Parcelnet in UK Rebrands as Hermes

Parcelnet, the UK's largest home delivery courier network, is to be rebranded as Hermes following the decision last year to integrate the company into a newly-formed European services division. The move is part of an ongoing strategy to build a sustainable international business and create the first cross-border business-to-consumer delivery solution.

Direct catalog retailers JD Williams and Lands’ End have become the first companies to use the new service, with consumer goods collected in the UK for onward delivery to private addresses across Germany.

This development will see the company become an integral part of a new international operation that combined already handles 22 per cent of all home deliveries across Europe, and is designed to take advantage of a growing market that is forecasted to almost double in value to €10.5bn by 2016. Hermes Logistik Gruppe, the largest home delivery service in Germany and a leading operator in Austria, is working with other key businesses within France and Italy to create a single branded presence across all major European markets.

The rebranding represents the next stage of the newly-named Hermes’ development, enabling it to benefit from greater investment in IT and infrastructure. For example, electronic signature capture will be introduced across all services to meet customer demand for real-time tracking of parcels, and a new head office and a national hub will open later this year. A wider service offering will also be introduced, including the cross-border delivery solution and a next-day service in the UK.