Global parcel locker operator Quadient has signed an exclusive partnership deal with French retailer Auchan France to equip more than 400 hypermarkets and supermarkets with carrier agnostic smart lockers.
With its open network infrastructure, the Parcel Pending by Quadient solution interfaces with the tracking system of any carrier, automatically alerting customers as soon as their parcel is securely delivered to one of the compartments.
Already set up to receive parcels from carriers Relais Colis and UPS, the solution will enable Auchan to offer other carriers access to its extensive network of hypermarkets and supermarkets for the delivery of their customers’ parcels.
Basile Guérin, Director of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at Auchan France, said that the partnership is part of its commitment to “work with experts in their fields to offer our customers the best services and a reinvented shopping experience, tailored to their needs and aspirations.”
Network expansion
The partnership enables Quadient to expand its network in France, which offers carriers exclusive access to premium delivery points ideally located in high-density city districts. In July this year, Quadient announced that it French network had reach more than 1,000 lockers nationwide.
“Quadient’s automated delivery and collection network streamlines both the last and first mile in a very sustainable manner over the long term, respectful of the environment and the consumer experience,” said Katia Bourgeais Crémel, Director of Parcel Locker Solutions Europe at Quadient.
“We look forward to building significant new partnerships that will further develop a shared use of our pickup points, focusing on the user experience, sustainability and cost reduction across the parcel management chain,” Crémel added.
UPS partnership
Quadient continues to roll out its French network, building on its strategic partnerships, its experience, and the success of its open networks in the UK and Japan. To date, the company already has an installed base of 18,900 units worldwide.
Earlier this month, the firm announced that it had added UPS to its list of carriers using the French network. UPS will use 300 Quadient locations in the country to create a new automated locker delivery service. Together, UPS and Quadient are actively working to identify the best locations for UPS, based on existing parcel delivery volumes and constraints.
