request. //

Packeta and FoxPost join forces